pronunciation of a

[Vik-Nik-Sor]

Please, listen to how he utters "walking too fast" (at 0:40), and "don't have no time" at 0:59, 1:35 and 2:25;
Doesn't it strike you that he clearly says the "a" like "e" here, especially considering he's British?
Thanks.

 

[Vik-Nik-Sor]

Yes, but he sounds too "e" even for an American, to my ears. I.e. he literally says "e" instead of "æ" in these words...

 

[emsr2d2]

Freddie Mercury has one of the most identifiable voices in pop music. That's simply how he pronounces it.

Have you ever heard him speak, rather than sing? He has an interesting accent. It's a relatively posh Home Counties English accent but with some twangs that sound almost South African. His parents were Parsis from Bombay (now Mumbai) and he was born in Zanzibar. He went to boarding school in India and didn't move to Britain until he was 17.

 

[Vik-Nik-Sor]

He went to boarding school in India and didn't move to Britain until he was 17.

Ah, I didn't know that. I thought he'd lived in Britain since childhood.

Thank you for the replies!

 

[probus]

British singers frequently have American vowels in their songs.

Sure. And some songs demand an American accent. Consider this gem, for example:-D:

https://youtu.be/GXIkL82hJtg

 

[jutfrank]

Why do British singers lose their accents when singing?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ8RdLtZWlc

 

[bubbha]

Certain styles of songs go best with certain accents.

Country/Western music demands a southern American accent; reggae sounds best with a Caribbean accent; traditional Irish music would sound strange sung in anything other than an Irish accent.

 

[Raymott]

Why do British singers lose their accents when singing?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ8RdLtZWlc

That seems like a promo for Kate Nash.