Freddie Mercury

Jun 26, 2026

June is #PrideMonth. All month long we're celebrating Pride with our friends. This page is not just an ally, we are an accomplice. For Pride Month this year we're focusing less on "love who you want" and more on "queer and trans people are in danger." In the spirit of that vibe, we're choosing to highlight activists and events where the struggle for basic human and civil rights wasn't all rainbows (see what we did there) and sunshine. 

Freddie Mercury (1946-1991) was one of the most talented pop vocalists of his generation and is another of Admin E-Lo’s heroes. Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar (now Tanzania), the life that he was destined for was definitely not foreseen. His family were Parsi and practiced the religion Zoroastrianism. He spent most of his childhood in Tanzania and India before his family, escaping the Zanzibar Revolution in 1964 by emigrating to England. Mercury continued his education and studied graphic art and design at Ealing Art College.

In April 1970, Mercury teamed up with Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May to become lead singer of their band Smile. They renamed the band Queen shortly after adding John Deacon to the group. Mercury’s artistic vision propelled the group to monumental success, blending traditional rock with operatic pop, heavy metal, and disco. Though he claimed not to read music, he learned to play the piano as a child and wrote 10 of the 17 songs on Queen’s greatest hits album.

Fun fact: Mercury had four extra incisors, which he claimed assisted in his vocal ability.

Not surprisingly in the 60s and 70s, he struggled with his sexuality. He had a long-term relationship with a woman, Mary Austin, who he asked to marry, but she knew it wasn’t going to work. She instead became his life-long best friend and Mercury called her his common-law wife, she was so essential to his life. He sowed his wild oats in the gay nightlife scene in London and Munich, where he lived part-time in the 70s and early 80s.

Beyond studio recordings, Mercury became celebrated as an unparalleled live performer who could masterfully command stadium crowds across the globe. His magnetic charisma and showmanship peaked during Queen’s legendary 20-minute set at the 1985 Live Aid concert, an appearance widely considered one of the greatest live music performances in history. David Bowie praised Mercury’s performance style, saying: “Of all the more theatrical rock performers, Freddie took it further than the rest ... he took it over the edge. And of course, I always admired a man who wears tights. I only saw him in concert once and as they say, he was definitely a man who could hold an audience in the palm of his hand.”

[Page through this Instagram to see more pics of Freddie with his cats, Tiffany and Oscar.]

Many were concerned because of Mercury’s continuing to engage in unprotected sex after the AIDS crisis began. He settled down in a long-term boyfriend, and was diagnosed with HIV in the late 80s. He kept the reality of his diagnosis intensely private to protect his loved ones and avoid media scrutiny. He continued to record and create music until his health failed. On November 23, 1991, he released a public statement confirming his AIDS diagnosis; he tragically passed away the next day at the age of 45, devastating Admin E-Lo while she was at a singing clinic in Chadron, Nebraska.

Today, his legacy as a musical icon and champion of artistic freedom continues to inspire generations of musicians and fans. There is no way to give all of the details of his life here, so here are sources and some great links so you can fully immerse yourself in his wondrousness.

https://www.eonline.com/news/982514/the-truth-about-freddie-mercury-s-incredibly-complicated-life-is-guaranteed-to-blow-your-mind

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Freddie-Mercury

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/how-freddie-mercury-became-an-icon/

https://www.freddiemercury.com/en/biography

Isolated vocals: