Musician, actress and producer Freda Steffl participates in a questions and answers segment. She covers everything from working with Hollywood superstar Vivica A. Fox, serving in the military and her latest music video “Bend Over.”
Freda Steffl is blazing a trail of her own.
She’s an actress, film producer, vocalist, rapper, music producer, and dancer. The Nigerian native earned her bachelor’s degree at Minnesota State University. She’s done so while simultaneously serving in the Army. Since graduating, she’s continued to stay busy.
The mother of three has a few film credits under her belt. She starred in her own film as the titular character in “Alexandra” (2018) adjacent to Hollywood superstar Vivica A. Fox. Plus, she’s played a supporting character in the Doug Phillips feature film “Weightier Matters” (2019). She’s also been busy producing her own music, performing at venues, and her track “Mater” plays in the credits in the award-winning short film written by Mario Terrell II, “Club City” (2020), which drew recognition for its music selection.
The music artist, who mononymously goes by Freda, opens up about her experiences in the entertainment industry, serving in the military, and her upcoming projects.
13 Questions with Freda
Gino Terrell: “How has studying dramatic theater arts at Minnesota State University prepared you for your projects in the entertainment industry?”
Freda Steffl: “It helped in giving me the knowledge I needed to actually go out in the world and create in a professional manner.”
GT: “Also, how did you manage to juggle serving in the military while also being a college student?”
Freda: “I’ll tell you this, it was difficult, but I had a fire inside me that just couldn’t be put out. I wanted an education but also had the zeal to be of service to people. So at the end of the day, it all worked out great. I did military drills on weekends and when I had to be gone for weeks of trainings, I stayed in communication with my professors and was able to complete my school work.”
Freda developed her artistic talents early on
GT: “As a performer you are a quadruple threat. You sing, dance, rap, and act. Were these talents something you tapped into as a child, or did you develop your interests into these crafts at different stages of your life?”
Freda: “It all started at a young age. I was a member of my church choir. I was a member of a local street dance group and also acted in church plays. I’ve loved entertainment [since] childhood, but my parents wanted a degree in my corner to back up my career.”
GT: “What do you love the most about the arts?”
Freda: “Entertainment is fun and that’s what I love about it. The ability to present a visual to an audience in the form of a movie, or dance is intriguing to me. And as we all know, music is life; it’s healing, fun, exciting, and brings out the best in humans. These arts take me to a better place in my daily living and what’s not to love about that.”
Freda’s experience creating “Alexandra”
GT: “You once starred in a movie alongside Vivica A. Fox titled ‘Alexandra.’ What was it like working with the icon?”
Freda: “Ms Vivica Fox left a great impression on me that I’ll never forget. She blessed me with her humble, caring, loving self and above that her professionalism was beyond comprehension. She was kind to everyone on set and even extended that kindness to prisoners that were incarcerated at the jail we filmed ‘Alexandra’ at. She’s an Icon but also your homegirl. She’s a great actress and I have so much love and respect for her.”
GT: “What are some things you learned from producing the film?”
Freda: “First of all, I realized it’s a lot of work producing. Lol. But I did not regret doing it. Production always looks messy and there was a time I felt like there was not enough to get a finished result. Each scene in a film is captured several times from different angles and a scene could take an hour of filming. Being a producer requires one to have patience, be accommodating while also [having] set rules. I was exhausted at the end of film day only to start over again in a few hours. It was all worth it after production ended and I viewed clips. You spend weeks with people on set daily, and form a bond with few, if not all, that you stay friends with.”
GT: “When you reflect back upon “Alexandra,” what are you most proud of?”
Freda: “I’m most proud of the fact that it was a great production. There were no accidents on sets; no form of altercations ever occurred especially when there were more than 30 people at one time on set. The entire production went smoothly and everyone was happy to be a part of my production. Cast and crew came with their A-game and were very professional.”
Freda’s ambitions as a musician
GT: “What inspired you to perform, produce and write your own music?”
Freda: “I’ve always wanted to branch off into music as I love how music makes me feel but the constant reminder of my kids and others telling me I have a really good voice for music was what inspired me.”
GT: “Are there any artists that influence your music productions? If so, who are they?”
Freda: “Yes. Sade, Arianna Grande, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Wayne.”
GT: “Since the pandemic, you have dropped 3 music videos with ‘Mama Africa,’ ‘Distraction’ and ‘Bend Over.’ What has motivated you to continue being creative in this climate?”
Freda: “I felt like the pandemic made it more important to actually put out more music as people turned to social media and music platforms to be more creative or to enjoy the creativity of others, which on most platforms utilizes music. I wanted to share my own sound for a more different feel when it comes to music.”
GT: “How have you overcome challenges the pandemic has caused to proceed with production?”
Freda: “I continue, with precautions and abiding by the safety regulations, to perform at venues. It has not been very easy as a lot of shows were canceled. But the hope that it will get better soon keeps me going.”
GT: “What was the inspiration behind your latest music video ‘Bend Over?'”
Freda: “‘Bend Over’ was a way to express my love for traveling and the feeling of love and happiness. A lot of changes [have] happened in the last two years and somehow, I have been able to stay positive and happy. I just wanted that same feeling for everyone who listens to ‘Bend Over.’ With the video, I decided to make it full of vibrant colors to depict a happy place.”
GT: “There’s a bit of dance choreography in ‘Bend Over’ and you pose a dance challenge in your video description on YouTube. Is the dance music genre an avenue you are looking to explore in future projects as well?”
Freda: “Absolutely, there’s no dancing without music. I do plan on having dancers with me even for future live performances. It’s very entertaining and keeps the crowd glued.”
What’s next and beyond
GT: “Are there any future projects on the horizon that you can tell us about?”
Freda: “I’m currently working on producing a reality TV series here in Minnesota and I plan on producing my first action movie. Hopefully, these two projects will be ready by 2023.”
About the author
Gino is a journalist, actor, and filmmaker. This photog's snapshot of Lauren Jauregui, published in Idol Features, placed third for Best Action Photography at the 2020 National Arts & Entertainment Awards (via LA Press Club). Telly 26 is where he directed and executive produced short film "Club City." He also starred in DROELOE's "Only Be Me" music video.
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