April marks the 53rd anniversary of the creation of the legendary rock band Queen. We decided to tell you 50 fascinating facts from the life of the irreplaceable vocalist of the band Freddie Mercury. Who is called one of the greatest vocalists in history. We are convinced that many of the following facts will become a sensation for you!

Childhood Wealth

Bomi Bulsara, Freddie's father, worked as a cashier for the British High Court, so he traveled frequently between India and Zanzibar. On the other hand, this job would allow them to become British citizens and enjoy the associated benefits.

Freddie had a comfortable childhood thanks to his father's high earnings. They lived in a beautiful apartment in Zanzibar's historic district's Stone Town neighborhood, which is full of shops and bazaars overlooking the Indian Ocean.

@Freddy Mercury House,Stonetown (Zanzibar),/rockatannsky/YouTube.com

Mrs. Nanny

Another advantage of the Bulsara family was the ability to hire a large number of domestic servants. In fact, Sabine, a nanny whose face conveys all the severity of the trade, was caring for Freddie.

But, aside from the surviving photographs, little is known about Sabine. We can console ourselves by imagining that it was she who first heard the babblings of one of rock's greatest voices.

@myrmekochoria/Reddit.com

Hello, India!

Freddie began his education at St. Joseph's Convent Missionary School, which was run by Anglican nuns, when he was five years old. He stayed for nearly three years because, after his eighth birthday, he was sent to study in India with some of his family.

He attended St. Peters College in Panchgani, a region well-known for the high caliber of its educational institutions. Freddie would lose his shyness at this point and begin to develop his characteristic outgoing personality.

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True Name

Farrokh Bulsara was Freddie Mercury's real name. His parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, were Indian Parsees. Following a British Colonial Office order, the couple relocated to Zanzibar, where the artist was born on September 5, 1946.

Mercury was known to be dissatisfied with his given name. Due to the difficulty of declaring it correctly, his fellow boarding school students at Panchgani started calling him Freddie. The Mercury might come from such a verse of his lyric My Fairy King.

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An Age-Old Religion

Because of their Parsi ancestry, the entire Bulsara family (including Freddie) practiced Zoroastrianism, whose central figure, Zoroaster, was regarded as history's first and greatest prophet. It is a religion that originated in ancient Persia (now Iran) and had a strong presence in India.

In fact, Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions, and it had a significant influence on later religions such as Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

@What is Zoroastrianism?/Let's Talk Religion/YouTube.com

Philatelic Interest

Freddie Mercury's first love, before music, was collecting postage stamps from Zanzibar, the United Kingdom, and even various British colonies. From the age of nine to twelve, I was obsessed with philatelic for about three years.

The Postal Museum in London purchased the Freddie Mercury stamp collection in 1993. It has been displayed alongside the collection of another British rock legend, John Lennon, since 2016.

@London Postal Museum and Secret Underground train - Where to take kids/Joolz Guides - London History Walks - Travel Films/YouTube.com

The Strategy

Freddie Mercury made his first musical contacts at St. Peters College. He began to sing after learning to play the piano and compose songs. In fact, he formed his first band, The Hectics, in 1958 to perform at private events at the institution.

Farang Irani, Victory Rana, Derrick Branche, and Bruce Murray were the other members of The Hectics. Other than Freddie, he was the only one who pursued a musical career. The band split up in 1962, the year Freddie moved back to Zanzibar.

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England

In 1963 a series of social and political conflicts would begin in Zanzibar that would lead to the so-called Zanzibar Revolution. African revolutionaries sought to depose Sultan Jamshid bin Abdullah and establish an independent government.

When Freddie was 17, the Bulsara family decided to relocate to England in the midst of this tense situation. They settled in a small house in Middlesex County. The parents would struggle to adjust to their new life, but Freddie had arrived in the land where he would make history.

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A sour past

Freddie Mercury was always hesitant to discuss his childhood and youth in Zanzibar in the few interviews he gave. His responses were evasive, revealing his lack of affection for his birthplace.

It is clear that maintaining a separation between his personal life and his artistic career was critical for Freddie. Many people believe that his estrangement was caused by his inability to show his true personality in Zanzibar's strict social and religious environment.

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A Gallery

Despite this, Freddie Mercury has become a popular figure in his native Britain. In fact, the world's first museum dedicated to the life of one of rock's greatest stars, Prince, was inaugurated in Zanzibar in November 2019.

