For over five decades, Brian May has fiercely protected the legacy of Freddie Mercury. He has witnessed some of the world’s greatest vocalists attempt to take on Somebody to Love, a song known for its intricate gospel layers and a final high note that only a few can reach without faltering. While legends like George Michael set the bar in the 1990s, it was a recent performance by the American rock-pop icon P!nk that truly stunned May—and even left him a little intimidated. May admits that while he initially doubted whether P!nk could hit the high notes while maintaining the richness of her voice, her “angry” rock twist proved she was the perfect master of the track.
When P!nk was invited to perform Somebody to Love with Brian May and Roger Taylor at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles, May confessed to having initial reservations. The song, originally released on Queen’s 1976 album A Day at the Races, requires a rare combination of technical precision and emotional depth. May’s primary concern was whether P!nk could maintain the “thickness” of her voice while hitting the song’s grueling high-register notes. “Freddie is irreplaceable,” May said, “but P!nk scares me. I was worried she wouldn’t be able to hit those notes while keeping that incredible texture.”
The performance didn’t just meet expectations—it surpassed them. P!nk didn’t try to mimic Freddie’s operatic elegance; instead, she brought a “twist” that May hadn’t anticipated: raw, rock-infused anger. She channeled the frustration and yearning of the lyrics, transforming the track from a gospel-like prayer into a defiant rock anthem. She nailed the climactic high note with such ease that the crowd of 17,000 erupted. Backed by May’s iconic Red Special guitar, she maintained a level of intensity that May admitted few have ever mastered, leading him to call her talent “scary.”
P!nk’s history with Queen-related performances underscores why she is regarded as a vocal powerhouse. Her 2022 tribute performance at the Taylor Hawkins event became one of the most-watched highlights of the global event, which reached millions of viewers via streaming. Her 2009 Funhouse Tour further highlighted her versatility, where she performed Bohemian Rhapsody over 150 times while suspended in the air. In 2024 and 2025, her Summer Carnival Tour—the highest-grossing tour by a female artist in 2023—continued this trend, with many fans citing her Somebody to Love rendition as a career highlight.
The performance, filmed by a crew documenting the historic Los Angeles tribute, captured a moment where Brian May, looking over at P!nk during the bridge, appeared genuinely surprised and delighted. To the band, she wasn’t just a guest; she was a peer. By late 2025, May continued to praise P!nk as one of the few artists who had “perfectly mastered” the song’s spirit. By adding her own rock energy instead of mimicking Freddie’s style, she earned the ultimate respect from the remaining members of Queen. As May often reflects, the loudest way to honor Freddie is through someone who isn’t afraid to make the song their own.
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