Freya Fox
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Freya Fox
| image =
| caption = Freya Fox in 2025 for AAPI heritage month
| birth_name = Janelle Kao
| occupation = {{hlist|DJ|record producer|singer|songwriter}}
| instruments = {{hlist|Vocals|piano|guitar}}
| years_active = 2016–present
| website = {{URL|freyafoxtv.com}}
}}
Janelle Kao, known professionally as Freya Fox, is an American DJ, record producer, singer, actress, and TV personality and former professional gamer. She is most notable for her collaboration with Joel Kim Booster and Atsuko Okatsuka at Life is Beautiful Music Festival in Las Vegas, NV in 2022 and her performance at LA3C in 2022. She briefly appeared on Netflix's Bling Empire.{{Cite web |last=Dov |first=Yotam |date=May 8, 2025 |title=AAPI DJ & Freya Fox unite with Suno 4.5 on 'Sparkle + Suki (すき)' |url=https://weraveyou.com/2025/05/aapi-dj-freya-fox-suno-4-5-sparkle-suki-%E3%81%99%E3%81%8D/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=We Rave You }}{{Cite web |date=December 14, 2022 |title=[Exclusive Interview] Freya Fox Talks LA3C and Following Your Dreams |url=https://www.kpopwise.com/2022/12/exclusive-interview-freya-fox-talks-la3c.html |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=KpopWise {{!}} Kpop News and Exclusives }}{{Cite web |last=Earl |first=Cynthia Littleton, William |date=October 6, 2022 |title=LA3C Festival Unveils Full Music Lineup and Pact With Hot Import Nights Auto Event Producer |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/la3c-festival-music-lineup-1235394531/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Variety }}{{Cite news |title=Streamer Freya Fox Gets Real On the Gaming Industry—Don’t 'Pander' For Inclusivity |url=https://money.yahoo.com/streamer-freya-fox-gets-real-235401691.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230206100730/https://money.yahoo.com/streamer-freya-fox-gets-real-235401691.html |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |access-date=May 9, 2025 }}
She is ranked 69th in the DJaneTop Top 100 DJs of Taiwan, where she used to reside full time.{{Cite web |title=FREYA FOX - DJ profile on DjaneTop |url=https://djanetop.com/djanes/freya-fox/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=DjaneTop }}
Personal life
Kao was born and raised in San Diego, California.{{Cite web |date=December 10, 2022 |title=Meet Freya Fox: SoCal DJ Performing At The First-Ever LA3C Festival |url=https://patch.com/california/los-angeles/meet-freya-fox-socal-dj-performing-first-ever-la3c-festival |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Los Angeles, CA Patch }}{{Cite web |date=December 2, 2020 |title=Nữ streamer xinh đẹp hợp tác cùng Tổ chức Ung thư Hoa Kỳ |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202024350/https://yeuthethao.vn/nu-streamer-xinh-dep-hop-tac-cung-to-chuc-ung-thu-hoa-ky.html |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=web.archive.org}} She also lived in Taipei, Taiwan in her early 20s where she was a club singer. While in Taiwan, her cover of Eric Chou's "Ni Hao Bu Hao (How Have You Been?) went viral on SoundCloud's Top Streamed International Charts.{{Cite web |title=Artist bio |url=https://app.chartmetric.com/artist/8105875 |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=app.chartmetric.com}}
Kao is of Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Japanese descent.{{Cite web |last=Rospari |first=Rohmat |title=DJ Jepang Freya Fox Sempat Umumkan Kabar Meninggalnya Ricky Siahaan, Ungkap Penyebabnya karena Serangan Jantung - Edisi |url=https://www.edisi.co.id/berita/9715044778/dj-jepang-freya-fox-sempat-umumkan-kabar-meninggalnya-ricky-siahaan-ungkap-penyebabnya-karena-serangan-jantung |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=DJ Jepang Freya Fox Sempat Umumkan Kabar Meninggalnya Ricky Siahaan, Ungkap Penyebabnya karena Serangan Jantung - Edisi |language=id}}{{Cite web |last=Priyadi |first=Ardhi Adam |title=DJ Jepang Freya Fox Sempat Umumkan Kabar Meninggalnya Ricky Siahaan, Ungkap Penyebabnya karena Serangan Jantung - Mata Pers Indonesia |url=https://www.matapersindonesia.com/internasional/791206115/dj-jepang-freya-fox-sempat-umumkan-kabar-meninggalnya-ricky-siahaan-ungkap-penyebabnya-karena-serangan-jantung |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=DJ Jepang Freya Fox Sempat Umumkan Kabar Meninggalnya Ricky Siahaan, Ungkap Penyebabnya karena Serangan Jantung - Mata Pers Indonesia |language=id}}{{Cite web |last=Buana 03 |first=Tim Kabar |title=DJ Jepang Freya Fox Sempat Umumkan Kabar Meninggalnya Ricky Siahaan, Ungkap Penyebabnya karena Serangan Jantung - Kabar Buana |url=https://www.kabarbuana.com/peristiwa/90614991332/dj-jepang-freya-fox-sempat-umumkan-kabar-meninggalnya-ricky-siahaan-ungkap-penyebabnya-karena-serangan-jantung |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=DJ Jepang Freya Fox Sempat Umumkan Kabar Meninggalnya Ricky Siahaan, Ungkap Penyebabnya karena Serangan Jantung - Kabar Buana |language=id}}
She is sober and admits to losing friends over quitting alcohol at age 23.{{Cite web |last=Kelleher |first=Patrick |date=January 8, 2023 |title=Giving up alcohol helped me find peace and confidence without missing out |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/01/08/dry-january-giving-up-alcohol/ |access-date=May 12, 2025 |website=PinkNews }}
Gaming career
Before becoming a touring musician and DJ, Kao was a professional gamer. She specialized in Fighting Games and won the inaugural Facebook Gaming Fighting Game Championship in 2018 at Pax West 2018.