The Freddie Mercury Museum, located in Stone Town, focuses on the singer's early years. The museum has temporarily closed its doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, but they hope to resume offering guided tours soon.

@Freddie's Museum in Stone Town Zanzibar / Канала на Деди / Dedi’s Chanel / YouTube.com

Sportsperson

Freddie described how, as a young school student, he enjoyed participating in certain sports. And he was particularly skilled at them. Table tennis, field hockey, and boxing are a few examples. He mentioned how good he was in the ring.

On the other hand, he disliked some traditional English sports, such as soccer and cricket. Perhaps there could have been a historical boxer with a privileged throat if Mercury's musical career had not taken off.

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The Story of Queen

Once in England, Freddie Mercury enrolled at Ealing College of Arts to study Graphic Design. Around this time, he joined a blues band called Wreckage, with whom he played in his spare time.

Soon after, he met Roger Taylor and Brian May, who formed the band Smile. Mercury decided to join them as a vocalist, and it wasn't long before Smile was renamed Queen.

@Freddie Mercury: The King of Queen (FULL MOVIE)/FREE MOVIES/YouTube.com

Ascending from the Ashes

Freddie Mercury is credited with creating the iconic band's logo. His inspiration for it was to combine the representative figure of each of the members' zodiac signs into a single image.

The phoenix, on the other hand, is not associated with any of the zodiac animals. This mythological creature has numerous implications. The most well-known is that the phoenix can be reborn from its ashes, representing the band's spirit.

@Famous British Band QUEEN Logo History and Hidden Meaning – Who Designed It and What Does It Mean?/Music · Premium Stock ♪/YouTube.com

An Unfortunate Occurrence

Freddie Mercury walking around the stage with a stand microphone with the base detached was one of the most unusual aspects of Queen's performances. He could move and gesticulate more freely this way.

According to legend, the colorful appearance of the microphone stems from an incident. Mercury is said to have struggled with a stand microphone during a college dance, and the base broke. He preferred to use it that way from then on, and it became his trademark.

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Atypical Places Pianist

Even musical geniuses can come to doubt their abilities if they lack confidence. This happened to Freddie Mercury while he was playing the piano. He never thought of himself as a virtuoso pianist.

He did, however, compose his songs using that instrument. He kept a piano near his bed to write the songs that came to him while he was sleeping. It's even said that he wrote Crazy Little Thing Called Love in the bathroom, with a piano propped up over the bathtub.

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Bowie vs. Mercury

When David Bowie was about to give a concert at a university and didn't have the necessary equipment, Freddie Mercury came to his aid. Mercury and Bowie would later collaborate on the song Under Pressure sometime later.

However, as one might expect, it was not all roses. Confrontations between the artists occurred during the recording process due to their strong personalities. Fortunately, Bowie later expressed his undying love for Freddie Mercury.

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A Scientific Mystery

Many scientists have been interested in studying Freddie Mercury's magnificent voice since his death. Mercury is said to have had a four-octave vocal range, as well as a distinct tone of voice.

Recent studies have not been able to prove whether the rock star actually had such a wide vocal range, but that he was a baritone with tenor-like abilities and a vibrato stronger than that of many opera singers.

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A large number of women

Freddie Mercury's sexual orientation has long been a source of contention. Despite being regarded as a gay icon, it is possible that his sexual orientation has shifted toward bisexuality. In fact, it is well known that he had a large number of women in his personal life.

During his stay in Munich, he shared an apartment with porn actress Barbara Valentin. On the other hand, in 1969, he was about to marry Mary Austin, the woman who had the most influence in his life. The marriage did not happen, but they remained close friends until the end.

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A Reliable Performer

Freddie enjoyed other artistic activities, such as painting, in addition to music and dancing. His home was filled with art, including a Picasso drawing in the bathroom. He frequently attended auctions, where he acquired and collected various works. He was particularly fond of Japanese antiques.

All of this artistic influence influenced his music. For example, the song The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke from the album Queen II was inspired by a painting in London's Tate Gallery.

@Freddie Mercury - The Final Years 1987 to 1991 Rare Pictures/THTDI Inc/YouTube.com

Posthumous Present

Freddie Mercury and his close friends had a habit of calling each other by feminine nicknames fit for drag queens. For example, Elton John, a close friend of Mercury's, was referred to as Shanon by him.

Elton John received a package as a gift during the Christmas season following Mercury's death. The package contained Freddie's pillow and was accompanied by a dedication: "Dear Sharon, I thought you might be interested in it. Melina, I love you. “We wish you a Merry Christmas.”

