Freddie Mercury is a late British singer and lead vocalist of the rock band Queen who was not only known for his four-octave vocal range but also for his flamboyant stage performances which earned him the title of “scene-queen.”
Mercury, who is revered for his contribution to British music, has since his death received a number of post-humous awards and has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll, Songwriters, and UK Music Hall of Fames in 2001, 2003, and 2004, respectively. Some of his hits include Killer Queen, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and We Are the Champions.
Biography
Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on the 5th of September, 1946, in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania, which was at the time known as the Sultanate of Zanzibar, a British protectorate. He comes from a family of ethnic Persians who are originally from the Gujarat region in British India.
Mercury spent most of his childhood in India where he attended a Britsh styled boarding school for boys called St. Peter’s School. Having previously been exposed to music via piano lessons as a child, it was in school that Mercury began taking active steps to become a musician, first forming a school band and becoming a master piano player who could replay anything he heard on the radio.
After high school, Mercury returned to Zanzibar to reunite with his parents who found themselves on the run the following year due to the Zanzibar Revolution of 1964. The family moved to Middlesex, England where Mercury enrolled at a local college and earned a diploma in Art and Graphic design. During this time, he continued to play music, joining a number of local bands before later uniting forces with guitarist Brian May, drummer Roger Taylor, and bassist John Deacon in 1971 to form the legendary rock band known as Queen.
Was Freddie Mercury Gay?
Freddie Mercury would be best described as a bisexual even though in the latter stages of his life, he openly identified as being gay and was mainly got involved with men. He had in the past been involved in a few sexual relationships with women, most notably the woman he refers to as his common-law wife, Mary Austin.
In the 1970s, Mercury was in a longterm relationship with Austin. The pair lived together for six years in their West Kensington home until the singer revealed to her his true sexuality. The revelation immediately ended their romantic relationship but however tightened their friendship as Mercury went on to reveal in a 1985 interview that he could never love anyone the way he loved Austin. On her part, Austin, who was since referred to by many as Mercury’s muse, inspired songs like “Love of My Life” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
In the 1980s, after his relationship with Austin ended, Mercury, who had now begun to identify as a gay man, although he did not involve himself with gay causes or try to publicly fight the stigma of it by “coming out”, dated people like German restaurateur Winfried Kirchberger and hairdresser Jim Hutton who he was in a longterm relationship with until his death.
How Did He Die?
Freddie Mercury died in his home on the 24th of November, 1991, at the age of 45 from AIDS. The official cause of death was however said to be bronchial pneumonia which was as a result of a damaged immune system by the virus.
Sometime in 1986, the eccentric singer was reported by the British press to have been diagnosed with the disease which he denied. Despite looking haggard and in obvious frail health in the limited public appearances, he made in the years leading up to his death, Mercury continued to deny he was ill until about 24 hours before he kicked the bucket when he released a statement confirming the speculation. He confirmed he had AIDS and said he wanted to keep the information about it private in order to protect his loved ones.
A funeral service was held for Mercury at the West London Crematorium in London. In accordance to his wishes, Mercury’s remains were cremated and handed over to Mary Austin who buried it at a location known only to his former partner. She further inherited a majority of his wealth although his sister and parents were also taken care of while his partner Hutton and other domestic workers were given cash sums.
What Happened To His Teeth
Freddie Mercury had four extra teeth on his upper jaw which made the front ones protrude and appear freakish. Despite not being comfortable with it, as he reportedly would always cover his mouth while speaking or laughing in public, the singer did not work on it because he believed it might have been responsible for his four-octave vocal range and breathtaking sound. The teeth later became his trademark and endeared him even more to the public.