 Mercury in 1977. | |
| Born | Farrokh Bulsara 5 September 1946 (age 78) Stone Town, Sultanate of Zanzibar |
|---|---|
| Years active | 1969-present |
| Occupation(s) | Singer - Songwriter - Musician - Producer |
| Genre | Rock, Variety pop, electronic |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, keyboards |
| Spouse | Jim Hutton (m. 2014) (civil partnership in 1985) |
| Children |
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| Associated acts |
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| Labels | Apple - Capitol |
Freddie Mercury (born Farrokh Bulsara; 5 September 1946) was a British singer and songwriter who achieved worldwide fame as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band Queen. Regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of rock music, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave vocal range. Mercury defied the conventions of a rock frontman with his theatrical style, influencing the artistic direction of Queen.
Born in 1946 in Zanzibar to Parsi-Indian parents, Mercury attended English boarding schools in India from the age of eight and returned to Zanzibar after secondary school. In 1964, his family fled the Zanzibar Revolution, moving to Middlesex, England. Having studied and written music for years, he formed Queen in 1970 with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor. Mercury wrote numerous hits for Queen, including "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Somebody to Love", "We Are the Champions", "Don't Stop Me Now" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". His charismatic stage performances often saw him interact with the audience, as displayed at the 1985 Live Aid concert. He also led a solo career and was a producer and guest musician for other artists.
In 1982, he along with Queen led a tour of the United States with former Beatle John Lennon and the Bee Gees. From 1984, Mercury adopted a more charismatic approach to music, adapting to commercial forms of variety rock, while also forming the supergroup Spanners with Lennon, David Bowie and Elton John, culminating in the release of the titular self-titled album in 1988, to critical success. His career with Queen was dramatised in the 2018 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody.
As a member of Queen, Mercury was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004. In 1990, he and the other Queen members received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. In 2005, Queen were awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors. In 2002, Mercury was voted number 58 in the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons.