“I’ve Learned to Live With It”: Freddie Mercury’s 1985 Reflections on Criticism, the Press, and the Price of Fame in a Brutally Honest Interview
In a candid 1985 interview with journalist David Wigg, Freddie Mercury—Queen’s iconic frontman—offered an unfiltered glimpse into the emotional toll of fame, the sting of public criticism, and his famously complicated relationship with the press. Known for his flamboyance onstage and guarded privacy off it, Mercury’s words were tinged with a mix of vulnerability, defiance, and seasoned wisdom that revealed the human being behind the legend.
When asked if he was influenced by criticism, Mercury responded with disarming honesty: “Yeah sure, I mean you know, in terms of the press, I’m a very hated person, but I hate the press too.” It was a statement both blunt and poignant, capturing the mutual animosity between an artist who cherished control over his image and an industry that often sought to tear it down. Yet despite his animus, Mercury didn’t pretend to be immune. “I’d be lying to say that I’m not hurt by criticism,” he admitted, adding, “Everyone, in some way, is.”
His voice may have been theatrical on stage, but in this moment, it was achingly real. Freddie understood the duality of public adoration and judgment all too well—how the same crowds who lifted him up could also be swayed by careless headlines and uninformed reviews. “Sometimes people review our albums without even listening to them,” he lamented, “Sadly that’s the way the world is.”
Still, what shone through was a powerful arc of personal growth. The Freddie Mercury of the mid-1980s was not the hot-tempered young rock star who once let criticism unravel him. “Before I used to get really angry and start pulling my hair out,” he confessed with a touch of humor. “But now I don’t have sleepless nights anymore.” Time had taught him not just endurance but acceptance.
The interview stands as a quiet but significant chapter in Mercury’s story—a moment where the mask dropped and the world saw not just the dazzling performer, but the man who grappled with the very human desire to be understood. Even in the face of harsh words and misjudgment, Freddie Mercury continued to do what he did best: pour his soul into his music and live on his own terms. As he simply concluded, “They do what they want”—a line not of surrender, but of survival.