Provided is a flexible light emitting semiconductor device (26), such as an LED device, that includes a flexible dielectric layer (12) having first and second major surfaces and at least one via (10) extending through the dielectric layer from the first to the second major surface, with a conductive layer (19, 20, 18) on each of the first and second major surfaces and in the via. The conductive layer (18) in the via supports a light emitting semiconductor device (26) and is electrically isolated from the conductive layer (19) on the first major surface of the dielectric layer.