Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury, the singer and frontman of the band Queen, left an indelible mark on the music industry. His powerful voice, exciting stage presence, and creative freedom changed rock music forever.
Queen’s unique mix of glam-rock, opera, and hard-rock gave them a solid standing in music history. Some of their famous hits from the late 70s like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘We are the Champions’, ‘We will Rock You’, and ‘Somebody to Love’ continue to thrill audiences even today. In fact the band, without Freddie who has passed, continue to perform some 50 years after they were formed.
When Freddie Mercury wrote the song ‘We Are the Champions’ fans went wild over his incredible talent. The song became one of the greatest rock anthems ever written and left a mark on the music industry. The timeless song ignites passion and celebrates victory with it ringing out in sports arenas today around the globe. Five decades of Queen fans have belt out this classic like it was released yesterday. Some scientific research at London’s Goldsmiths University have even declared it ‘the catchiest song ever written.’
Another song which topped the charts was Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’ This song touched a roller coaster of emotions with its tender piano intro to a crescendo of tremendous choruses. This huge hit was the UK’s third best-selling single ever — topping the Singles Chart for nine weeks initially, then five more after Freddie Mercury’s passing in 1991.
In the US, “Bohemian Rhapsody” hit the Billboard Top 40 three times: 1975, 1992, and again in 2018 when the historical drama ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ rocked the movie screens.
But what makes Freddie so musically gifted? His impressive vocal range extended from a low bass F(F2) to a high soprano F(F6). Besides this incredible range, it was also discovered by researchers that Freddie’s vocal cords move faster than most people’s — his massive vibrato frequency reaching 7.04 Hz where the typical range tops out at a range of 5.4 Hz to 6.9Hz. Freddie also displayed an unmatched remarkable skill in transitioning from a deep growl typical of rock to something more tender like a vibrant tender then even to a high-pitched operatic coluratura.
The members of Queen and especially Freddie Mercury were free spirits who had their own eclectic styles that enriched their unique music. His flamboyant and over the top style reflected his background in theater.He made every concert a unique unparalleled performance and his clothing choices helped him make them even mor memorable.
It is no secret that Freddie Mercury led an alternative lifestyle that was almost unanimously rejected 50 years ago — but it has become more accepted today. It took society some time to realize that “we are all different but we are all the same” — and that we must not be judgmental about those who choose to alternative lifestyles. When Freddie revealed his battle with HIV/AIDS, he worked to raise awareness about the condition. After his death his bandmates raised millions for AIDS research in his memory.
Talented people like Freddie inspire us to create characters who are unabashedly free-spirited and different. We have some characters who are reserved and try to stick to the mold of what is generally expected of them, but we have others who march to the beat of their own drum and take on interesting personas. Our character Roshi, who serves as a sort of guru-guide for Adam when he enters Taoland, wears extravagant clothing and lives his life to his own tune. He is a farmer who puts his talents to use and sets his own pace in life and creates a beautiful nook for others in Taoland.
As Adam gets to know Roshi he wants to learn the same skills that Roshi has. But Roshi tells him that we must all find our own path. We try to allow our characters to find their own paths rather than sticking to overused character tropes and having them conform to a mold. This is something that we believe should also be embraced in society
Let us all seek and find what makes us happy and gives us joy — and follow our dreams as unique individuals, without hurting others — regardless of any societal pressures to conform to the ‘norm’. Let us leave any judgements to our Creator. And let us accept and love all who are creatures of His Creation. Let us treat others we would like them to treat us — and in so doing, do our parts to make this world a better place.
