Freddie Mercury is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time, with an impressive four-octave range and a keen ability to play the piano whilst singing.

          Mercury was born in western India on September 5, 1946, to parents Bomi Bulsara and Jer Bulsara; his birth name was Farrokh Bulsara. He spent the younger years of his life living in India alongside his parents and younger sister, Kashmira. In India, he attended a boarding school and took piano lessons. Also at the boarding school, he formed his first band called the Hectics; during this time, he began to call himself “Freddie”. He and his family then moved from India to England to escape the violence that was occurring in the country at the time. In England, he went to Ealing Art College where he graduated.

         After graduating, Mercury acquainted with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor and eventually took the place of lead vocalist in their band entitled Smile. However, he changed the name to Queen and eventually, they were joined by bassist John Deacon. The band was very unique for its time, combining two quite distinct and different genres, opera and heavy rock. Queen had a total of 15 albums, each one featuring strong vocals and diverse dynamics. Freddie Mercury also had a solo career, but it was not as successful as the band. In 1987, Mercury was diagnosed with HIV. Because of this, he was constantly ostracized and discriminated against, as countless who have the disease are. In 1991, he publicly announced his diagnosis and only a day later, he died. After his death, Mercury won several awards and his band blew up around the world.

          Freddie Mercury might have one of the most important legacies in the history of rock music. He showed the world that you didn’t need to be like every other frontman. Instead of most other rock singers, Mercury sang in a theatrical style; he defied the odds and rocketed Queen into popularity. He also didn’t let him being diagnosed with HIV stop him. He remains a major figure in the history of the disease, showing people that they shouldn’t allow the challenges life throws at them to make them quit. He taught a lesson of perseverance and determination. Freddie Mercury once said, “The most important thing, darling, is to live a fabulous life. As long as it’s fabulous, I don’t care how long it is.”