Bobby Farrell

{{Short description|Aruban dancer and singer (1949–2010)}} {{other people||Robert Farrell (disambiguation){{!}}Robert Farrell}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = Bobby Farrell | image = Boney M Bobby Farrell 2006.jpg | caption = Farrell performing with Boney M. | image_size =  | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1949|10|6}} | birth_place = San Nicolaas, Aruba | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2010|12|30|1949|10|6}} | death_place = Saint Petersburg, Russia | occupation = {{hlist|Dancer|singer|DJ}} | spouse = {{marriage|Jasmina Shaban|1981|1995|end=divorced}} | children = 2 | years_active = 1975–2010 | module = {{Infobox musical artist |embed=yes | instrument = | past_member_of = Boney M.}} }}

'''Roberto Alfonso "Bobby" Farrell''' (6 October 1949 – 30 December 2010) was an Aruban dancer, singer and DJ. He was a member of the 1970s and 1980s disco group Boney M.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2010-12-30|title=Boney M singer Bobby Farrell dies aged 61|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-12094005|access-date=2021-12-04}}</ref>

== Biography == === Birth and early life === Farrell was born and raised on the Caribbean island of Aruba, in the Dutch colony of Curaçao and Dependencies (later known as the Netherlands Antilles). He left after having finished school at the age of 15, and was a sailor for two years, before moving to Norway. He then went to the Netherlands, where he found occasional work as a DJ, before moving to Germany for better opportunities.

=== Years with Boney M. === thumb|Farrell, 3rd from the left, performing with Boney M. in 1981 thumb|Bobby Farrell in 1991 In Germany, Farrell mostly worked as a DJ, until producer Frank Farian spotted him for his new group, Boney M., and made Farrell the lone male singer in the group. In 1978, however, Farian confirmed existing rumours that Farrell made no vocal contributions to the group's records, and Farian had performed the male parts in the studio. Liz Mitchell said this was true; only she, Marcia Barrett and Farian had sung on the hit recordings, adding that Farrell limited himself vocally to "growling" when performing live in some of the various incarnations of Boney M., including the main 1970s incarnation.<ref>{{cite news | title=Whatever happened to Boney M?| url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1787544.stm |access-date=30 December 2010 | publisher=BBC News | date=29 January 2002}}</ref> After Farrell left the group in 1981, due to clashes with Farian, his voice was genuinely recorded for the first time on the double A-side single "We Kill the World" / "Boonoonoonoos".<ref>{{Cite web |date=12 July 2020 |title=Liz Mitchell (Boney M.) viert haar 68e verjaardag - Hitzound |url=https://www.hitzound.com/liz-mitchell-boney-m-viert-haar-68e-verjaardag/}}</ref> He was replaced by Reggie Tsiboe, while Farrell attempted a solo career; however, he rejoined in 1984, and continued as a member until the final split in 1986.

In 1988, Farrell and the three original female members reunited.<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r367995}}</ref> Two remix albums were released, and they performed on several television shows; in France, one of their singles reached no. 1. Despite this, the reunion did not last more than a year. Soon after, Farrell started to tour with his own group, performing the band's hits under the name Bobby Farrell's Boney M.

He appeared as a dancer in the late 2005 Roger Sanchez music video for "Turn on the Music".

=== Later years and death === Farrell lived for many years in Amsterdam, in the neighbourhood of Gaasperdam in the borough of Amsterdam-Zuidoost.

In 1981, he married Macedonian Romani Jasmina Shaban.<ref>[http://www.yugopapir.com/2015/06/makedonska-svadba-decenije-bobby.html Macedonian wedding of the decade] RTV Revija, August 1981, in Serbian</ref> They had a daughter, who is a musician herself,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Almedia|first=Nicole|url=https://atwoodmagazine.com/znly-zanillya-2019-interview/|title=Unfiltered, Inspired, and Free: A Conversation with Zanillya|magazine=Atwood|date=October 8, 2019}}</ref> and a son. They separated in 1995.

