Freddie Mercury
Biography
Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara, was born on 5 September 1946 in Stone Town, Zanzibar, and died on 24 November 1991 in Kensington, London. He was the lead singer and iconic frontman of the British rock band Queen.
His parents were Indian Parsis. He spent part of his childhood in India, where he learned piano and formed his first school band, The Hectics. At 17, his family fled the Zanzibar Revolution to England.
He studied graphic design at Ealing Art College, later using these skills to design the iconic Queen crest. Before Queen, he was in bands like Ibex and Sour Milk Sea.
In 1970, he met Brian May and Roger Taylor of Smile, quickly took over, renamed the band Queen, and adopted the stage name Freddie Mercury.
A flamboyant performer, Mercury was also a talented songwriter. His most famous Queen compositions include Bohemian Rhapsody, Killer Queen, Somebody to Love, We Are the Champions, Bicycle Race, Don't Stop Me Now, and Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Bohemian Rhapsody propelled the band to superstardom.
His solo career includes the albums *Mr. Bad Guy* (1985) and *Barcelona* (1988), a collaboration with opera singer Montserrat Caballé. A remix of Living On My Own reached number one in the UK in 1993.
He also recorded under the aliases Larry Lurex and Freddie Bulsara. Collaborations with Michael Jackson were never officially released.
Mercury was renowned for his exceptional, nearly four-octave vocal range and charismatic stage presence. He primarily composed on the piano.
Diagnosed with HIV in 1987, he continued working with Queen. He publicly announced his illness on 23 November 1991 and died the next day from AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia.
His legacy is celebrated through tribute concerts and the Mercury Phoenix Trust. He is consistently ranked among the greatest singers in popular music history.