Although Freddie Mercury was a frontman, he admired performers of all shapes and sizes in the entertainment industry. While they may not have been traditional rock vocalists in the same mould as himself, the Queen singer was able to extract their best qualities and infuse them with his own artistry.
Mercury was far from a shy and retiring performer. Instead, he thrived in the spotlight, relishing the gaze of every eye fixed firmly on him. When wearing his iconic yellow jacket, the Queen frontman transformed into a larger-than-life character, in stark contrast to his more subdued personal demeanour. Onstage, Mercury’s persona had no bounds, demonstrating his ability to command attention and represent the essence of showmanship.
This personality trait is shared by many artists, who can only truly be themselves when they stand in front of a crowd and escape the realities of everyday life. Mercury was born to entertain the masses, as was his hero Jimi Hendrix, but the American guitarist was equally reserved when it came to matters unrelated to his craft.
Given Hendrix’s confidence on stage and his penchant for audacious stunts like smashing up his guitars, it’s difficult to imagine him as a shrinking violet. Mercury, on the other hand, found his ability to transform into another person to be as inspiring as his musical ability. In his mind, this demonstrated that he could do the same.
During an interview with Circus Magazine in 1975, Mercury revealed the list of artists who influenced him the most. Naturally, he began by declaring his devotion to Hendrix, saying, “Jimi Hendrix is very important. He’s my idol. He exemplifies the entire work of a rock star, starting with his performance on stage. There is no way to compare him. You either have magic or don’t. You can’t work up to it. “No one can take his place.”
In contrast to Hendrix, the Queen singer singled out Liza Minelli. However, her background is in musical theatre, which is very different from rock ‘n’ roll. He also praised Led Zeppelin, calling frontman Robert Plant “one of the most original vocalists of our time“. He also claimed the band deserved all of their success.
While he admired Led Zeppelin and Minelli, Mercury’s admiration for Hendrix was a lifelong. He later mentioned his idol on Queen’s 1989 song ‘The Miracle’, demonstrating his obsession with the guitarist.
Furthermore, he once stated, “Jimi Hendrix was simply a beautiful man, a master showman, and a dedicated musician. I would travel the country to see him whenever he performed because he had everything a rock ‘n’ roll star should have: style and presence.”
He admired Hendrix’s incredible musicianship, which we may never see again. Hendrix’s full impact fascinated Mercury, inspiring the courage to become a star in his own right.
