dcdeb Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 The Moment spoke with the rising British pop star Mika on the eve of his performance at the NRJ music awards in Cannes, France, where the bouncy, mop-headed singer had plenty of reasons to celebrate. To name a few: he’s about to kick off a short North American tour, Marc Jacobs named a bag from his spring collection “Mika,” and the 24 year old, Lebanese-born singer recently received his first Grammy nomination, for Best Dance Recording. To hear what the excitement is all about for yourself, check him out February 2nd when he plays at the Terminal 5 in New York. The last time we checked, tickets were sold out. Maybe Marc has a stash of tickets… Congratulations on the Grammy nomination. How much has dance music influenced the music you make now? Well, quite a lot actually. I think it’s an odd category for me to be nominated in, but at the same time I kind of get it, because dance music does influence me. But I’m not necessarily a pigeon-hole dance artist. Who are some dance artists that you like? Well, I think Justice is very good at the moment — and they’re nominated as well. I think Daft Punk is phenomenal. Those are both French artists. Bonde De Role, who comes from Brazil, is fantastic. Tiga, who comes from Montreal, is also great. Who else? I really like Simian Mobile Disco. You would call that dance, right? I would. Do you get to out dancing a lot? I’m not necessarily that big of a clubbing junkie, but I really like dance music as a genre. If I go, I’ll dress nice, but I’ll wear a pair of sneakers, because I intend on dancing. It’s hard to find a good place to dance here in New York. Where do you recommend going out? Well, there is the little place I go to in New York called Lit Bar. In the East Village? Yes, but I like to go down to the secret basement. [Laughs] That is brilliant, because they just play really good, cool New York electro on certain nights, not always. In the basement, that is. And you feel like you’re dancing in some kind of illegal cellar — well you are, really. It’s sort of… …dirty there? You know, you go with a pair of white shoes and they come out black. Exactly. And everyone’s smoking, and everyone’s doing odd things that you’re not supposed to do in New York City. And it’s just a good vibe. I don’t really know that many places in New York to dance. I mean, that’s why I just go there with my N.Y.U. friends. How do you know New York University students? Did you go to N.Y.U.? No, I didn’t at all. I know people who go there from London. I don’t know, I suppose I get around. In more ways than one. [Laughs] Is there a dream artist collaboration you’d love to work with? A producer or an artist or … It’s fun to think about, but at the same time I think it’s rather distracting. I think musically I’m quite a one-man guy, and the people that I collaborate with are people that no one has ever heard of. Like horn arrangers, string arrangers, drummers and people like that. I get to work with Matt Chamberlain, who I think is one of the best drummers in the world. But there are a lot of like designers and visual artists and other kinds of artists that I’m really looking forward to collaborating with in some way over a few years. Time for a fashion question. Are there certain designers that you love? Well, I have to say, most of my clothes are designed and made by my mother. Really? Yeah. My mother and my sisters have a little team together. Everyone that’s on stage with me, like the Brits for example, is wearing clothes designed by them. It’s very hard to find men’s clothes that do what you want, especially when you go through them as quickly as I do. I need them to be flashy, but I never like to be overdressed. I need to make a statement, but I hate wearing too many clothes. So I want to wear three items in total that do the job for the whole outfit. It sounds like a lot of work for your poor mom! Well, I need them for my tours and stuff — so yes, it’s pretty big job. But there are other designers that I really do like. A lot of them are women fashion designers that I look at just, you know, as pieces of art. Alexander McQueen I think is phenomenal. I think Jean Paul Gaultier has strokes of genius. I think someone like Hussein Chalayan is really an artist and a creative innovator. I think Marc Jacobs has really capitalized on figuring out what a woman wants to wear; he’s really cornered cool at the moment, if that makes any sense. So do you follow fashion? Sounds like you do. I follow designers. I certainly don’t follow fashion. I think fashion, as far as the industry and the whole world that surrounds it, is quite vile, and I’m repelled by it. However, I think that I follow designers in the same way that I follow my favorite musicians, I devour everything they do, and you know, I try and get my hands on stuff. I just look at them as artists. I’ve had a working relationship with Jean Paul Gaultier, in Paris. I’ve met Marc Jacobs, and I just find those kind of people fascinating. Great runway shows can give you the chills in a similar way that a good rock concert can. Absolutely. Look at the famous Alexander McQueen shows, where he would cover the woman in bugs and cover her in moths. Or look at the circus Galliano shows. You dream of making that into a rock show — to take the Rolling Stones circus shows to the next level. [laughs] Speaking of concerts, you’re coming to New York soon, right? Yeah. In just under two weeks. I’m trying to do as many different places as possible as opposed to a couple of nights in the biggest cities. But I’m doing everything from, you know, 10,000 people venues down to I think 5,000 something in New York, down to 1,500 in Salt Lake City. In America our pop stars aren’t very fun any more. Something has happened. We need someone with the energy that you have. That’s cause they’ve been putting their ugly faces on too many cheap perfume bottles, to try and sell stuff. So there’s going to be no Eau-de-Mika coming soon ? No way. I would never do something like that. However, I would consider a line of chewing gum. http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/catching-up-with-mika/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pinkunicorn123 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 In America our pop stars aren’t very fun any more. Something has happened. We need someone with the energy that you have. That’s cause they’ve been putting their ugly faces on too many cheap perfume bottles, to try and sell stuff. So there’s going to be no Eau-de-Mika coming soon ? No way. I would never do something like that. However, I would consider a line of chewing gum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Amazing! