Queen

by Kateřina Koprnová

The English band Queen was (and still is) perceived as a group of flashy, talented show-offs with catchy riffs and heartfelt lyrics by the public. However, how they actually encouraged generations of listeners not to be afraid of expressing themselves, whether it be through attitudes, deeds, or fashion sense, is a question that certainly has been asked by many, but the execution was not truly brought up. As the main vocalist Freddie Mercury was of Zanzibari descent, his experience of being an outsider was further amplified by the music industry, which comprised a small number of people of color (who were successful) and with the same flamboyant manners Mercury presented. At the same time, in the seventies people of the middle and lower classes were pushed to conform to normality, discouraged from individuality. Therefore, a large portion of people who took a liking to Queen’s music could additionally feel represented by Mercury’s extraordinary behavior added to his foreign origins.