Freddie Mercury, stage name for Farrokh Bulsara, was a British singer, pianist and composer, known for his work with the British rock band Queen, which he joined from 1970 until the year of his death. Mercury became famous for his powerful tone of voice and his energetic performances that always involved the audience, having been considered by critics as one of the greatest artists of all time.
As a composer, Mercury created most of Queen's greatest hits, such as "We Are the Champions", "Love of my Life", "Killer Queen", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Somebody to Love" and "Don't Stop Me Now ". In addition to his work in the band, Mercury also launched several side projects, including a solo album, Mr. Bad Guy, in 1985, and an opera disc alongside Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé, Barcelona, in 1988. Mercury died of bronchopneumonia , brought on by AIDS, in 1991, the day after publicly assuming the disease.
His work with Queen still generates recognition to this day: Mercury is cited as the main influence of many other singers and bands. In 2006, he was named the greatest African celebrity of all time and also elected the greatest band leader in history in a public vote organized by American MTV.