Early career Boyfriend released her first single, "Hunch and Munch," in 2012, followed by a trilogy of EPs titled
Love Your Boyfriend (2014–2016). She gained early recognition for her provocative performances and lyrics. She toured with
Big Freedia in the fall of 2015 before the duo collaborated on "Marie Antoinette" (2016). She also wrote 4 songs and co-produced
Big Freedia's December 2016 EP,
A Very Big Freedia Christmazz. In spring of 2017, Boyfriend released
Next, an EP produced in Laurel Canyon with the help of
Pablo Dylan, grandson of
Bob Dylan and son of
Jesse Dylan and New Orleans musicians Khris Royal, Joe Shirley, and Alvin Ford Jr. The EP includes a track featuring
Cindy Wilson of
The B-52's. In December 2017, Boyfriend headlined a party in Tokyo, Japan, for
Marc Jacobs at the notorious Ai Honten host club in Kabukicho's Red Light District. The event was held to celebrate the launch of his Spring/Summer 2018 Collection and guests included Yu Yamada and Kiko Mizuhara among other celebrities and influencers.
Debut Album and Major Collaborations Boyfriend's debut album,
Sugar & Spice (2022), charted on college and non-commercial radio. The album features collaborations with
Pussy Riot,
Death Valley Girls, and
Amanda Lepore. She has maintained a decade-long creative partnership with
Big Freedia, contributing to multiple projects, and featuring on "El Niño" (2023) alongside
Lil Wayne.
Festival Appearances Boyfriend has performed at major music festivals and cultural events throughout her career. In addition to headlining tours, she has appeared at:
SXSW,
Fun Fun Fun Fest,
Pemberton Music Festival,
San Francisco Pride, and
BUKU Music + Art Project. In June 2017, Boyfriend performed at
Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival where her performance with
Preservation Hall Jazz Band and
Chance the Rapper in the SuperJam was named by Consequence of Sound as the Number 3 set in their Bonnaroo Festival Review: Top 10 Sets. Boyfriend performed at
Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in August 2017, where her performance was mentioned by Rolling Stone as a part of their 5 Best Things That Happened at Outside Lands 2017. Boyfriend has become a staple at the
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, performing annual sets on the Gentilly Stage. She is also prominently featured in the Grammy Award-winning documentary
Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story (2022), which explores the history and cultural impact of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
Songwriting and Film/TV Placements Boyfriend has written original music for major films including
Space Jam: A New Legacy (soundtrack) and
Office Christmas Party, as well as secured placements in commercials for Walmart, Amazon, and Apple. Her music has been featured in TV shows across Comedy Central, Netflix, HBO, ABC, and more. She also has an extensive career as a songwriter, contributing to projects by
Charli XCX,
Troye Sivan,
Kesha,
Mala Rodríguez,
Pom Pom Squad,
The Revivalists,
Galactic, and
Slayyyter, among others.
Musical Theater Boyfriend is the creator of
Hag. a three-act semi-scripted and interactive musical that ran for 4 consecutive years at
Preservation Hall and featured the dynamic burlesque/drag duo of Kitten & Lou, rearranged Boyfriend ragtime mixes by composer Joe Shirley and trombone stylings by Preservation Hall's David L. Harris. In November 2018, Boyfriend released "Wash That", her take on the
Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" from their musical
South Pacific (musical). Premiered by
Playbill, the song explores "beauty rituals and hair maintenance," which are some of Boyfriend's favorite themes to explore. She told Playbill that "Wash That" is "in perfect alignment with my ongoing thesis statement about the burden of beautification and the processes we undergo as women to be deemed 'presentable,'" explaining, "So often it's the opposite, where we're plucking and tweezing in order to snag a man, but this taps into the empowerment that is nested inside all of these rituals—wash him off! Put that lipstick on for you!" In 2025, Boyfriend announced the release of her concept concert album
In the Garden, set for release on May 9, 2025. The album reimagines the story of Adam and Eve but through Eve's lens. The project features Boyfriend as Eve alongside
Billy Porter (narrator),
Jake Shears (Adam),
Big Freedia (God), and
Peaches (Serpent).
Advocacy and Industry Involvement Boyfriend serves as a Governor of the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy and co-chair of the Songwriter and Composers Committee. An advocate for sustainability, she is a Notable Member of the
Plastic Pollution Coalition, serves as a board member for Grounds Krewe -an organization promoting a sustainable Mardi Gras, and as Sustainability Advisor for the Krewe of Freret -the first New Orleans parade to ban plastic beads. ==Discography==