@tonyiommi70/Reddit.com

Always Motivated

Freddie's talent extended beyond his voice. Along with Brian May, he was the primary composer of Queen songs. In any case, he was open to suggestions and ideas from the rest of the band.

Mercury's inspiration could strike at any time, and he didn't want to waste any of them, so his assistants always carried pens and notebooks with them. For example, Life Is Real, a song dedicated to John Lennon, was written on an airplane flight.

@tonyiommi70/Reddit.com

Dental Flaw

Freddie Mercury was also known for his large, protruding teeth, which were the result of four extra teeth pushing out the others. Mercury struggled to overcome his apprehension about his unusual teeth; in fact, he was frequently seen with his hand over his mouth, attempting to conceal this dental flaw.

He was also notorious for dreading dental visits. She was afraid of ruining her wonderful voice or losing vocal tessitura if she had her teeth aligned.

@Noobthobn/Reddit.com

 Vicious vs. Mercury

One of rock's most bitter feuds began in a recording studio, between Freddie Mercury and Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. The argument between the two began with a sly remark from Vicious:

"Have you managed to bring ballet to the masses yet?"
Mercury's ballet slippers were mentioned in the remark. It was also a mockery of his effeminate demeanor. Mercury, furious, grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him out of the studio.

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The Infiltrating Agent

Cleo Rocos, an actress, tells this anecdote. According to her own words, she snuck Princess Diana into the gay bar Royal Vauxhall Tavern in 1988, where the two of them, along with Freddie Mercury and comedian Kenny Everett, ended up watching the famous series The Golden Girls.

Lady Di was able to enter the venue unnoticed thanks to her leather jacket and hat. Given Princess Diana's personality, this story is not so far-fetched and, to a degree, plausible.

@Why was Princess Diana Dressed as a Man by Freddie Mercury?/ Age Of Vintage 2/YouTube.com

Unpleasant Animals

Among Freddie Mercury's many collaborations, his songs with none other than Michael Jackson, the undisputed King of Pop, stand out. There Must Be More To Life Than This and State Of Shock are the titles of these two songs.

There was a lot of chemistry between the two, and it's strange that they didn't work together more. Some versions blame it on Freddie's addictions, while others blame it on Michael's unpleasant pets, whose presence on set irritated Mercury.

@hibroXD/Reddit.com

Hair, Nose, and Teeth

It seems unbelievable just thinking about it, but for one night in the 1980s, a rock band comprised of Rod Stewart, Elton John, and Freddie Mercury came dangerously close to disbanding. It was even given a name: Nose, Teeth, and Hair, in reference to the distinguishing features of each musician.

But it all came to an end at dawn, when the euphoria of the night faded. The musicians changed their minds and decided they couldn't sing together.

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Everlasting Love

Jim Hutton, Freddie Mercury's last partner, was a stylist. They loved each other so much that they wore wedding rings, even though equal marriage seemed like a distant utopia.

When Mercury told Hutton he was an HIV carrier, he said he understood if he wanted to quit. Hutton's words were truly moving: "I love you, Freddie, and I'm not leaving." Hutton contracted HIV as well and died in 2010 from lung cancer. Mercury and Me, a memoir, discusses their relationship.

@gliggett/Reddit.com

Are You Up in Arms?

Freddie Mercury was well-known for refusing to be run over by anyone, morally or physically. Someone who was well aware of this was Francis Rossi, the leader of the band Status Quo, with whom Mercury had a falling out during the 1985 Live Aid concert.

Rossi is said to have made jokes about Mercury's sexual orientation. Mercury swooped down on him and pinned him in a headlock. However, all indications are that no ill will remained between the two bands when they played together a few years later.

@MooMooOut/Reddit.com

Cat adoration

If stamp collecting was his first love, and music was his second, Freddie Mercury had a third passion throughout his life: cats.

Throughout his fruitful artistic career, he had many cats in his care. The dedication of his solo album Mr. Bad Guy to his cat Jerry is evidence of his feline obsession. Also to Tom, Oscar, and Tiffany, as well as all cat lovers everywhere. Fuck 'em, everyone else.

@dudeiscool22222/Reddit.com

The Life and Soul of the Party

Freddie Mercury's eccentricity could sometimes reach unanticipated heights. This is evident in the manner in which he organized his parties and celebrations. For example, on his 39th birthday, he made everyone wear black and white, while he was the only one who wore bright colors.

