Freddie Mercury

Farrokh Bulsara, of Parsi heritage (Zoroastrian)/ethnicity, was born in 1946 in the British protectorate/sultanate Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania). In 1964 the Bulsara family moved to England, fleeing the Zanzibar Revolution.

In 1970 the aspiring and ambitious artist changed his name to Freddie Mercury and formed the band Queen with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. Bassist John Deacon joined in 1971.

Mercury died at the age of 45 and has since become regarded as one of the greatest singers and frontmen in rock music history. His dynamic, powerful voice and theatricality mesmerized audiences; his ability to connect and engage with stadium-sized crowds – no matter what language – became legendary.

Mercury’s songwriting, musically eclectic and complex, became uncannily accessible when he penned “Killer Queen”, the hit single which drove the popularity of Queen’s 3rd album, turning the struggling-4-year-old band into bonafide rock stars by late 1974. However, financially they were bankrupt; Freddie’s ability to obtain [Elton John]’s manager, [John Reed] was a masterstroke in driving the next album’s success, in every respect.

Mercury’s tour-de-force chart-busting “Bohemian Rhapsody” marked Queen’s rise to mega-stardom in very late 1975. It was the first hit from A Night At The Opera, Queen’s 4th LP, the musical (and commercial) force brought on by all four of Queen’s men (all of whom were songwriters), from studio to stadium.

Queen toured relentlessly for each album, mastering the art of “spectacle”, offering OTP showmanship and theatrics, an ever-present element to the band upon inception, thanks to Freddie’s insistence. Queen became a unique brand of stadium rock, transcending borders and music charts from country-to-country, and by 1981, those in Latin America, risky territory at the time for a band so popular.

Mercury’s solo work (contrary to the 2018 blockbuster biopic’s dramatic license, Queen’s frontman never desired to “go solo”) is limited to various singles and two studio albums-proper, 1985’s Mr. Bad Guy, and 1988’s Barcelona, his opera-meets-rock LP featuring his opera idol’s chops, the legendary soprano Montserrat Caballé.

Just over two decades since John Deacon had completed Queen’s classic lineup in 1971, Mercury died, in November 24, 1991.