Farrell died on the morning of 30 December 2010, in a hotel room in Saint Petersburg, Russia, of heart failure.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.telegraaf.nl/prive/8628583/__Farrell_overleed_door_hartfalen__.html?p=23,1 | title=Farrell overleed door hartfalen | work=De Telegraaf | date=31 December 2010 | access-date=1 January 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007235455/http://www.telegraaf.nl/prive/8628583/__Farrell_overleed_door_hartfalen__.html?p=23,1 | archive-date=7 October 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> His agent, John Seine, said Farrell had complained of breathing problems and of pain in his chest, which intensified after he performed with his band the prior evening.<ref>{{cite web | title=Bobby Farrell (61) overleden | url=http://www.nu.nl/muziek/2412427/bobby-farrell-61-overleden.html | publisher=NU.nl | date=30 December 2010 | access-date=30 December 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Boney M's Bobby Farrell has died, aged 61 |url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/1230/farrellb.html |publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann |date=30 December 2010 |access-date=30 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102013317/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2010/1230/farrellb.html |archive-date=2 January 2011 }}</ref> Despite his still present dynamism, he had experienced health problems for a decade. Farrell's body was discovered by hotel staff after he failed to respond to a wake-up call.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-12096781 | title=Boney M singer Bobby Farrell dies aged 61 | publisher=BBC News | date=30 December 2010 | access-date=31 December 2010}}</ref><ref name="telegraph-2010" /> By coincidence, he died 94 years to the day and in the same city as Grigori Rasputin, the subject of one of his group's most iconic songs, and whom he had dressed as in some live performances.<ref name="telegraph-2010">{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8232749/Boney-M-frontman-Bobby-Farrell-died-on-same-day-as-Rasputin.html|title=Boney M frontman Bobby Farrell died on same day as Rasputin|website=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|access-date=4 March 2023}}</ref> Farrell was buried at Zorgvlied cemetery in Amsterdam.

== In popular culture == In series 6, episode 5 ("Demon 79") of ''Black Mirror'', Paapa Essiedu portrayed Farrell through the character of Gaap, a demon who takes the likeness of Farrell as he appeared on stage in the group Boney M. during a performance of the song "Rasputin".

== Discography == ===Singles=== * 1982: "Polizei" / "A Fool in Love" * 1985: "King of Dancing" / "I See You" * 1985: "Happy Song"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bobby Farrell - Happy Song (1985, Vinyl) - Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2689097-Bobby-Farrell-Happy-Song}}</ref> * 1987: "Hoppa Hoppa" / "Hoppa Hoppa" (instrumental) * 1991: "Tribute to Josephine Baker" * 2004: "Aruban Style" (Mixes) - S-Cream featuring Bobby Farrell * 2006: ''The Bump EP'' * 2010: "Bamboo Song" (Roundhouse Records)

===Various compilations=== <small>(as "Bobby Farrell's Boney M." / as "Boney M. featuring Bobby Farrell" / "Bobby Farrell featuring Sandy Chambers")</small> * 2000: ''The Best of Boney M.'' (DVMore) * 2001: ''Boney M. – I Successi'' (DVMore) * 2001: ''The Best of Boney M.'' (II) * 2001: ''The Best of Boney M.'' (III) * 2005: ''Boney M. – Remix 2005'' (featuring Sandy Chambers) (Crisler) * 2007: ''Boney M. – Disco Collection''

Note: these releases contain re-recordings of Boney M.'s hits, not the original versions.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Wikiquote}} *{{Find a Grave|67512865}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrell, Bobby}} Category:1949 births Category:2010 deaths Category:Aruban emigrants Category:Aruban people of African descent Category:Aruban singers Category:Boney M. members Category:Burials at Zorgvlied Cemetery Category:Dutch emigrants to Germany Category:Dutch people of Aruban descent Category:Dutch pop singers Category:English-language Dutch singers Category:Entertainers from Amsterdam Category:Immigrants to Germany Category:People from San Nicolaas