Another example is the incredible soiree he organized to celebrate the release of the band's fourth album Jazz. The waiters allegedly walked around naked and handed out illegal substances to the guests.

@Freddie Mercury Transformation - From Baby To 45 Years Old/HYPEN - Tops & More/YouTube.com

Ballet preference

We've already mentioned that Freddie Mercury used to wear ballet slippers, but he was also a fan of this particular style of dance. In fact, he came to perform in front of the public on a memorable occasion.

It happened in 1977, when Wayne Eagling, a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet, organized a charity ball. Mercury performed a spectacular number on stage. Eagling created the choreography he performed specifically for him.

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The Olympic Mercury

Monserrat Caballé, a Catalan soprano, was one of Freddie Mercury's favorite artists. He admitted as much in an interview he gave for Spanish television in the 1980s.

Fortunately for music fans, Mercury and Caballé would eventually meet and form a legendary collaboration. It was the song Barcelona, a time-honored anthem that would later become the official theme song of the Olympic Games in 1992.

@Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé - How Can I Go On (Live at La Nit, 1988 Remastered)/Freddie Mercury Solo/YouTube.com

Broadway is not included in the circuit

Freddie's career could have had hundreds of different nuances and collaborations because of his magnificent voice. He was even considered for a role in the Broadway musical La Bohème, alongside popular singer Linda Rondstand.

Mercury, on the other hand, rejected the proposal. He explained that, while he enjoyed going to the theater, ballet, and opera, doing so for an entire season would bore him. He also expressed concern about running out of energy. It appears that rock and roll was a better fit for him.

@bil-sabab/Reddit.com

Maradona and Mercury

Queen began a tour of Latin America in 1981, a territory not often visited by European rock bands. Freddie Mercury and his bandmates were eager to take their music to new places, unsure of how it would be received.

The tour was a huge success. In Argentina, soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona attended the concert and thanked Mercury personally for his music. Maradona and Mercury exchanged jerseys and laughed for a while.

@coldcalifornia/Reddit.com

Crossover

Freddie Mercury, like all great artists, lived his era to the fullest and assimilated the elements of pop culture very well. The concert in which Mercury walked out on stage on the shoulders of a man dressed as Darth Vader was unforgettable.

The vibrant crossover was inspired by a line from the song Bicycle Race that says, "I don't like Star Wars." However, after Star Wars, nods to other American cultural references, such as Superman or Santa Claus, continued in their presentations.

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A Day to Rejoice

Every year on September 5, Montreux, Switzerland, commemorates Freddie Mercury Day. The statue of Mercury there is a place of worship and pilgrimage for all Queen and music fans.

Why this specific city? Basically, Mercury lived there until shortly before his death, and the original Queen studio was also located there. In Montreux, the band recorded several of its most iconic albums.

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Leaving Everything on the Stage

Freddie's eccentric personality, which helped him become one of the most admired artists of all time, drove him to create extreme situations. The singer attempted to channel emotional conflicts in his shows by increasing the level of adrenaline.

So, in the run-up to a 1982 performance in London, he argued with his partner at the time, Bill Reid, and the latter bit his hand until it bled. It is thought to have been one of Queen's best concerts.

@Queen - Live in 1982 - Photo Gallery/Queen Official/YouTube.com

The Last Song

Queen's final single, The Show Must Go On, would be released just a few weeks before Freddie Mercury's death in late 1991. Mercury was already seriously ill at the time of the recording, and it was unclear whether he would be able to sing.

Mercury ingested a mixture of vodka and other alcoholic beverages to give himself the necessary strength and recorded the final version in one take. As a video accompaniment, snippets of old live video clips were used.

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Constant Conflicts

Despite the fact that they had been together for so long, Queen was plagued by infighting and arguments. To some extent, it is natural for artists of such caliber to disagree on certain issues.

It is well known that Freddie Mercury had to mediate between Brian May and Roger Taylor in order for them not to fight. Mercury once stated that the band's success was due to the tense atmosphere.

@Jadeheafield/Reddit.com

Solo

Freddie Mercury's solo venture added to the uncertainty surrounding Queen's future. The singer spent two years in Munich, Germany, working on his first solo album, Mr. Bad Boy.

It was speculated that the new album would compete in sales with Queen's The Works, which was released around the same time. However, only Living On My Own is considered a hit song from this solo career.

