Matt Hewson
By his best reckoning, Thomas Crane is Australia’s longest-running Freddie Mercury tribute artist.
A fan of Queen throughout his childhood, the Edinburgh native was an avid music student through his school years.
But it wasn’t until he immigrated to Australia with his parents that Crane took singing seriously, enrolling in opera singing lessons in 1991 – the year Freddie Mercury died.
“It seems strange that when Freddie passed, I started doing this the same year,” he said.
“It just seems weird; maybe I was chosen to do this for some reason, I’m not sure. I just love Freddie, he’s my god.
“I was singing in a rock and roll band, and I was told I sounded like Freddie. I tried a Queen song in the end and I just found my niche.”
Crane kept working his regular job by day and playing and singing on weekends – “It was $20, $30 a night, it was minimal” – until everything changed in 2011.
“One day I auditioned for a show… it was supposed to be The Voice,” he said.
“So I went in there with my manager at the time and it was Australia’s Got Talent. They rotated every year from The Voice to Australia’s Got Talent, but I wasn’t aware of that.
“I walked out because I thought it wasn’t the right show for me, but I ended up getting in and getting to the finals.”
His time on the show wasn’t an entirely pleasant experience for Crane, but it thrust him and his tribute show Bohemian Rhapsody in front of the listening public.
“My hobby became my day job and my day job became my hobby,” Crane said.
“I’ve always had a passion for music, getting out there on stage and entertaining people. Getting in the zone, it’s a feeling I wish everyone could experience. I love it.”
Thomas Crane and Bohemian Rhapsody present Made In Heaven at Geelong Arts Centre this Saturday, June 15.