As of 2018, Kao was also signed with Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) as an official PUBG Philippines Partner {{Cite web |last=Stories |first=Local |date=September 13, 2018 |title=Meet Freya Fox of Freya Fox TV |url=https://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-freya-fox-freya-fox-tv-san-diego/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=SDVoyager - San Diego }}
In 2018, At Pax West 2018, Kao won the Facebook Gaming Fighting Game Championship by playing Soul Calibur VI in front of a live audience, in collaboration with Bandai Namco Japan, defeating Captain XBit to claim the title. That same day, Kao also participated as a video game host and talent for Square Enix's Pax West 2018 stream to promote Kingdom Hearts III.{{Cite web |title=Kingdom Hearts - We're live with Freya Fox at Facebook Gaming! #PAXWest2018 Tune-in to watch KingdomHearts! {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/KingdomHearts/photos/a.425862255840/10155719454375841/?type=3 |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=www.facebook.com }}
In June 2018 at E3 2018, she hosted a segment at the Facebook Gaming booth alongside fellow Facebook Gaming partners Alodia Gosiengfiao and StoneMountain64. Kao later appeared in a vlog with Filipino Celebrity Alodia Gosiengfiao whom she had collaborated with online prior.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.facebook.com/AlodiaGosiengfiao/videos/10155794106651747/ |title=Met Stonemountain64! {{!}} Met StoneMountain64, Freya Fox and other fellow FB Gaming Creators at the meet in E3 Los Angeles! Plus PlayStation booth tour and trying out Days Gone... {{!}} By Alodia Gosiengfiao {{!}} Facebook |access-date=May 9, 2025 |via=www.facebook.com}}
In January 2020, Kao modeled and appeared in a print ad campaign for EDIFIER audio, appearing at their CES 2020 booth in Las Vegas, Nevada.{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CDdQBEqHimd/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=www.instagram.com}}{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B9ntT61pwXi/?img_index=2 |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=www.instagram.com}}
In March 2020, she was a digital panelist alongside fellow creators Trisha Hershberger and Ryan "Gootecks" Gutierrez, aka "PogChamp" at Inven Global's Esports Conference as an expert in professional gaming.
The conference was traditionally held at a convention center in Irvine, CA, but due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the event and subsequent panelist were forced to shift to a digital platform.{{Cite web |date=March 30, 2020 |title=Accepting that drinks and live music are no longer viable, Inven Global Esports Conference shifts to a digital platform |url=https://www.straight.com/esports/accepting-that-drinks-and-live-music-are-no-longer-viable-inven-global-esports-conference |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=The Georgia Straight }}{{Cite web |date=March 25, 2020 |title=[March 27] Online IGEC panel: "Esports in quarantine: how to survive the new normal" |url=https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/10754/march-27-online-igec-panel-esports-in-quarantine-how-to-survive-the-new-normal |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=InvenGlobal }}
On May 12, 2020, appearing as Freya Fox, Kao partnered with the University of Southern California and appeared at their USC Games Expo 2020 as a featured streamer and panelist.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ-wR29ORgY |title=Freya Fox @USCGames Expo! |date=May 11, 2020 |last=USC Games |access-date=May 9, 2025 |via=YouTube}}
In November 2020, Kao as Freya Fox, partnered with the American Cancer Society in an effort to fight cancer around the world for a campaign entitled "Gamers Vs Cancer" {{Cite web |date=May 5, 2020 |title=Freya Fox & American Cancer Society team up for 'Gamers vs Cancer' |url=https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/11133/freya-fox-american-cancer-society-team-up-for-gamers-vs-cancer |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=InvenGlobal }}
In April 2022, in a report by Dexerto.com, Kao went viral on TikTok for recreating the viral Will Smith Oscar Slap in the video game WWE 2K22. The video received over 650,000 views and 16,000 likes.{{Cite web |date=April 7, 2022 |title=TikToker goes viral after recreating Will Smith's Oscar slap in WWE 2K22 |url=https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/tiktok-goes-viral-recreating-will-smith-oscar-slap-wwe-2k22-1799680/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Dexerto }}
In 2022, Fox was signed to TikTok Live US as a sponsored and managed gamer. She subsequently appeared in various TikTok Live US takeovers where Fox would take over the official @Tiktoklive_US account and stream.