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah_Lollipop Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 :roftl: Great article! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avoca Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 it is REALLY a good interview, deb!! thanks a lot for posting!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greta Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 ahaha:roftl: the last 2 lines cracked me up! the best interview since the beginning of this year, thanx for dig it out! btw everyone’s doing odd things that you’re not supposed to do in New York City O_o Do you have a dark side? XD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnaMariaPetra Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Nice interview. I bet the bag by Marc Jacobs is made out of plastic.... And then the last alinea: a line of chewing gum ROFL:roftl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmbm Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I laughed at those bits too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmbm Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I don’t know, I suppose I get around. In more ways than one. [Laughs] And what exactly does he mean by that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avoca Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 sorry I post it again, but deb, gotta LOOOVE this interview!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohwowitsnicka Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Ohhh thanks hilarious. :naughty: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatagordinha Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Wow great article, thanks dcdeb. Hmmm has anyone found this Lit Bar yet and set up the stalking devices - bugs, CCTV, MFCer disguised as bartender etc:mf_rosetinted: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avoca Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Wow great article, thanks dcdeb. Hmmm has anyone found this Lit Bar yet and set up the stalking devices - bugs, CCTV, MFCer disguised as bartender etc:mf_rosetinted: rigth what I was thinking! guess where the NYC MFC after gig party will be held..? come on, mika declare such a thing (fave club) about london too, so we can finally decide where to set the aftergig party for the feb. concerts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikamyloveexx Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 HE HANGS OUT WITH NYU STUDENTS. THAT MEANS I'M SO SET. That made my day considering that's where I'll be going to school come fall. So excited for his NY gig Saturday! Thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queenie Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Thanks for posting deb! I really love this interview! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I <3 MIKA!!! Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 omfg mika really does have a bag named after him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :shocked: I MUST GET IT!!!!!!!!!!! here is the link http://marcjacobs.com/ go to spring exclusives then its the first one do u think marc jacobs named it after him on purpose i hope so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uhsofamous Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finkster Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Great article! Most articles I don't really over-analyze, but a few lines in here make me think...hmm.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girl_anachronism Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 In America our pop stars aren’t very fun any more. Something has happened. We need someone with the energy that you have. That’s cause they’ve been putting their ugly faces on too many cheap perfume bottles, to try and sell stuff. So there’s going to be no Eau-de-Mika coming soon ? No way. I would never do something like that. However, I would consider a line of chewing gum. LOL! that bit is brilliant! hey, does anybody by chance have a link to the mika bag? i couldn't find it on the marc jacobs site. i would really like to see it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rilo8913 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 LOL! that bit is brilliant! hey, does anybody by chance have a link to the mika bag? i couldn't find it on the marc jacobs site. i would really like to see it! www.marcjacobs.com ---> Marc Jacobs Collection ---> Bags ---> Spring Exclusives ---> the first bag is the Mika bag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKateisaKate Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Getting me pummmppped for Saturdayyy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girl_anachronism Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 whoops! sorry! i found it. i was thinking the black one was pretty cool but not too mika-esque.... the other colors are brighter and they remind me more of him, but i don't really like the color combinations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelloKitty Lucy Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 great great article indeed!very funny!thank you for posting (and writing down) dcdeb! I'm a bit surprised for the marc jacobs bag question...i can't understand what Mika has to do with that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rilo8913 Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 great great article indeed!very funny!thank you for posting (and writing down) dcdeb! I'm a bit surprised for the marc jacobs bag question...i can't understand what Mika has to do with that... It's probably just a coincidence and the interviewer made the assumption that Marc named a bag after Mika based on the name alone... but I could be wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
girl_anachronism Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 you think its coincidence? i'd heard that marc jacobs is a fan of mika. i think he hosted a competition to win mika tickets and a trip to go see him. so i assumed the mika bag was named after our mika, lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now