Set for release: The Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury duets from 30 years ago

Michael Jackson pictured in 1983 and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in 1988: Previously unreleased duets between the two music icons are set to surface (Rex Features)

Three previously unheard duets by music legends Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury recorded in 1983 are set for release in two months' time.

Queen guitarist Brian May revealed he is working on the “unreleased material” with fellow bandmate Roger Taylor and producer William Orbit.

The three songs were recorded at Jackson’s home studio 30 years ago, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

May revealed the existence of the three unreleased tracks, which feature vocals from Mercury, in a blog post.

He described the experience as “exciting, challenging, emotionally taxing, but cool” and promised to have something “for folks to hear in a couple of months’ time”.

May said in 2011 that he had been given permission by Jackson’s estate to release the late singer’s recordings with Mercury.

Jackson died in Los Angeles on 25 June 2009, aged 50, from a lethal dose of the surgical anaesthetic propofol ; Mercury died from an Aids-related illness in 1991 aged 45.