OnStage magazine ,april (IT) - Mika in Wonderland

i really don't know if this magazine was posted already?!

 

http://issuu.com/lucasemi/docs/os29c?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true

 

the interview is at pag 32 until page 36

 

this magazine is from my Tokio Hotel fans ,cause after Mika's interview is a Tokio Hotel interview!

wow!my both love in the same magazine!'is heaven!

 

*translation by Nezza

 

 

****

 

He hasn't yet celebrated his 27th birthday, and for at least three years he has been an international star. But there's a lot more. To understand Mika's character you need to dig in to his past. As a child he lived in Lebanon, France and Great Britain, and it was during that period that his eclectic personality was formed. Colourful, sparkling, with an undeniable passion for theatricality, Mr Penniman Junior seems to have escaped from a bizzare comic-book world. Decidedly pop.

 

He had a breakthrough success in the world charts with his single Grace Kelly, written to mock the record labels who refused to promote his songs, forcing him to write songs he didn't want to, songs like Robbie Willams and Craig David sang. But instead, starting off on MySpace, this boy born in 1983, burst onto worldwide radio and in a short amount of time became defined as the new Freddy Mercury. Even Brian May, Queen's guitarist, declared himself to be a fan. Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr's - stage name Mika - first album, Life in Cartoon Motion, is an international success. From the first concerts he distinguished himself by his grand theatrics, such as his first show at Parc des Princes (a live DVD of this show was made) - an explosion of colour amongst clowns, acrobats, dancers, and musical bands. The second album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, is practically the sequel to the first; a voyage through the adolescence of this eternal Peter Pan. From its release in September 2009, the new songs have climbed the radio charts. A sequence of distinctive videos - bright costumes and a glamourous flavour.

 

During our chat there's a word that keeps recurring like a catchphrase: weird. It means bizarre and strange, but also mysterious and magical. Could this be the key word to Mika's world? Careful though, behind every bit of magic there's a trick...

Mika, you know that this interview will also (and above all) be read by fans who have bought a ticket for your Milan concert? What should they expect?

 

It's fantastic! I've created a very ambitious show. I've tried to combine a mix of a theatre show and a concert. So I've taken a designer set from the world of opera, a film maker who works in cinema, so it's a bizarre collection of people. I've got a show director and choreographer who generally works in musicals, they've also done Sister Act and Mamma Mia. So I've fished around in the world of musicals and opera, and it's from that I've created my show.

 

Your recipe does make you think of the big musicals. Have you ever thought of writing one yourself?

 

No, I don't need to because my show's already enough like a musical. The show starts with my death. Yes, really - it's 1965 and I get sent into space because I want to go travelling a bit. My rocket goes higher and higher and eventually explodes. And I die. That's how the show starts. Everything that happens afterwards, during the concert, happens in a kind of lost world that floats in space. And it's all set in this bizarre and surreal fantastic place, which creates a contest for my songs, and all the characters in them come to life.

 

Speaking of songs, those in The Boy Who Knew Too Much are very personal and autobiographical. They speak about family, teenage dreams, heartbreak as in Touches You, Blue Eyes and Pick Up Off The Floor. Can you tell us something about your youth?

 

Normally I always say that I put my life in my songs, and I never speak about it in interviews. Because I've already put everything in them. It's true, they speak about my adolescence, but also for how I am now. I come from a very mixed and large family. I was born in Beirut, grew up in Paris until I was nine, and then in London. My dad's American, so I'm also part American. This eclectic mix saturates my music. So to understand where my songs come from you have to understand from where I come from. Mika's music isn't born from an image or a sound, but from the bizarreness of my life.

Your music's very lively and energetic, whereas the lyrics are very tough. What's your approach to life, your "perspective on life" to quote the intro to Blame it on The Girls?

 

I think that this approach gives power to a message. A song such as We Are Golden talks about being 19 or 20 and being desperate, without knowing what to do with your life. The character in the video is sitting in his room and he could even kill himself if he let too much darkness take over. The lyrics are very dark, they speak about a boy who could do something terrible to himself, whereas the melody is very euphoric and happy. There's this bizarre contrast between the two and I think this effect makes you feel better. When you see someone or you read something that references your life and at the same time you listen to music that emotionally makes you feel better the effect's very strong. That's why I do it. It's for the same reason I like doing things that seem very childlike with messages that are annoying for adults, even in songs such as Toy Boy or Lollipop - you think that they're nursery rhymes, but in reality they're really grotesque. And the message is rather dark. There, I like the contrast.

