Bohemian Facts About Freddie Mercury, The King Of Queen
With a stunningly powerful voice and an onstage presence to match, it’s not an overstatement to say that Freddie Mercury was one of the greatest rock frontmen of all time.
But behind the scenes, Mercury’s life was wildly different than what fans saw. From secret pain and heartache to controversy to the jaw-dropping tragedy of his untimely death, Mercury’s story isn’t for the faint of heart.
1. He Had A Nomadic Childhood
The drama surrounding Mercury’s sad end could only be matched by the tumult of his early life. The man we know as Freddie Mercury was actually born Farrokh Bulsara in British colonial Zanzibar, in East Africa.
While they were originally from western India, Freddie’s father worked for the British Colonial Office, which meant that they lives could be upended at any moment—and often, they were.
2. He Was Meant To Be A Star
It seems like Freddie’s upbringing—formative years spent in colorful, exotic places—would later play a huge part in his dazzling and flamboyant public image. In fact, there’s concrete evidence he was born to be a singer.
Mercury was born with four extra incisors—and this resulted in a different shape of mouth, which acted almost like an amplifier for his voice.
But while Mercury had the talent and aptitude, he didn’t necessarily have the attitude.
3. They Sent Him Away
Freddie Mercury was a painfully shy child, and the upheaval of his early years certainly didn’t help things. He was an only child until the age of 7, when his mother gave birth to his little sister, Kashmira. It was a joyful time—but Freddie had a sad surprise in store. His father thought that an education in India would be much better for him, so they sent little Freddie away to a British-style boarding school near Bombay.
It was his first time away from his family, and the loneliness must have been crushing. However, it took a lot to keep Freddie Mercury down…
4. He Had To Leave Home Again
Mercury quickly settled in at boarding school, not only taking to his arts classes, but also making a concerted effort at trying a variety of sports and sticking with piano lessons.
Just when it seemed like he was adjusting, life threw him another curveball. In 1964, riots broke out in Zanzibar, and his family fled to England.
He joined them there—but it was way more of a culture shock than he could’ve predicted.
