King Diamond

June 14, 2025

Fast Facts
Background
Career Timeline
Why We Love
Surprising Facts
FAQs

King Diamond, whose real name is Kim Bendix Petersen, was born in Copenhagen on June 14, 1956. He is a Danish heavy metal singer known for his vocal range, especially in the use of falsetto, heavy makeup, and pretty theatrical performances. His first band was Brainstorm, then he joined Black Rose, and in 1981 he formed the group Mercyful Fate. His music albums always tell horror stories, some based on real events, as is the case with the album “The Eye.” We are celebrating his birthday and style today, so join us as we delve into his unique artistic vision!

Fast Facts

Full Name:

Kim Bendix Petersen

Nickname:

King Diamond

Birth date:

June 14, 1956

Age:

Zodiac Sign:

Gemini

Height:

5' 6"

Relationship Status:

Married

Net Worth:

$2.5 million

Background

Kim Bendix Petersen, also known as King Diamond, is a Danish heavy metal singer born in Copenhagen on June 14, 1956. He is best known for his wide vocal range, heavy horror makeup, and beyond-theatrical performances. He began making music with Brainstorm, a heavy rock band from the early ‘70s. Then he moved on to Black Rose, a band with psychedelic rock and hard rock influences, and finally, in 1981, he created Mercyful Fate, with whom he’s been working on and off ever since.

With guitarist Hank Shermann, Mercyful Fate was his first big project, mixing a complete and dark heavy metal with explicitly satanic lyrics. After recording two albums that left a great legacy for extreme metal, he created King Diamond as a solo project, which has been active since 1985.

Other bands he’s been involved with include Brats, the hard rock/punk band, which he was the lead singer for before the ‘80s, and the heavy metal band Danger Zone. In 2004, he also collaborated on Dave Grohl’s Probot project, singing on the song ‘Sweet Dreams’ from the eponymous album. After more than 30 years of career, he stands out as an icon of heavy metal and is an influence for many musicians and bands to this day, such as Cradle of Filth, Slayer, and many more.

Career timeline

1974

The Beginning

He starts singing with the band Brainstorm and then moves on to Black Rose.

1981

A Bigger Project

He forms another band, Mercyful Fate, alongside guitarist Hank Shermann.

1985

His Solo Project

His biggest and most important project begins — King Diamond, a solo project that continues to this day.

2012

His Return

After some time off, he returns to play at the Sweden Rock Festival.

Why We Love King Diamond

He’s theatrical
After all these years since his first appearance on the scene, he still brings a killer stage show to his live performances. He throws himself entirely into his performances!
He writes about everything
He has a song about his grandma… and teatime! Of course, there are horror elements in the song as well, but his range is incredible.
He is kind to his fans
In early 2020, a four-year-old King Diamond fan named Larissa passed away. In response, he took to his Facebook and posted a touching memorial for her.

5 Surprising Facts

Metallica
It’s widely recorded that Mercyful Fate was high among the bands who inspired Metallica.
His microphone
His microphone frame is shaped like human bones; a tibia and a femur, to be precise.
Alice Cooper
On several occasions, he has stated that he was inspired by the makeup Alice Cooper wore on stage for his own characterization.
Religion
Petersen has stated that he does not believe in deities.
He is a parent
In 2017, Petersen welcomed a baby boy!