Music

25 photos in memory of Freddie Mercury

by Mark Teo

It’s hard to believe it, but it’s been 23 years since Freddie Mercury passed. Still, in the two decades since his death, his figure still looms large over pop music; Queen remain an essential rock band, and, lest we forget, he wrote many of their signature songs. Yet for his aura—his costume- and adrenaline-heavy performances are still unforgettable, even in Queen’s final video for “These Are the Days of Our Lives”—Mercury was a complex character: For his flamboyance, he was often described as compassionate, kind, and, at times, private.

We’ve assembled a list of photos that captures some of that personality, from his childhood up until his final days. Mercury issued a statement that he was suffering from AIDS on November 22, 1991. By the 24th, he had passed. Sad? Yes. Dramatic? Definitely. R.I.P., Freddie.