Big Girl

Ok, I don't think I remember seeing this one on here, but I find it hard to keep up now, there are soooo many posts! From Playlouder website - Mika Boo! 08 Feb 2007 If you've not heard of Mika yet then you're probably stupid. Jeremy Allen speaks to Britain's No.1 about Leona Lewis, Simon Cowell, Justin Hawkins, why talking about your sexuality is rubbish, and the fact he hates Queen. One of those is slightly erroneous... Mika was originally meant to be part of our Class of 2007 series, and while class and 2007 are definitely words (or numbers) associable with Mr Penniman, he's a little too hot for a hot tip right now. January was his and he continues to ride February like a colossus... which is exactly what he is; standing about eight feet tall with exquisite cheekbones and Gilbert O'Sullivan hair, the chart topping pop sensation is difficult to ignore even without the ubiquitous 'Grace Kelly' ringing in your ears. I meet him in Soho and I'm flabbergasted by his sheer mass to be honest. Whether you love or loathe Mika (and let's face it, I love him), you can't argue about his impact, his individuality, his ability to be a much better popstar than anybody around right now. He has galactic powers and makes them all look silly. Robbie was good, Hawkins was great, but Mika is better, and while comparisons with Freddie are certainly premature (and wide of the mark if you ask the man himself), his potential is boundless; and the fact his talent is so unpredictable should fill us all with unbridled anticipation, not see us scurry away like dark insects into damp crannies of woe and abashedness to mutter disapproval from. Despite his cosmic powers, Mika is feeling tired today. He is after all, one man - albeit a super one - taking on the machine they call the music industry. "You've got to be careful what you wish for in life," he sighs, though he is of course kidding. Congratulations on the album. Since I received it I've been unable to stop playing it, though I don't really need to play it as the songs are forever on repeat in my head. "I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing?" It's a good thing. If it's still happening in three months it might drive me insane though. But anyway, did you expect to already be sitting here with a No.1 under your belt? "No. No. Not at all, not in the slightest. I knew the first album I made, I'd really have to try hard and make it one that would give me a career - to make a record that nobody else could, that sounded just like me, that had my own stamp on it. That was as much as I could guarantee. But you can't really guarantee anything else, and I thought, as long as I can make that record I've done what I need to do for this part of my life. "It's amazing what's happened. I feel really lucky but at the same time there's a long way to go and a lot more to achieve, especially musically; my songwriting and so on. So there's a good side, there's also a bad side because now the atmosphere around it has changed a little bit." Having had classical training, are you likely to bring more of that into your work... "I do a lot of things with my voice that you're not really supposed to do, that's not kosher technique, but because of my classical training I'm able to do them without losing my voice. That's kind of there - that Russian discipline is instilled in me [Mika's music teacher was Russian]. It also means because I grew up with rock music, folk music, classical music and all other types in between, at the same time I'm not really snobby about music - it's all the same thing to me - it just has different ways of affecting your life." As you grew up, did your classical tutor try to discourage those pop sensibilities? "No, because I did it mostly in private. I never had posters on my wall, I just listened to the music and was concerned with the effect it had on me. So that made it a much more private affair which was good because it gave me the freedom to do what I wanted. I felt completely normal listening to some kiddie French pop song and some Shabba Ranks. It sounds silly now, it was just me." I think it's broken down a lot more now, but people used to nail themselves to a mast and have a strict identity where music was concerned. "We're the best-off generation in Nineteenth culture now, it's kind of deconstructed the way that pop music works, especially from the music industry point of view. It's funny because you had the 70s and the 80s, and once those first proper hip hop albums came out of the states and then all these other kinds of lifestyle marketing bands and artists came out - especially at the end of the 80s and 90s - it all became about marketing and lifestyle around the artist as well as their music. I never really got in to that. That was always distracting. And that stank of record company interference. "That's kind of being undone now. It's almost like people don't have the patience for it. They can go and download one song with the click of a button - even if they're unsigned a track can make it into the charts. That might be over simplifying it a little. But it's not ad sanctioned and as far as I'm concerned for the majority of artists that's a good thing." On the other side you have godawful reality shows where people go and buy the product even though they know how cynical the whole process is... "The only reason they buy it is because they created it. It's almost like the two million people who bought Leona Lewis' record feel they A&R'd it. If you worked on a project and helped create it and support it, then you're guaranteed to go and buy it, because if you don't then what's the point in being part of the programme. Those sort of programmes don't really bother me in so much as I think everyone who takes part in them - including the audience and the subsequent record buyers - know exactly what they're buying into, and they know exactly where it fits in to their musical taste. Maybe I'm being too optimistic about it." You met Simon Cowell and he was none too impressed... "It was when I was really young, before he was famous or had even done Pop Idol. He didn't get my style of songwriting, and he said a line which I'll never forget which was 'we've got the songs, all we need is the singer.' As soon as I heard that I knew this guy was in a different profession to me. The music industry, everyone assumes, is one huge melting pot, but there are so many different ways of approaching the music industry. His music industry is completely different to mine, or at least I try and make it feel that way. You have to give him kudos you know. He's a bit of a marketing guru as far as what he's achieved with his brand of fabricated music." What he does isn't music is it? "No it's not. It's lifestyle, reality, soundtrack..." I hear when you grew up you got paid £45 for doing an Orbit chewing gum advert. "(Laughs) I got really jilted. My mother and I were running around doing these jobs. I had no idea what we were supposed to be charging, nor did she. I wasn't doing it for the money I was doing it for the experience." to be continued...