In effect it's very effective. Toy Boy's lyrics speak about a male friendship which was broken by one of the two's mum who "thought there was something wrong". Is it a message of hope or are you pessimistic about certain topics?

 

No, I think there has to be hope. Without hope there isn't any motive to write songs. A show's put together only by hope, to give it to the audience. And you listen to music because you look for it, right? It isn't a way of escaping, it's a way of making people feel better. So I think yes, with Toy Boy there's definitely hope. And I think that with songs like that all you have to do is "trick" people into inducing them to like the song first before they realise what it's really about. Because it's that way you bring them close to the problematic subject, which they normally wouldn't approach.

 

How was your first meeting with music? We know you have a classical background.

 

I was 11 years old and I had my first job at the Royal Opera House in a Strauss opera, after I'd been kicked out of school. Straightaway I loved that job. I didn't like that type of music a lot, but I loved the theatre. And I told myself "Ok, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life." I would've liked to write music for films too. But seeing as I'm dyslexic I couldn't compose for films. So that's how I started writing songs.

 

But now you're part of the Kick Ass soundtrack, the latest film adaption of a Marvel comic. How was that experience for you?

 

It started in a very stressful way. They let me see the film and they asked me,"Do you like it? Good, you have two days to write a song for it." So I got to work and I wrote it with Red One, who's part of Lady Gaga's staff. It was unexpected, and it all happened very quickly, but I loved the song from the start and now I play it at the end of my concerts. I use it as farewell music and even if I've already gone off the stage the audience waits until it's finished. They stay there and dance, it's marvellous.

If you were a comic-book superhero, who would you be and which superpower would you have?

 

I've always wanted to be able to freeze time. That way you could stop when you liked what you were doing, in a way of being in that moment a little bit longer. Or you could stop it when you hated something, because you maybe wanted a break from the horrible experience that you were going through. But the best thing would be to stop time when you were entering a shop, take everything you wanted, and then leaving.

 

With this view you'd be a lot of people's favourite superhero...

Yes, the shoplifting hero!

 

It's clear that you like fashion and you have a very particular style.

 

I like style, I don't go crazy for fashion. Some outfits from my new tour were designed by Alessandro Sartori, who is Zegna's creative director. And the shoes for the shows were designed by Christian Louboutin. The other costumes, such as those in an "opera" style have nearly all been made by my mum. The concept is that I like mixing things - my mum's costumes with outfits by famous designers and something second-hand that I find in cheap shops. For me it's not a question of fashion, but of style. Fashion is things like perfume and handbags, style is priceless.

 

So you work with your mum (and your sister) who also designed your album covers and your website. Your family's definitely dedicated to art.

 

We're a family that argues all the time because all the members work together too much! The truth is that when we started we didn't have the money to get other people involved, and nobody wanted to work with us. So we did everything ourselves. Whoever sees one of my shows needs to remember that everything you see is handmade. Everything's made in my friends and staff's houses, because we don't want to seem too expensive or perfect. Because if something seems too perfect it doesn't have any heart and it doesn't mean anything on an emotional level. So at my concerts you get a unique sensation because everything has been created with feeling and heart.

Being excited is the most important thing?

 

Exactly, I think that everything must be handmade, with heart, and it's important that it stays like that.

Thanks for posting .. it looks new , although a "native tongue" is needed

Thanks for posting

Thx for posting

 

where can you get it?

can someone translate????????

:wub2:u're welcome!

i want a translation too for Mika's interview!for TH i have one already!

 

EDIT:

 

it's On Stage #28 (IT) and was already up on march to buy it,some girls bought from Bologna on march 26..look here some printed scans with Tokio Hotel interview only...

 

Scans

 

l

Thanks for posting!

Thank you Nicoleta!!

I have never heard of this magazine

Tomorrow I'll look for it

 

I'm going to post bigger scans in a minute

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I shouldn't laugh - but its so funny reading that list of exciting and exotic sounding places that Mika will be playing on tour and then finding at the end of the list - Chelmsford

thanx for posting, and for the bigger scans too! phew that's hard to read, only understand bits+pieces (well, i'm amazed actually that i DO understand bits+pieces! ) - the first few questions+answers seem to be nothing new, what's your show like, what's tbwktm about...

the toy boy question sounds interesting, might hack that into google translate to see what he's really saying.

then how did he get into music, the KA story (2 days again here, wonder when he'll reduce it to one... ), and then something about being a superhero - that sounds interesting as well.

then a question about his style (think he says sth again like that he likes style but not fashion), and the last 2 questions i don't understand, sth with his mum and family...

