The 2018 musical biopicBohemian Rhapsody, directed byBryan Singerwas widelycritiqued for its loose basis in history and arguably weak characterizationofRoger Deacon,Brian May, andRoger Taylor.Despite this,Rami Malek’s performance as Freddie Mercury inBohemian Rhapsodyearned him anOscar for Best Performing Actorin 2019.The charisma, presence, and vulnerability he showed in his portrayal of Queen’s lead singer brought Freddie Mercury back to life in a sense,which audiences loved. A great strength of the film, no doubt, was the timeless classics that played throughout the film, like ‘Under Pressure’ and ‘Somebody to Love’, as well as theirinfamous performance at Live Aidin 1985. Obviously,Freddie Mercury’s voice is a huge partof the success of these songs, and it’s even been suggested that Mercury’s vocal range is something biologically tied to him. So, the question becomes: who is singing inBohemian Rhapsody, and does Rami Malek possess a truly incredible vocal range?
Rami Malek Isn’t the One Singing in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, so Who Is?
Sadly for Malek, whilst gifted with incredible acting chops,does not possess Freddie Mercury’s insane vocal range. The voice we hear singing those iconic songs like ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘We Are the Champions’ is not Malek’s voice. As he explained toMetro,it’s an “amalgamation” of a few voices, with most of what you hear being Marc Martel’s voice,according toThe New York Times. Martel is a content creator online who is known for his spot-on impersonations of Queen, and it was an incredible find forcredited director Bryan Singer, as Martel’s voice really helps to sell the scale and brilliance of Queen.
However,Martel’s voice isn’t the one you will hear on the film’s soundtrackas these are alloriginal recordings of Queen, so if you’re hearing a difference on your favorite music streaming service, that’ll be why. It’s a testament to how important it was to the filmmakers that Queen’s music not only was replicated faithfully butalso gave fans the ability to re-live one of their greatest moments in the band’s history.The soundtrack is so great to listen to because it lets you remember the film’s scenes whilst listening to the real Live Aid audio,giving you a unique experience even after watching the film.
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Rami Malek’s Performance Is Still Incredible in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody'
Whilst Malek isn’t singing, this does not detract at all from Malek’s performance in the slightest. After all,even with Mercury’s stunning vocal range, it was his aura and his stage presence that truly won over the millions around the world.His performance at Live Aid is perhaps best remembered for his vocal warm up with the crowd, despite the brilliant songs Queen performed such as ‘Radio Ga Ga’ and ‘Hammer to Fall’. Malek brings all of that and more, strutting and swaggering around the stage. In contrast, there are times in the film when his performance becomes a caricature of Mercury, with his sexuality being almost overplayed in the significance of the band’s downfall. But fans would much rather have someone who gives it their all and goes to lengths to bring a character to life than to see a Freddie Mercury without passion and attitude.We’ve all heard Mercury’s voice, butBohemian Rhapsodylets you get as close as possible to the legend himself,and that is only possible through Rami Malek’s performance.
So although Rami Malek’s voice is not the one you hear belting those classics inBohemian Rhapsody,Martel’s voice truly reflects the operatic range that made so many of Queen’s songs unforgettable. However,rather than use this to critique Malek, instead, it can be seen as the beauty of modern filmmakingwhere editing, performance, and technology come together to give the audience a unique experience in this day and age. He may not be singing, but Malek’s performance as Freddie Mercury is both award-winning as well as one for the ages.
Bohemian Rhapsody
The story of the legendary British rock band Queen and lead singer Freddie Mercury, leading up to their famous performance at Live Aid (1985).
Bohemian Rhapsodyis available to stream on Disney+.
