CAIRO – 5 September 2017: September 5, 2017 would have been the 71st birthday of musical legend Freddie Mercury, one of the world’s most beloved musical artists of all time.
Mercury was born in 1946 as Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, Tanzania. He was already musically inclined at a very young age, taking piano lessons at the age of seven. He studied at a boarding school in India, and his parents eventually moved to London in 1961.
It was there that he joined his first ever band, singing up for a group called Wreckage.
This humble start is where he would meet Roger Taylor and Brian May, members of a band called Smile; now known to the world as Queen, one of rock music’s most unforgettable stars. Mercury became Smile’s signer in 1971, and it was his idea to change the name to Queen. The band would release their first album, titled after the band name, in 1973.
It took a year until they would be noticed however. In 1974, with the release of "Killer Queen" and their record "Sheer Heart Attack" which became a wild hit, reaching the #2 spot in the UK charts and #12 over at the U.S, they finally got the attention they deserved.
In 1975, Mercury wrote a song for Queen’s next album that would prove to be one of their most wild masterpieces; “Bohemian Rhapsody”. It was a song that almost would not have been made, had Mercury not insisted they go through with it. The song became an instant hit, remaining at the top of the UK’s charts for nine weeks straight, proving to the world that the shooting star Freddie Mercury had arrived.
Mercury’s powerful singing talents were not the only factor in his fame; his love for art showed in his larger-than-life live presence, as he flaunted himself in outrageous outfits that defined Queen as a colorful, fresh and unique presence in the world of rock.
Queen would continue to dominate the 70s, with their 1978 classics “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You”, two powerful songs that have become anthems worldwide to celebrate heroes and winners. Then came “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, which found raving audiences across Europe, Japan and the U.S.
Both songs were sung by Mercury, a deep well of unbelievable talent.
As if one musical legend was not enough for the world, 1981 saw Queen collaborate with none other than David Bowie, producing “Under Pressure”, another wild hit that was the #1 song in Britain.
Thanks to Mercury, the band’s live performances were just as memorable as their music. In their 1985 Live Aid concert Mercury, dressed in a tank-top and jeans, soared onto the stage and took the crowd by storm, performing the band’s greatest hits with a wild energy like never seen before.
By the mid-eighties, the legend had decided to pursue a solo career as well, releasing his first solo album “Mr Bad Guy” in 1985.
Unfortunately, Mercury’s blindingly bright life was soon to be put out. Following the release of Queen’s album “Innuendo” in 1991, Mercury released a statement on November 23 publically confirming that he was struggling with AIDs.
He passed away only a day later.
The world had lost one of rock music’s most shining stars, yet he was never forgotten. April of 1992 saw the Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS Awareness held in his honor, which featured musicians such as Elton John performing, with proceeds going to fight AIDs. It reached an audience of almost one billion people worldwide as it was broadcast on TV and radio.
More recently, Queen released a birthday video to honor Mercury in 2017, paying their tributes to a legend that brought so much color and life to the world.
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