Kristen “Booqoo” LaDawn Calfee is beaming with stardom. So much so that after a recent interview at Z’otz coffee shop, someone who had overheard the conversation stopped her on her way out to ask for her Instagram name.
The rising pop R&B star is just as animated, bubbly and eccentric in-person as she is in her music. Since signing with Sony Music Entertainment in 2024 and with her first studio-recorded EP set for release in May, Booqoo’s music career is preparing for takeoff.
“I feel like the music industry is the only industry that utilizes every vertical of artistry,” Booqoo said. “I wouldn’t want to do anything else in my life. I love it.”
In January, Booqoo released her single “Tip Toe,” where she puts a playful spin on Panic! At the Disco’s 2005 hit song “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” The song marked a new chapter for
Booqoo, as it was the first song to get legally approved to include lyrics from “I Write Sins Not Tragedies.” The single encapsulates her distinctive voice changes, bold confidence, unapologetic attitude and soulful harmonies.
Booqoo became a full-time music artist in 2022, recording, writing and producing all of her songs. She was first discovered by a small music label while performing at house raves in Baton Rouge. After years of hardships, financial struggles and “losing it all,” she was signed to Sony and recorded her upcoming EP “Bby Girl 808s.”
The record features “Tip Toe,” along with a mix of sensual and cutesy love songs and body-positive, tongue-in-cheek dance music. In one of the songs, the New Orleanian pays homage to the 504 with HaSizzle’s signature tongue trills used as the beat.
After growing up as the oldest of five children, feeling sheltered and othered, Booqoo says she is owning her womanhood and showcasing her fullest self. She plans to release more music, perform locally, go on tour in 2026 and eventually wants to perform at music festivals. She is also making her acting debut in an upcoming Louisiana-produced series and film, “Don’t Sell Your Soul.”
“I just know what I’m working on is something global,” Booqoo said. “It’s bigger than the city. It’s bigger than me. And just remembering how I felt before I committed myself to music [versus] how I feel now, I want to give that to as many people as possible.”
