Hayata Akashi Sings Freddie Mercury

I am Hayata Akashi, a composer, singer, and producer based in Japan, and no artist has influenced my life more than Queen--especially Freddie Mercury.

When I first heard "We Are the Champions" in junior high school, I was completely captivated. Wanting to get closer to Queen's music, I joined a band, took vocal lessons, studied music theory, moved to Tokyo, and eventually built a career as a professional composer.
Before I knew it, 38 years had passed. I turned 60 two years ago, and my greatest strengths as a musician remain multi-tracked backing vocals and guitar orchestration--both deeply inspired by Queen.

When people think of Queen, many picture Freddie at Live Aid or Wembley Stadium. But what first captured my heart was the band's early sound: the magnificent layers of vocals and guitars created through multitrack recording.
The opening of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a perfect example. That breathtaking a cappella introduction was created entirely from Freddie's voice through creative studio recording techniques.
Ever since I bought my first four-track cassette recorder in high school, I have been fascinated by multitrack recording and learned many techniques simply by studying Queen's music.

Their influence on me extends far beyond recording.
Their unpredictable song structures, sophisticated harmonies, bold key changes, and above all, Freddie's deeply personal lyrics continue to guide me whenever I compose.

Although this album includes a few well-known songs, I deliberately focused on hidden masterpieces--songs that may never appear on a "Greatest Hits" collection, yet deserve to be remembered as timeless works of art.

I will never forget November 24, 1991.
I heard the news of Freddie's passing while driving home from my part-time job and was devastated.
At that moment, I truly realized how deeply Queen and Freddie Mercury had shaped my life.

The first song I chose to cover afterward was "My Fairy King," one of Freddie's earliest compositions for Queen.
This digital album brings together ten Queen and Freddie Mercury songs I have recorded over the years, each performed with heartfelt admiration, gratitude, and respect.

The album includes arrangements based on karaoke tracks originally produced for the "Thanks Freddie Live" tribute concerts, held annually for four years beginning in 1992 by members of the Freddie Mercury Association Japan (FMA), a charity organization founded by dedicated Queen fans in Japan. It also includes tracks released on my YouTube channel since 2018, as well as songs newly produced and re-recorded specifically for this album.

Because these arrangements are designed to showcase my lead vocals and multi-tracked backing vocals, I intentionally omitted drums and bass, using only piano or piano combined with layered guitar orchestration.

If you found this album while searching for Queen or Freddie Mercury, thank you for listening. I sincerely hope you enjoy it, and if you do, I would be grateful if you left a comment.
I also plan to release music videos for the new songs I've created one by one on YouTube. Please look forward to those as well!
And if you're interested in my music, please be sure to check out my original songs, which were inspired by Queen and Freddie!
There is no greater joy for me than sharing these musical moments with fellow Queen fans and celebrating Freddie's extraordinary legacy together.

We still love you, Freddie!

August 2026

Hayata Akashi