What is the real name of the heavy metal vocalist known as King Diamond?

The heavy metal vocalist known as King Diamond was born Kim Bendix Petersen. He was born on June 14, 1956, in Hvidovre, Denmark, and later adopted the stage name that became central to his musical identity.

Petersen first became widely known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Mercyful Fate, whose occult imagery, theatrical performances, and progressive song structures made the band influential in extreme metal. He later formed the eponymous King Diamond band and developed elaborate concept albums built around horror narratives.

His stage persona is especially recognizable for black-and-white face paint, a high countertenor range, and piercing falsetto screams. The other listed names are associated with his musical world but are not his birth name: Timi Hansen was a Mercyful Fate bassist, Andy LaRocque became a key guitarist in King Diamond’s band, and Michael Denner was another important Mercyful Fate guitarist. That connection makes them plausible distractors, but only Kim Bendix Petersen answers the question.