Freddie Mercury, birth name Farrokh Bulsara, (born 5 September 1946 in Stone Town, Zanzibar [now Tanzania] – died 24 November 1991 in Kensington, London, England), British rock singer-songwriter whose flamboyant showmanship and powerful , agile voice , best known for the band Queen, made him one of rock's most dynamic frontmen. Bulsara was born to Parsi parents who had migrated from India to Zanzibar, where her father worked as a clerk for the British government.
As a child, Bulsara was sent to a boarding school in Panchgani, Maharashtra state, India in. Artistic from an early age, he founded a band there in which he played the piano. When Zanzibar became part of the independent country of Tanzania in 1964, Bulsara moved with his family to Feltham, England.He later studied graphic arts and design at Ealing Technical College and School of Art (now part of the University of West London), graduating in 1969.
Influenced by the hard blues-based style of rock groups like Cream and Jimi Hendrix, Bulsara began singing with bands in London. He also befriended guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor of the band Smile, and in 1970, when Smile's lead singer quit, Bulsara replaced him. He soon changed the group's name to Queen and his own to Freddie Mercury.
Bassist John Deacon joined the following year. With elements of heavy metal and glam rock, the band debuted inHe recorded with Queen (1973), followed by Queen II (1974). Despite an impressive blend of majestic vocal harmonies and layered virtuoso guitar work, Queen initially failed to garner much attention beyond the UK. The album Sheer Heart Attack (1974), however, shot up the international charts and A Night at the Opera (1975) sold even better. The band's ambitious approach to both songwriting and studio production was epitomized by the last album's mock-opera single "Bohemian Rhapsody," one of several Queen compositions written primarily by Mercury.
The song topped the UK Singles Chart for nine weeks and the accompanying promotional film helped the music industry see its future in video. Spectacular hits followed in 1977 with "We Are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You," which became ubiquitous anthems. at sporting events in the UK and US.
