Was Freddie Mercury Indian Or Iranian?

Freddie Mercury, the lead vocal in the famous rock band Queen, is considered one of the best rock stars the world has ever seen. His fantastic voice and showman skills have been among the most attractive elements in the band’s live programs. Queen is rated as one of the all-time best rock bands, and their sales have been high every time.

Freddie Mercury’s real name was Farrukh Bulsara. He was born in India to Parsi-Indian parents, who settled in Zanzibar.  Freddie Mercury spent his childhood in India, where he studied in a British boarding school.

The family migrated to Britain and later acquired British citizenship.

Was Freddie Mercury Indian Or Iranian
Freddie Mercury wax statue / Stef22 / Dreamstime.com

Was Freddie Mercury Indian Or Iranian?

Freddie Mercury belonged to a family of Parsi-Indian from western India. Parsi-Indians are the descendants of the people of Persia, who migrated to medieval India from Iran between the sixth and seventh century AD. 

Freddie’s father Bomy Bulsara and his mother Ter Bulsara were born in India. The family moved to Zanzibar since Bomy was employed with the British Colonial Governemnt as cashier in the High Court. Farrukh was born in Zanzibar, but his parents sent him to India for his education.

Freddie Mercury had never talked about his ethnicity or religious background. He once said:-

“That’s something inbred, it’s a part of me. I will always walk around like a Persian popinjay”

An indirect reference to his Parsi-Indian background.

The Transition From Bulsara To Mercury

Freddie Mercury’s original name was Farrukh Bulsara, which changed to Freddie Mercury after receiving British citizenship.

He wanted to appear entirely different on stage, although deep in his heart, he was the same old Bulsara. He adopted the name Freddie Mercury, which matches his astonishing rockstar persona, and the transition helped him escape that time’s strong racial discrimination.

Freddie Mercury’s Religious Beliefs

Freddie Mercury was never officially religious, but he had always respected his parents’ faith in Zoroastrianism and the values they followed.

Although  Freddie did not follow Zoroastrianism, his funeral was traditionally conducted by Zoroastrian priests. Historians pointed out the influence of Zoroastrianism in his music Bohemian Rhapsody.

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The Bottom Line

Queen remains the most influential rock band after World War II, considering their popularity, quality of music, showmanship, and sales record.Freddie Mercury, the lead singer, is as popular as his band Queen. His lively presence on the stage with his fantastic voice crowned him the most significant rock star and one of the best showmen in the music industry.

Freddie Mercury was the first international pop superstar with both asian and african backgrounds.He had influenced the Parsi Community in the mid 1980s and 90s. His unorthodox style broke the existing convention of rock music and inspired many youngsters to chase their dreams.