Born in Zanzibar on September 5th 1946, under the name Farrokh Bulsara, Freddie Mercury spent most of his childhood in India and began taking piano lessons at only seven years old. In 1964, he and his family moved to England and five years later he graduated college in graphic art and design.
It was around this time he joined his friends Brian May and Roger Taylor in a band called Smile. Eventually, with the addition of John Deacon, Smile became Queen and they released their debut album in July 1971, adequately titled Queen. Soon after that, the band became a massive success, creating a name for themselves with hits like Bohemian Rhapsody, We Are The Champions, We Will Rock You, Love of My Life, Somebody to Love, Who Wants To Live Forever, Radio Gaga (I’m just going to cut myself off right here before this gets out of control).
You get the picture, right? Queen quickly became one of the most famous bands of the 70’s and 80’s. They were the champions of the world and rocked the music industry with Freddie, the group’s main vocalist and pianist, being regarded as one the world’s greatest performers.
Although Freddie Mercury left us 32 years ago, on November 24th, 1991, his legacy will live forever, on and off the stage.
freddie as a performer
Throughout his career, Freddie Mercury was known worldwide for his stage presence, being able to command whole stadiums with a single finger in a way that is impossible to put in words.It can only be described as a kind of magic (pun intended). A great example of this is him singing his famous “eeeeoooo” alongside his fans.
Not to mention his voice. The four extra teeth he had in his mouth, his love for opera, impeccable voice control and an astounding vocal range that spanned over 4 octaves, all that combined created an unique voice that has yet to be matched and that can be instantly recognized.
But Freddie didn’t stand out just vocally, his style was as unique as his voice. Everything, from his famous mustache and shorter microphone stick to the tank top and Adidas Superstars, worked together to create the most memorable looks.
If this isn’t enough for you, the best way I can show you his power onstage is Queen’s participation in the first edition of Rock In Rio, in 1985. Picture this: a crowd of over 300 thousand people singing Love of My Life with Freddie. In case you haven’t seen it before, check out the video, you won’t regret it.
FREDDIE BEYOND THE STAGE
Freddie left us way too soon at the young age of 45 years old. His death was caused by bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. According to biographers Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne, the singer began showing symptoms around 1982 and it didn’t take long for the press to start chasing the rumors.
This went on until 24 hours before his death, when he released a statement confirming that he had in fact tested positive for HIV and had AIDS. Amidst the HIV and AIDS pandemic of the 80’s, a celebrity of his magnitude coming forward with that kind of information was a huge step into raising awareness about the matter. Not only that, but sadly he was also the first major rockstar to lose his life to this illness.
Freddie’s sexualitty was also at the center of a number of debates and speculations, with some arguing that he kept it hidden from the public, and others saying that he was openly gay. Fact is that, regardless of his actual sexual orientation, he helped a great deal in tearing down taboos surrounding the LGBTQ+ community.
Despite never officially coming out, the singer’s attitude towards living your true self no matter what other people might think certainly became an inspiration for generations to come.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FREDDIE!
After Freddie’s death, his bandmates Roger Taylor and Brian May partnered with band’s manager, Jim Beach, to create The Mercury Phoenix Trust in his memory. They are focused on educating people about AIDS and HIV, also raising money for charities that also deal with this issue. And, last year alone, they have raised over half a million pounds in donations!
The Mercury Phoenix Trust also holds Freddie For a Day, an initiative that takes place once a year on, you guessed it: Freddie Mercury’s birthday. On this date, people dress up like him with mustaches, yellow jackets and all to raise awareness and funds to support their work.
Apart from the Foundation, Freddie’s legacy can be seen in a multitude of places. Plays, concerts, statues, exhibitions, documentaries, albums and more. However, one particularly amusing way in which his legacy is carried on is through the name of a crater on Mercury called “Bulsara”. It was named that in 2024 and it sits between craters Rembrandt (after the painter) to the east, and Lennon (yes, that Lennon) to the west.
All this to say: Happy Birthday, Freddie!!!
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The article above was edited by Larissa Buzon.
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