@Krokodrillo/Reddit.com

Individual Design

Freddie Mercury's style was daring and unrivaled. He revitalized the rock scene by injecting it with a theatricality that the genre had previously lacked. His flamboyance and irreverence, on the other hand, earned him artistic immortality.

In addition to the various costumes he came to wear at concerts, Mercury's usual look included feathers, sequins, and low-cut T-shirts. An unusual outfit for a rock star, but one that helped him stand out and leave his imprint on music history.

@Character-Respect-58/Reddit.com

Censorship and Success

Freddie's work, like that of many other rebellious artists, was censored at times. Authorities began to pay attention to his messages as he became an icon of the gay community, which was much more marginalized at the time.

Among the censored aspects of his work is the video for one of his most successful songs I Want to Break Free in which a parody of the British soap opera Coronation Street is made. The video was first shown on the MTV channel in the United States in 1991.

@DeadEnthusiasm/Reddit.com

A Historic Performance

The Live Aid event, held in 1985, consisted of two simultaneous concerts, one in London and one in the United States, organized to raise funds to combat famine in some African countries. U2, Elton John, and Led Zeppelin were among the performers.

Nonetheless, it is universally acknowledged that Queen monopolized the spotlight. Freddie Mercury's performance was legendary and inspiring, and it is still regarded as the greatest Queen performance of all time.

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A record number of spectators attended

That same year, another historic concert took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Queen chose the mythical Maracana stadium, site of some of history's most memorable sporting events, to bring their music to the country of samba.

It is estimated that 250,000 people attended the concert that day to witness Freddie Mercury's magic up close. The band always claimed that it was the first time in music history that a group gathered such a large crowd.

@SopaDeMolhoShoyu/Reddit.com

The Oldest Supporters

Queen has a record that is even listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is the world's longest-running fan club. It was founded in the mid-1970s to provide and disseminate band information.

It has been active for more than 40 years and its manager, Jacky Smith, is a reference for all Queen fans. But also for anyone who wants to run a club in honor of their heroes.

@Reddit__PI/Reddit.com

A Collection of Records

The band led by Freddie is the subject of a flood of music history records. Many of which are still difficult to beat today. One of them has nothing to do with the number of people who attend a show or the number of records sold, but rather with the composition. Queen is the only rock band in which every member has written a hit song.

@OopsDJDance/Reddit.com

The Final Concert

Queen's Magic Tour came to an end on August 9, 1986, with a concert at Knebworth Park. Nobody could have predicted at the time that it would be the last time the great rock star, Freddie Mercury, would perform in front of a crowd.

Mercury's final live performance was witnessed by 125,000 people. The image of Queen members arriving by helicopter directly to the stage to perform their best material is still remembered.

Some Issues

One of Freddie Mercury's most controversial aspects, as with many artists, was his addictions to alcohol, psychoactive substances, and so on… In fact, he was frequently seen getting drunk at his numerous parties.

Of course, the singer's use of narcotics caused more than one problem, such as the breakdown of relationships with friends and family. Mercury's libertine lifestyle included several excesses that would end up costing him not only his personal life but also his health.

@act1989/Reddit.com

Hearsay Regarding His Health

One year following his live performance, in 1987, Freddie Mercury's health state was the subject of persistent rumors. The singer's absence from the stage and some remarks made by his boyfriend, Jim Hutton, raised the possibility that he might have AIDS.

Mercury opted to deny having the illness in an interview because it spread quickly during those times and was the subject of significant prejudices. However, he ultimately had to confess his illness the day before he passed away.

@ KillerQueeh_Slash/Reddit.com

Musical Solace

Mercury could have been able to better manage his sickness. Of course, at the time there was little knowledge about AIDS. He was, however, forbidden from taking any additional medication during his decline and only took regular painkillers.

Music served as Freddie's actual rehabilitation. Brian May, a guitarist, recalled his obsession with songwriting. While he didn't worry about the illness, he did persistently request that he write songs so he could sing.

@Freddie Mercury Rare Vintage Photos/Howel Ben/YouTube.com

A Tragedy

At the age of 45, Freddy Mercury passed away at his London mansion on November 24, 1991. Bronchopneumonia brought on by AIDS-related complications was the cause of death. At the funeral service, his family, close friends, and some artists were present.

The location of Mercury's ashes is among the unsolved questions surrounding his passing. On the other hand, his friend Mary Austin and his next of kin received a portion of the sizeable fortune he accumulated throughout his lifetime.

@hIDeMyID/Reddit.com