Music career
In September 2022, Kao performed as part of a comedy special at the Life Is Beautiful festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. She appeared alongside comedians Atsuko Okatsuka and Joel Kim Booster, providing musical accompaniment during their set.{{Cite web |title=Life Is Beautiful Festival Las Vegas, Tickets for Concerts & Music Events 2025 – Songkick |url=https://www.songkick.com/venues/2332954-life-is-beautiful-festival |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=www.songkick.com}}{{Cite web |date=September 15, 2022 |title=Female EDM DJ Freya Fox Joins Joel Kim Booster at Life is Beautiful as a Surprise Guest |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915021147/https://thisis50.com/2022/09/10/female-edm-dj-freya-fox-joins-joel-kim-booster-at-life-is-beautiful-as-a-surprise-guest/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=web.archive.org}}{{Cite web |last=Messina |first=Lara |last2=Orellana |first2=Tian |last3=Orellana |first3=Lara Messina and Tian |date=December 28, 2022 |title=Atsuko Okatsuka, la comediante del momento |url=https://reporteasia.com/region/japon/2022/12/28/atsuko-okatsuka-comediante-momento/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Reporte Asia |language=es}} Freya Fox specializes in electronic dance music (EDM), performing and streaming her music on TikTok LIVE.{{Cite book |last=Stokel-Walker |first=Chris |title=TikTok Boom: China's Dynamite App and the Superpower Race for Social Media |year=2023 |publisher=Sourcebooks |isbn=978-1-728283-45-6 |chapter=Creator Focus: Freya Fox |pages=82–86 |url=https://www.everand.com/book/620980773 |access-date=May 9, 2025}} Her popularity on TikTok LIVE led to a booking at LA3C, a music festival in Los Angeles, where she performed alongside artists such as Snoop Dogg and Megan Thee Stallion in 2022. This opportunity was facilitated by a TikTok manager dedicated to supporting live streamers on the platform.
In December 2022, Kao as Freya Fox performed a live EDM singing set at the inaugural LA3C music & arts festival in Los Angeles, CA at the LA historic park. At LA3C she performed her first complextro single "I'm Too Free".{{Cite web |date=December 11, 2022 |title=Freya Fox at the Hot Import Nights Stage @ LA3C held at Los Angeles... |url=https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/freya-fox-at-the-hot-import-nights-stage-la3c-held-at-los-news-photo/1245529049?adppopup=true |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Getty Images }}{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Greg |date=October 6, 2022 |title=LA3C Culture Festival Announces Additional Performers To Join Megan Thee Stallion and Maluma |url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/la3c-culture-festival-performers-megan-thee-stallion-maluma-1235135745/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Deadline }}{{Cite web |last=Tsai |first=Ephney |date=December 14, 2022 |title=Musical Acts Take Center Stage at Inaugural LA3C Festival |url=https://asiapacificarts.org/2022/12/13/musical-acts-take-center-stage-at-inaugural-la3c-festival/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=asia pacific arts }}
In June 2023, Kao as Freya Fox was personally selected by EDM vocalist HALIENE as the winner of the her Open Aux DJ Competition to open for her at the Fonda Theater in Hollywood, CA.{{Cite web |date=June 13, 2023 |title=Freya Fox Wins Contest to Open for HALIENE - A Victory for Pride Month |url=https://www.kpopwise.com/2023/06/freya-fox-wins-contest-to-open-for-haliene.html |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=KpopWise {{!}} Kpop News and Exclusives }}
In April 2025, Kao was credited by Indonesian and international media for reporting the death of Seringai's Guitarist Ricky Siahaan who had died on stage after their Tokyo concert. She reported the death on her X.com account, from Tokyo, before the band had made an official statement.{{Cite web |title=Ricky Siahaan, guitarist of Indonesian heavy metal band Seringai, dies aged 48 after performing in Tokyo |url=https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/ricky-siahaan-seringai-guitarist-dead-48-years-old-463521 |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=CNA Lifestyle }}
TV career
Kao appeared briefly as a star of Netflix's Bling Empire New York in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Grant |first=Tamara |date=December 19, 2022 |title='Bling Empire': DJ and Gamer Freya Fox Rumored to Join the Cast |url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/bling-empire-freya-fox-rumored-join-cast.html/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=Showbiz Cheat Sheet }}{{Cite web |title=Sharingful |url=https://www.sharingful.com/uk/catalog/serie/211642-bling-empire-new-york |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=www.sharingful.com}}{{Cite web |title=Bling Empire: New York Summary, Latest News, Trailer, Season List, Cast, Where to Watch and More |url=https://screenrant.com/db/tv-show/bling-empire-new-york/ |access-date=May 9, 2025 |website=ScreenRant }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://freyafoxtv.com}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Musicians from San Diego
Category:American record producers
Category:American musicians of Asian descent
Category:American people of Filipino descent
Category:American people of Vietnamese descent