Although he had been on the scene before, he actually drew attention with one performance. And that as they say in a big way. With it, he entered the music scene in a big way, where he is currently considered one of the biggest world sensations. The video of his performance in Paris, where he also visually resembles Freddie Mercury and sings one of the biggest hits of the band Queen, has over 500 million views on YouTube and is a real boom. Before that, he also performed on the Britain Got Talent. As part of the European tour, where his sudden fame launched him, Mickey Callisto is also coming to Slovenia on June 7. With his band Cosmic, he will perform as a special guest at the Queen Symphony Sensation concert, one of the world’s best tribute bands to the band Queen. Before the performance in Križanke, we talked to the hot musician.

After Britain Got Talent and especially after the video from Paris, your life changed radically overnight. How do you, as an internet sensation, find yourself in the chaos and whirlwind, if we can call it so, brought about by being launched among the world’s most recognizable musical faces?
My life has really changed, definitely. This is most noticeable when performing all over the world, which is one of the consequences. I never had problems with people, I am a kind of people person or whatever I would call it, so such situations are completely normal for me now.

Talents were, as you could say, a kind of stepping stone to the world music scene. What was that experience like?
Overall, it was very positive. My appearance on the show drew attention to myself, and the show reached a large audience around the world. The only thing that made me a little sad was that I couldn’t perform my original song Supernova in the semi-finals. At that time I thought they don’t they see me as a singer, only as a performer of Queen songs, even though I am also a musician with my own identity, Mickey Callisto, without Queen and Mercury.

Most fans see you primarily or even exclusively as Mercury’s successor. Do you think that is dangerous for you and your musical self? That they see you as a kind of Freddie’s double, not as Mickey Callisto? Do you ever fear that such things can also destroy your career as a singer, your musical self etc?
I don’t see myself and I am not the new Mercury. I am Mickey Callisto. When I sing the Queen repertoire, I try to achieve and bring the same passion and energy that Mercury had. I am not afraid that this could destroy me as a singer and artist. If people look a little and listen, they can quickly find out that the music I write is different from the music of Mercury and Queen.

Did Queen really invite you to be their singer?
No. I think that was taken out of context and misunderstood, and I don’t really know how it got out. But I brought the band back onto the digital charts. Queen also commented on and praised the video of my performance in Paris on the internet.

You pointed out that you are Callisto, not the new Mercury. Are you a Queen fan?
Yes. If I go back, when I was fourteen I auditioned for the musical We Will Rock You. I mutated, which changed my voice and I stopped singing opera. As a child I loved singing it. By chance, one of my teachers told me to try singing I want to break free. When he heard me, he said that my voice was kind of like Freddie’s. That’s when I started following Queen, a particular turning point was their concert in 1986 at Wembley in London, when I saw the recording.

Were Queen your only idols?
Not at all. I also like the Beatles, David Bowie, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, ABBA, Michael Jackson… But Queen were probably the most important of all role models.

Have you ever met anyone from the band?
I met Spike Edney.

If you would meet Mercury, would you ask him something?
Of course!

For example?
About Bohemian Rhapsody. How is it to write something so brilliant.

You are now performing at Queen tribute concerts. Is this probably just a part of your musical journey at the moment?
Yes. I would like to be known primarily as a soloist, like me, with my name and work.

You are currently the new Freddie and your tour schedule is also packed. What about your songs? Your own? Original?
We are working on our debut album with the band Cosmic, who are performing on the Queen tribute tour with me. I also started my own solo album.

Your voice, regardless of its similarity to Mercury’s or not, is praised. Do you have a favorite song?
I do. And not just one. For me, Show must go on is a must-have from Queen. Because of the vocal range or heights. I would mention Slave to the man among the originals. It is very dynamic.

You are a younger generation of musicians. How is it for a young singer to succeed in the music scene today?
It is extremely difficult to just survive and live from music. The market has become oversaturated with music and now even with artificial intelligence! The royalties paid by streaming platforms are very low, which makes the work difficult.

Queen Symphony Sensation is among the world’s best Queen tribute bands. The members of such bands imitate the original musicians visually, with costumes… You, with the exception of your voice, are not very similar to Mercury physically. I have the feeling that you are not striving for this.
Yes, I prefer not to dress like Freddie, because I’m a good enough showman and singer to be able to sing the songs properly without looking like him. I never wanted to be a copy of Freddie Mercury. No one can be. It’s more important to me to capture his passion, sincerity and connection with people. Freddie knew how to create the feeling that he was singing to every individual in the hall. I also communicate a lot with my eyes, body, energy. But it’s interesting that a lot of my movements came from the years when I went to raves and danced in clubs.

What do you think of Queen’s music in its classical form compared to performing it with symphony orchestras?
The songs take on a completely new dimension. Some become more cinematic, others more emotional. Freddie had already explored operatic elements in his later years, especially in his collaboration with the opera diva Montserrat Caballé, so I think the symphonic version of Queen’s music is a very natural evolution of their sound.

Queen Symphony Sensation is from Serbia, have you ever performed with them in their homeland?
Yes. We performed in Belgrade, on television.

What do you think of the band?
They are one energy. This is not a classic tribute concert. It is about top musicians, orchestral power and real rock’n’roll grandeur. I think Freddie would have loved something like that, because he always said: “The bigger, the better.”

Is it difficult to have some privacy in a situation like yours recently and popularity? How do you find yourself in such situations?
I can still live a normal life. As I mentioned before, I have always been a so-called people person and I have no problems with others.

Did you ever think that you would experience popularity of such proportions?
I have always believed in myself and my abilities and that I would succeed in achieving what I set out to do. Now this is slowly becoming a reality.

You said that you have no problems with recognition, privacy…. What about as a musician? Has internet recognition and everything that goes with it changed you? Are you different, for example, at performances? Did you simply have to change? Adapt?
No. I always left my heart on stage, regardless of whether I was singing to ten people or a full stadium. Even when there was no audience, I performed as if I were at Wembley in London.

How do you take care of your voice? You perform a lot, the songs are not exactly easy… Do you have a pedagogue for solo singing or are you self-taught?
I try to rest as much as possible before and after concerts. Of course, you have to sing before concerts. I am self-taught both vocally and in playing the piano. At the age of seven, I started learning opera singing on my own, and I was fascinated by classical and choral music. I remember singing to the parents of other kids on the team after football training. At that time, I didn’t yet understand what it meant to be a performer, but I knew that music made me happy.

At concerts you often take off your shirt and partially expose yourself. Is it simply the stage action and atmosphere or a planned image?
Not for one, not for the other (laughs). At the end of the shows, it’s like being in a difficult and tiring fitness class. And I’m very, very hot.

Tours are tiring. What’s the hardest, most tiring thing for you?
Traveling by train and plane. But I like to make friends with people after the concerts, if possible. That’s the most beautiful part of concerts. When they tell me their stories and how music has accompanied them throughout their lives, I remember why I do what I do. I’m really happy if I can give people a feeling of happiness, freedom and connection. Today, people need more unity — and music has an incredible power to really bring us together for a few hours.

This will be your first time performing in Slovenia. You’ve performed around the world, do the audiences differ noticeably? Would you say where the best has been so far?
I think Ireland. The audience in Dublin is special. Four years ago I performed a few nights at the Olympia Theatre as the opening act for CMAT, the energy was crazy. But perhaps the performances in my hometown of Sunderland mean the most to me. There I am also listened to by my family, friends, classmates,… people I have known all my life.

Will you be in Slovenia also as a tourist?
Yes, I would like to walk around the city a bit and try some Slovenian food, visit some famous or interesting restaurant.

Photo: management
Video: Estrada.si