-The Amazing Lorna "Foxy" Freeman

by Franka R

St. Thomas Source

“Some people might have me on a high pedestal, but I see myself as an average person since I haven’t reached my peak.” These were the words of an astonishing singer and a beauty pageant winner, Lorna Lenise Freeman-Dennis. Does that name ring a bell? You may also know her as “The Voice,” “Songbird,” Songstress,” and most commonly “The Fox.”

She was born on November 27th, 1968 and is currently 45 years of age. Ms. Freeman is a singer known for performing by herself and along with the Spectrum Band.

The roots of her fame actually started back in elementary school when she began performing with her family at age seven. Her parents, Sidney and Grethel Freeman, gave birth to four children: Linda was the first, Lorna was the second, and two boys, Lester and Linroy, came after her. With their father conducting them, Lorna, her sister and one brother were known as the Freeman’s Trio.

Her voice grew through Joseph Gomez Elementary School, Bertha C . Boschulte Middle School, and the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School. During high school she was mentored and inspired by Jo-Sandra Jones-James, the renowned choir teacher at Kean who wrote our alma mater. From her sophomore year on, she was singing with the Choraliers and the Concert Choir.

In 1986, once again under the leadership of Jo-Sandra James, our school choir made history, becoming the first in the V.I. to ever be recorded; featured on many of the tracks on “The Cultural Mix,” Lorna was front and center.

You might say, “Her life must be really great.” But I would like to inform you that it wasn't always that way. When asked what her challenges were back then, she paused, and her face slowly changed. “I never really had friends in high school,” she said in such a sad tone. “It was because people were so jealous of me, of my voice, that I just gradually lost friends.”

Not only was she friendless in high school, making a “name for herself” was challenging. Her siblings were in the top 10 and valedictorians of their years in school, and walking in her their shadow was very difficult for her. Her teachers constantly bashed her for being an average student. “It’s sad to say that not all my teachers were inspiring; I was always being put down for not following the footsteps of my siblings, but I don’t dwell on it,” Ms. Freeman remarked.

But her face lit up when she looked at the bright side of the situation. She went on to say, “At least I made a name for myself in my music, so it kind of substituted for my progress in high school.”

Always looking at the positive side of things is what motivates Ms. Freeman, so she never gives up on her dreams. For seven years she has been working as a Federal Grant Program Assistant, but music stays her passion.

In addition to her busy music life, she enjoys black sitcoms, Lifetime, reality shows, cooking, hairstyling, drawing and designing. (Earth tones are her favorite colors.) Her weaknesses are hamburgers, chocolate, and cherry Coke. (She considers herself a, “fast food junkie.”)

But singing is her “lifestyle job,” and her accomplishments have been non stop. She won on the Amateur Night NYC’s famous Apollo Theater and Ed McMahon’s Next Big Star. She won the Miss Black and Gold Pageant at Morris Brown University and represented the state of Georgia for the regional competition. There she was the first runner up, winning Ms. Congeniality and Best Talent by singing “Long After Love Has Lost Its Shine” by Regina Bell.

Music is truly Lorna’s life. She majored in music at Morris Brown College in Georgia with a focus on Vocal Performance. Her most important performances were at the Farrelly/Hodge Campaign Kickoff Announcement Reception and inaugural activities and events for USVI governors Schneider, Turnbull and deJongh Jr.. She has performed for Veteran’s Day ceremonies, funerals, and other significant events.

She strongly believes that the universal language of the world is music, and because of that she gives back to the community by inspiring youths through volunteering as a vocal coach at Joseph Gomez School, IEKHS, and Charlotte Amalie High School. She also has served as a vocal instructor at the Virgin Islands Institute of the Performing Arts ,The University of the Virgin Islands, and at the Jones School of Music.

Lorna is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and mentoring young women has become a specialty. She has coached and trained 12 Virgin Islands queens and helped 13 contestants to win Best Talent.

With a five -octave range, she feels, “I’m anointed,” and humbly states the importance of, “Learning to accept the gift that I have.” Her advice to the youth today is, “For every plan A, have plan B and C. Don’t pile all the eggs in one basket. ” For those musically inspired students, she says, “Seek a music education degree, because you can play and teach etc. Learn to read music and be versatile.”

After all this success, you would think that “The Songstress” would be satisfied. Well you thought wrong, because her number one goal is to be discovered by a major record label. “Regardless of my age, I would like to be still discovered, whether its R&B, Classical, Jazz, Gospel, on an International level,” Lorna stated when I asked about her goals.

She chuckled at the idea of retirement, and seemed somewhat shocked that I mentioned it. “I haven’t thought about it as yet,” she said. “Without music in my life, there’s no existence of Lorna. Music is my heartbeat.”