I shouldn't laugh - but its so funny reading that list of exciting and exotic sounding places that Mika will be playing on tour and then finding at the end of the list - Chelmsford

google translation for the last question on the 2nd page (about toy boy) - well, doesn't make that much more sense to me than reading it in italian, lol!

 

Q: In Effeti is very effective. The text speaks of a friendship day Boy Toy male interrupted by the mother of one who "believed that there was something wrong." It is a message of hope or are pessimistic about certain issues?

 

A: No, I think there must be hope. Without hope there is no reason to write a song. Sie sets up a show only if there is hope, to give to the public. And listening to music because you search it, right? Is not an escape, a way of making people feel better. So I believe that, with Toy Boy there is certainly hope. And I think with songs so all you have to do is "fool" by getting people to love the first song that really noticing what he is talking. Why close the doors to the subject problem, which normally do not move towards ever.

 

will try the superhero question next.

last question on third and first on fourth page, that makes more sense, haha, funny, the superhero shoplifter!

 

But if you yourself were a super-hero comics, who would you be and super-power would you want?

I always wanted to be able to freeze time. So you can stop when you like what you're doing, so within that time to be a bit 'longer. Or you could stop when you hear something, because maybe you just need a break you're experiencing horrible experience. But the best thing would stop time while you are entering a shop, take everything you like and then go away.

 

With these perspectives superheroe'd be the favorite of many ...

Yes, the hero shoplifter!

google translation for the last question on the 2nd page (about toy boy) - well, doesn't make that much more sense to me than reading it in italian, lol!

 

Q: In Effeti is very effective. The text speaks of a friendship day Boy Toy male interrupted by the mother of one who "believed that there was something wrong." It is a message of hope or are pessimistic about certain issues?

 

A: No, I think there must be hope. Without hope there is no reason to write a song. Sie sets up a show only if there is hope, to give to the public. And listening to music because you search it, right? Is not an escape, a way of making people feel better. So I believe that, with Toy Boy there is certainly hope. And I think with songs so all you have to do is "fool" by getting people to love the first song that really noticing what he is talking. Why close the doors to the subject problem, which normally do not move towards ever.

 

will try the superhero question next.

 

I think I am more confused now than I was by the Italian version.

last question on third and first on fourth page, that makes more sense, haha, funny, the superhero shoplifter!

 

But if you yourself were a super-hero comics, who would you be and super-power would you want?

I always wanted to be able to freeze time. So you can stop when you like what you're doing, so within that time to be a bit 'longer. Or you could stop when you hear something, because maybe you just need a break you're experiencing horrible experience. But the best thing would stop time while you are entering a shop, take everything you like and then go away.

 

With these perspectives suereroe'd be the favorite of many ...

Yes, the hero shoplifter!

 

KleptoMan(iac)

KleptoMan(iac)

 

perfect! tweet that to him, that's hilarious!

thx

perfect! tweet that to him, that's hilarious!

 

I have (I shall blame you if he doesn't think it is funny )

:blush-anim-cl:finally i succeed to convert PDF files in IMG files...

 

 

*download pdf file

OnStage #29-2010-Italy.pdf

http://www.mediafire.com/?ltnewdzzl3g

 

*download img files

http://rapidshare.com/files/375563934/iimmgg.com-0ed974e51c44786bbebf43804ec80915.zip

Can't seem to get the laptop to copy/paste this!

Haven't had trouble with any other magazine scans!

Any chance of translation?

I know its been asked a few times but any chance of someone translating this please? As much as i like the google translator it makes me more confused most the time!! lol

My Italian isn't good enough to do a proper transaltion and I don't have time right now. But in case nobody did it 'til then, I'll try to sum it up later today (around lunch...)

 

But a big thanks for posting

T4P!

google translation for the last question on the 2nd page (about toy boy) - well, doesn't make that much more sense to me than reading it in italian, lol!

 

Q: In Effeti is very effective. The text speaks of a friendship day Boy Toy male interrupted by the mother of one who "believed that there was something wrong." It is a message of hope or are pessimistic about certain issues?

 

A: No, I think there must be hope. Without hope there is no reason to write a song. Sie sets up a show only if there is hope, to give to the public. And listening to music because you search it, right? Is not an escape, a way of making people feel better. So I believe that, with Toy Boy there is certainly hope. And I think with songs so all you have to do is "fool" by getting people to love the first song that really noticing what he is talking. Why close the doors to the subject problem, which normally do not move towards ever.

 

will try the superhero question next.

 

this is better than the actual article

 

all hail google translate..

Ooooh, translation you say? On it!!