Freddie Mercury appeared in the news again recently as a group of scientists sought to analyze his recorded vocals and uncover the “secret sauce” of his ability. The result? There’s a reason he didn’t sound like any other singer: he was built differently from the inside and out.
Among the things they uncovered, consider that a typical vibrato can move parts of their throat in the range of 5.4 Hz to 6.9 Hz, while Mercury was able to vibrate his throat at a rate of 7.04 Hz. This is something that opera singer Luciano Pavarotti is unable to achieve.
And that’s not all. “They filmed his larynx at 4,000 frames per second in order to look at how exactly the Queen frontman created those iconic rough growls and jaw-dropping vibratos. What they discovered was that he likely employed subharmonics, a singing style where the ventricular folds vibrate along with the vocal folds. Most humans never speak or sing with their ventricular folds unless they’re Tuvan throat singers, so the fact that this popular rock vocalist was probably dealing with subharmonics is pretty incredible.” Source: Consequence of Sound
No one sang like Freddie Mercury. But his voice was only one-half of this equation: the other half was his incredible performance ability on stage. When you put it all together you get a performance that makes jaws drop:
Because we love finding inspiration from performers, speakers, and artists all over the creative spectrum, this recent study made us excited to share the good news. How can a speaker take inspiration from Freddie Mercury’s famous style? Start here!
What Makes You Different?
Everyone has something in their past or their nature which sets them apart as a speaker. Freddie Mercury had natural ability, a “frantic energy,” and a kick of drama. He wasn’t embarrassed to take what he had and turn up the volume, never hiding his range and energy. What kind of energy do you hide in a corporate environment that you are not afraid to reveal around people who are close to you? Are you a storyteller, a pun creator, a comedian? Find out what it is that sets you apart, and use it to your advantage.
Take Inspiration
So many corporate presentations are trapped in a small, grey box. People assume that they need to dress a certain way, sound a certain way, and that their slides should have a very specific kind of look and feel. But some of the most important minds in business have consistently broken through this box; think of Mark Zuckerberg and his casual, “rolled off the couch” style. Why aren’t you challenging the norm and dressing according to your own style? Why aren’t your slides glitter-covered and memorable? Allow yourself the freedom of wild, maybe even tacky taste. Ask yourself: “What Would Freddie Do?”
Deliver Like Mercury
Most everyone reading this article will not achieve a throat vibration of 7.04 Hz. But you can still capture the feel of Freddie Mercury by fearlessly increasing your tone, and projecting your voice as a speaker. Why stay businesslike? Why keep quiet? You can command attention and use an outside voice even when you deliver in a small room, ensuring that all eyes and ears are on you. There’s no voice that can’t get louder, and no speaker that can’t get bigger and bolder.
Want to learn more about creating a personal brand for yourself and improving your own delivery style? Here are some resources that can help:
Public Speakers Need a Personal Brand. Here’s How to Build Yours.
