Despite his being dead for nearly 25 years, Freddie Mercury is still one of the most recognizable names in the music industry. The lead singer of Queen had an iconic voice, and nobody could deny his talent. However, despite all the information that has surfaced about Mercury since his death, there are still some things that many people don’t know about him. With that in mind, here we present our list of 15 things you probably didn’t know about Freddie Mercury. Check out part one below, and stay tuned for part two, coming soon!
Number Fifteen: He Designed the Queen Crest Himself. Mercury had a degree in art and graphic design from Ealing Art College, and he actually designed Queen’s emblem on his own. The crest is designed with the zodiac themes of the entire band.
Number Fourteen: He Was Not Always Freddie Mercury. In fact, Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara. He did not go by Freddie until he was in a boarding school near Mumbai, and when Queen was formed in 1970, he finally legally changed his name to Freddie Mercury.
Number Thirteen: He Was a Zoroastrian. Mercury’s family, which included his parents and one sister, practiced the Zoroastrian religion. Though Mercury had not been practicing at the time of his death, his funeral was still presided over by a Zoroastrian priest.
Number Twelve: He Was Born in Zanzibar. Mercury’s family was in Zanzibar so his dad could continue working at the British Colonial Office.
Number Eleven: He Had an Incredible Range. Mercury’s range was reportedly nearly four octaves. To put that in perspective, Mariah Carey has a range of five octaves. Though Mercury spoke in the baritone range, he sang as a tenor most of the time.
Number Ten: He Was Close With His Ex-Girlfriend. Mercury had a long-term girlfriend named Mary Austin in the early 1970s. Though they eventually broke up, he called her his closest friend, and he even wrote “Love of My Life” about her. Mercury was the godfather of Austin’s first son, and much of his money was left to her when he died.
Number Nine: He Was Very Shy. Though Mercury was a charming and expressive performer, he was reportedly very shy in real life, which is part of the reason he rarely gave interviews.