Freda James is all about empowerment. From her all female band to her lyrics, her music is all about lifting women up and the perfect soundtrack to self discovery. Part of that stems from her own self discovery journey when she created her EP. Her music is incredible and it was so amazing to talk to her about her process in creating this.
Freda, tell us about the EP.
Freda: The EP is a collection of stories gathered throughout my years living in Brooklyn, growing into my womanhood. I turned those experiences into word & sound. It’s a compilation of all the different forms of love I journeyed through, to ultimately find love within myself and to soften my inner critic. I would say the sound is a variety of pop, some moody & cinematic, some upbeat & funky.
Which track means the most to you?
Freda: That is hard… I love them all because they all feel so different. I think the last song is very special and gives a hint at what I love most about music. It was recorded during a jam session, so It’s untouched and raw. Words and melody came to me and formed a hymn-like tune. I decided a week ago to add it to the EP and end the project on a note that will tie into future projects.
As a woman, how important is female empowerment to you?
Freda: I want the younger generation of females to grow up in a world where they feel safe and supported to love their bodies and own their power. If I can help make that happen by being vocal in my art, then I will continue to be real with my feelings and express the spectrum of emotions I go through as a female.
What's been empowering for you?
Freda: Watching friends start their own businesses, follow their passions, challenge themselves. The journey I’ve taken with music has not been a normal one and as a creative we are known to be filled with all sorts of emotions. I can feel super centered and then all over the place in one day. But to see people around me continue to push forward and embrace adversity, there is a beautiful supportive energy in it all.
What's next?
Freda: My first EP is out on July 19th! I’m currently in NY singing with a jazz band on Sunday nights, and I just performed my EP live at Ponyboy in Brooklyn. In August I’m going to Europe for a few weeks to write and create and breathe… then back to LA in late August to play some more shows and work on a new EP, which will be a step in a new direction for me musically. This is my summer of expansion.
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