"I have fun with my clothes onstage; it's not a concert you're seeing, it's a fashion show"
About this Quote
The subtext lands in the timing. Queen came up in an era when rock still clung to denim-and-sincerity masculinity, while glam and camp were treated as flirtations or threats. Mercury’s wardrobe play - leotards, satin, military jackets, the iconic white tank and jeans - let him toggle between high drama and stripped-down authority. Calling it a fashion show is a sly power move: he elevates the supposedly superficial into the main event, daring critics to admit they’re watching as much as listening.
It also hints at control. “I have fun” sounds casual, but it masks a meticulous understanding of how icons are built: repetition, signature looks, and the way a costume can broadcast confidence even when the person inside it is vulnerable. Mercury isn’t apologizing for theatricality; he’s selling it as the point, and in doing so, he drags rock culture a few steps closer to pop’s truth: image is part of the music.
Quote Details
| Topic | Music |
|---|---|
| Source | Wikiquote — Freddie Mercury page (contains the quotation: “I have fun with my clothes onstage; it's not a concert you're seeing, it's a fashion show”). |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Mercury, Freddie. (2026, January 15). I have fun with my clothes onstage; it's not a concert you're seeing, it's a fashion show. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-have-fun-with-my-clothes-onstage-its-not-a-31257/
Chicago Style
Mercury, Freddie. "I have fun with my clothes onstage; it's not a concert you're seeing, it's a fashion show." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-have-fun-with-my-clothes-onstage-its-not-a-31257/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I have fun with my clothes onstage; it's not a concert you're seeing, it's a fashion show." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-have-fun-with-my-clothes-onstage-its-not-a-31257/. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.