We can but hope

I would just like to add my HI to this too. There are so many new people joining all the time, it is really hard to keep up!!

Oh my God, all of the above! I have just finished work and as soon as I got home I rushed upstairs to get on here, and nearly an hour later I am still wearing my chef whites and hubby is waiting downstairs - I said I would only be five minutes! What is it about Mika that has us all so obsessed? I read all your posts and realte to almost every one!

I think the lady is a family friend and she lost her eye during the war in Beirut. I think I have heard him mention her name is Rafa (sp?) or something?

No probs! No need to feel stupid

Ok, here goes! I am 31 and married with 2 boys. I help run my parents-in-laws pub with my husband, sister-in-law and her husband (yes, it is definitely a family business!) in a small Cambridgeshire village. I am originally from Norwich and am definitely a Norfolk girl at heart! (no inbred jokes, please:wink2: ). It's been a long time since I have been to any gigs and apart from Bros at Wembley (OK, I was only 13!), my live band experiences were mainly Indie bands in the early/mid nineties - EMF, Stereo MCs, The Farm, Reef etc. Went to see We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre last month for my birthday, it really took my breath away - amazing! If you haven't seen it already - GO! My whole family are huge music fans and have all been swept away by Mika, but none as much as me and my obsession is becoming a bit of a joke with my hubby (I like to think he is just jealous! ). I aim to see Mika live at least once this year, and I am so jealous of all you guys who have already seen him - especially the launch party in Berkeley Square which sounds like it was amazing and the filming of the Culture Show as this was such an intimate experience with him. Kat x

Leave Happy Ending to play, it is after that - but on the same track, and before ring ring. Definitely worth the wait!

Emma, he said he is nearly 6' 4".

...and I probably shall lol!!

Mika's perfomance & interview at Maida Vale recorded last Saturday for BBC Music club will be on Radio 2 tomorrow night, and available to watch on the BBC website and BBC Interactive. Here's the details - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/musicclub/mika.shtml I can't wait lol!!!

Eeek! Can anybody translate?! German never was my best subject at school!

Found these vids on Youtube of Mika in Berlin on Wednesday. The quality isn't great, but I think we'll all watch anything with our Mika in it! l:wink2: Follow that link... http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mika+berlin

Hi Gill, I too am married with 2 kids and we all love Mika! I think he appeals to everybody! I am a massive music fan, but it's a long time since I have been this excited about an artist, I really think Mika is going to be huge. Good luck with the piano btw Kat

Yuk! Chocdips. The Cocolate bit was fine, but you had to eat it with your finger cos the biscuits tasted like cheese!!

I love 'em all! Fave up-beat one - probably Lollipop, fave slow one - definitely Over My Shoulder. Least fave - My Intertpretation or Ring Ring.

Let's guess!! Shoe size - Ok, he's very tall, so I guess he needs fairly substantial feet to hold all that height (?!). Size 12. Favourite film - I would say Yellow Submarine. Favourite colour - Mika loves colour! So anything bright and vibrant. I'm gonna go with Pink or Red.

Simply because you're gloating and I'm very jealous of you!! I feel it necessary to point out that the spoken bit on Grace Kelly is not an actress, but Mika! lol What are the other tracks like by the way, are they poppy like Lollipop, Big Girl etc. or slower like My Interpretation, Happy Ending and so on?

Keep it up CW, I need my daily (hourly?!) Mika fix!!

Yes, I saw it and chose to ignore it and pretend it never happened lol! I think they are just trying to be cool, by going against the masses. How sad!

Vids of Mika playing at HMV have been put up on youtube. Follow the link: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mika+hmv

weird lol!

....erm, I fancy him too But, to be fair I noticed his music way before. It wasn't until I saw him on the Friday Night Project that the obsession really began...

ROFL That is SO exactly how I feel

Thank you, thank you, thank you