Freddie Mercury was known for many things—his dramatic showmanship, his larger-than-life personality, and his untimely death during the peak of the AIDS epidemic—but he is most remembered for his clear, powerful voice, ranging from rich bass notes to impressive soprano coloratura. It's hard to do Freddie's voice justice, but Marc Martel has managed to wow millions with his impersonations of the Queen lead singer. If you close your eyes and listen, there are seconds when you might swear you were hearing Freddie himself singing again. Martel's cover of "Bohemian Rhapsody" has been viewed 56 million times on YouTube. And another of his videos showcases Martel's ability to captivate an audience with his—or Freddie's—voice. At a concert in Santiago, Chile, in 2022, Martel began playing the piano intro to "Love of My Life," one of Queen's simplest and most sentimental ballads. As soon as he opened his mouth to sing, the audience did the same—10,000 people all singing along in unison—and it's just beautiful. Watch:Love Of My Life - Live from Santiago, Chile (Marc Martel)Queen fans not only loved the sing-a-long but they were also blown away by how close Martel came to channeling Freddie Mercury with his vocals:"I'm 63. Heard Queen from the start. This man is unbelievable. Why Queen didn't grab him is unbelievable, beyond belief.""For those of us who love the Mercury timbre, Martel is a blessing.""The part "you've hurt me" sounds exactly like Freddie. I also love the fact that people are singing too, it gives me Queen concerts vibes :)""When the crowd started singing, it genuinely gave me goosebumps. It was like he was singing with a choir. Some great voices in the audience! Well mixed too. Incredible as always!""Never mind the vocal inflections, he plays piano outstandingly. Freddie’s voice was so unique and original, it’s unbelievable how close Marc is."And if you want to see Martel's "Bohemian Rhapsody" video with 56 million views, here it is. Enjoy:Find more of Marc Martel's Freddie Mercury magic on YouTube.This article originally appeared on 10.4.23

Parents can sometimes struggle with the responsibility of keeping little people that depend on them alive, healthy and respectful, while also trying to maintain some semblance of a life outside of their kids. Keeping a house running, the lights on and maintaining relationships can result in balls being dropped due to sheer overwhelm. Care tasks like laundry, sweeping, mopping and even showering can end up getting sidelined. Care tasks are simply things that mean caring for one’s self or one’s space, otherwise known as cleaning or activities of daily living. The goal, no matter what you call it, is taking care of yourself.K.C. Davis, a licensed professional counselor and mom, is known on TikTok for her approach to care tasks by taking the morality and shame out of completing or not completing these tasks. Davis’ catchphrase is “it’s morally neutral” when explaining that homes don’t need to be immaculate to show you care about your space, they just need to be functional. Let’s take a moment to face an unfortunate fact that still perseveres in our modern society. The brunt of household tasks and family management is handled by the default parent, and in many households, that default parent is the mother. This is also known as invisible labor as it involves tasks that are expected to be completed, typically go unnoticed when they are completed, but are shockingly evident when they go undone. @domesticblisters #strugglecare #mentalhealth #caretasks #childhood Davis makes caring for your home, self and children less of a moral duty that can make you feel like a failure and more like things that engender feelings of empowerment. She encourages the default parent to even the load by having open communication with their partner on what they need to feel supported. Davis also spends time explaining tips and tricks that help her get things done, like setting a visual timer. We get to witness how she utilizes this timer in her everyday life through her videos showing how she “resets her space.” In the majority of her videos she encourages people to think of the functionality of their space and making it work for them. @domesticblisters Reply to @imhailey000 #strugglecare #mentalhealth #ADHD #cleantok #homecare #messismorallyneutral According to Davis, functionality is key when it comes to care tasks, and she’s prepared with the tools for transforming a space from chaotic to functional. The focus of her videos is never on cleanliness, which can rub some folks the wrong way (as evidenced by her comment section). Her goal is to give primary caregivers and even single people the permission and empowerment to know that they deserve a functional space, and that care tasks are morally neutral.In her book, "How to Keep House While Drowning," Davis explains how to be gentle with yourself while also caring for yourself and your home in a way that works best for you. Her gentle approach to care tasks is what keeps people coming back. It’s the validation that we all need. This article originally appeared on 3.25.22

A homeless teen was given shelter and reunited with his pup after a community rallied around the pair following a heartwrenching and selfless story of surrender.The anonymous then-17-year-old arrived at the Senatobia-Tate County Animal Shelter in Mississippi with a Rottweiler/German shepherd puppy named Jada and a bag of dog food.“He came in and he asked if he could leave his dog here and I said, ‘Buddy, we are so full,’" Interim Shelter Director Kris Robinson told WREG News. "And he said, ‘Well, I can’t take care of her anymore.’ He said, ‘I live under a bridge,’ and it broke my heart.”The young man told Robinson he had been living in a tent with the dog, but she had broken out of the tent when he went to find work. Then he said he didn't even have a tent anymore and couldn't afford to feed her. Robinson agreed to take Jada, despite the shelter not having room for her, and shared a post about the surrender on Facebook. "This is where she layed [sic] after her owner surrendered her today with her plastic bag of dog food and a blanket," the post reads. "She is devastated. I can’t be mad at her owner though. He is 17, says he lives under a bridge in Tate county. He WALKED her all the way to the shelter and asked us to please take her because he can’t afford to keep her. She’s about 4 mos old and she kept herself pinned to his legs while he was here. We are full but how could we not take her in."Support for the dog and the teen poured in, with people saying they wanted to do something to help, which moved Robinson to tears. “For this young man to just be 17 and down on his luck, and no matter what problems he’s facing, he still took the time to walk her over her and make sure somebody was going to take care of her," Robinson told WREG. "I think that says a lot about his character."The teen filled out a surrender form with a little bit of information about himself, which was enough for Robinson to pass along to people who could help him. The town doesn't have an official homeless shelter, but with the assistance of several community members, the Senatobia police were able to locate the young man and ensure his safety. Local churches have offered assistance, and he has gotten set up with a temporary home at someone's house while he gets his life situation figured out. He has also been reunited with Jada. A woman identifying herself as the teen's mom contacted the news outlet after seeing the story. She said he had run away from home and had been missing for a year, and she wanted him to come home. It's impossible to know the circumstances of the family or the teen's home life, but regardless of what led to him living under a bridge at 17, one thing is clear: He did what he had to do to make sure his dog was going to be taken care of, even if it meant giving her up, and that's a responsible, selfless action worthy of praise. This article originally appeared on 4.14.22

"Always bugged me." The post “Fake and contrived”: Sammy Hagar on the artist who copied his every move first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

“There’s a lot more to life than just rock and roll.” The post Is it better to burn out than to fade away? Neil Young philosophically muses first appeared on Far Out Magazine.

See some of his wacky tunes performed live!