GinevraDahl

You know, you probably just said the right thing at the right moment. It's not a bloody tragedy. I've sort of landed in a zen state of mind where it's fine if he's doing a stupid thing because I can choose not to watch the show and I'll still have his music to listen and that's all that matters. You, sir, are better than a shrink. Thanks!

I've seen he's made the homepages of the main Italian newspapers: La Repubblica: http://www.kataweb.it/tvzap/video/xf7-e-ufficiale-mika-nuovo-giudice/?ref=HRESS-39 La Stampa: http://www.nostalgia.it/articolo/lstp/3259/ Ansa: http://www.ansa.it/web/notizie/rubriche/spettacolo/2013/04/22/Mika-verso-giuria-Factor_8595612.html (not a newspaper - press agency) They all speak highly of him. That's nice, for now.

Gotta say, that's pretty genius. Not Mika-genius, but I wouldn't dismiss this as crap. Quite the contrary. But I'm still puzzled about the judging thing. I'll just keep pretending it's not happening.

I'll try but I don't think I'll be able to see the a positive side of all this affair. I've seen the show, with Italian people. They watched it -purposely - to make fun of it, and they are not the only ones to do that. Moreover, who says it's just this one time. Judges usually are contractually bound to the programme for several seasons, and, if that's the case, people (in Italy, at least) will start to think of him as "Mika, the xfactor judge" and not "Mika, the musician). It just makes me sad. I think he's a genius singer and songwriter. And I think he should work to make more people realise that. I think he's done that with the US tour. I also think that this is a stupid decision, but that doesn't mean I don't respect it. I just don't see its purpose, but Mika probably does, so good for him. That's my opinion. I definitely won't watch the program, I prefer to stay in the dark.

Just, no! Why? Seriously, this is like the one of the worst possible marketing decisions he, and his management, could possibly make! Not to mention quite debasing on a human level. I mean, I've seen the show, even the Italian one sometimes. It's really popular and quite well done (better that the British and American one, even). But a judge's job is 1) argue (a lot, with fellow judges); 2)pretend to care about "your singers" and be really angry if they are eliminated; 3) essentially make yourself as annoying as possible. You're exposed to every kind of rude comment by twitter users (and Italian people generally like making fun of foreigners who do not speak their language perfectly or just have a funny accent. They mean well, but still, not nice) and "television critics" and your career - as an artist - won't benefit from it, like at all. I really don't understand. It'll take all summer (when the auditions process takes place) and winter (live shows). When the heck is he going to tour? I'll just pretend this isn't happening. Yep, wise choice, I'm already feeling better.

She so makes me question my sexuality. Lord, I never thought I could say this, but how I'd like to be american right now. Or you know, live in that continent instead of good old Europe which doesn't get to see this tour.... And Zachary Quinto.

Oh, this is lovely . Thanks!

Precisely. Thanks. And, btw. Yes, I have. Twice.

This doesn't make much sense.

Bloody hell. Either that kid is standing on a apple box or he's really really tall.

Oh Mika, please don't. Just don't.

I just realised, that's actually the same piano!

This picture reminds me of... Awwww. Like good wine.

Since we were talking about this a few days ago, this is what happened today in France. Good news for human rights. The French National Assembly has approved the most important article of a bill to legalise same-sex marriage. Deputies voted 249-97 in favour of redefining marriage as being an agreement between two people - not just between a man and a woman. President Francois Hollande's Socialists and their left-wing supporters backed it, opposed by many opposition UMP and centrist MPs. Well done France.

Excuse me? Who's the evil genius who took this?

This is what I mean by Aut Aut, which is basically not taking another option into consideration. I feel emotionally invested in Mika's music even though I've been to only 2 or 3 of his shows and I've never actually met him in person; and even if he doesn't praise his fans or shows appreciation in every possible occasion. Anyway, that means we just feel things differently, I guess, and your opinion is as valuable as mine or as anyone else's.

I see, we sort of agree.

I don't think he meant it in any disrespectful way, at all. When he was talking about it he just seemed overwhelmed to me. And Twitter is overwhelming. Not everyone is suited to deal efficiently with that. Many artists have staff hired exclusively to deal with twitter and social networking in general. As for the aut aut you're outlining, I think it sounds excessively bitter. He has no obligation toward his followers, no one should hate him just because he tweets every now and then and not every single day. People who chose to support him shouldn't demand something back. He's a singer-songwriter. What he has to give is just music. Everything else he wants to do for his fans, well that's his decision not a repayment. My opinion, anyway. No offense meant.

You're all most welcome. I enjoyed myself. (I can still understand Italian!) The interview itself was very interesting, methinks. And the Zappa's video he mentioned is really quite amazing. Also good to know he's still happy and good to know it's none of my bleeping business.

Second part. (Part 3) Q. I'd like to talk a bit about your eclecticism. You have a very rich fantasy which you communicate in your shows, in the album artworks and in your videos. Is it all your doing or there are people who help you to achieve this? M. I work with others. I've always worked with other people. I never know where an idea's going to come from, but I certainly surround myself with people who can make an idea happen. When I'm working on something that I think could be successful I'm never embarrassed about an idea. That's why when I watch some of my videos I think they're really embarrassing- others look beautiful -but that's why we have to take risks. Anyway, yes, it's me and a bunch of people, my sister Yasmine has done all the visuals with me. For this third album we were sitting on the floor retouching the pictures, literally painting on the floor, trying to respect the deadline. Sometime we create something that's original, sometime is more mainstream. We do what pleases us, what makes us feel good, even if it's a bit rough. Whether it's a video, a set or an artwork it has to feel home-made. Q. Can you pinpoint the video you loved the most? M. The one that I personally love the most, I think it's Zappa? (asks for help without getting it). The one with plasticine figures, plasticine blobs transforming, sometime into a man, sometime into a monster. It's taking something really cheap and making it look magical.( I think he's talking about City of Tiny Lights by Frank Zappa ) (Here the interpreter stumbles a bit, I tried to listen to what Mika was really saying). Bjiork videos are some of the best visual videos. And Madonna, who is an icon of POP culture, she can take something which has some level of artistic value and offer it in pop form. Beyond that...I like some (...) videos 'cause they're really bad! The presenter reads one of the texts that are coming in: Mika writes with his heart, his songs are full of shades, as is life. An unusual popstar, thanks to his humility and his politeness. (From Nick) Presenter and journalist agree. Presenter encourages her audience to go and watch Underwater video (original, but beautiful) Q. Whose phone call would you like to receive asking you for a collaboration? M. (Laughs) I got a phone call once, telling me that I could potentially write for Barbra Straisand, because I write songs for others. And I though Oh, **** WOW (interpreter did not translate ******). There are some singers that are real artists, and legend and we think, Well it'd be nice to write for them, and Barbra Straisant is one of them. She's been one of the greatest female voice for decades. Writing is important for me. I don't know about a duet, 'cause that's I feel awkward. (then he tells about Gang Bang/ Bang Bang) Journalist asks Mika if Madonna paid royalties to Mika's grandfather. Mika answers that he could take the money and bring it on his grave. Presenter reads another text: I adore Mika. I've seen his show in Bologna(?) in october (wasn't it Padua or something?), amazing!! His songs are original, his look drives me crazy (that's a bit too literal maybe. I guess what she says is that she likes Mika's style a lot). Does he have a stylist or is it all his doing? From Nicoletta. M.(laughs)Ehm, I think you just have to look at me. No...no I don't have a fashion advisor. Apparently the journalist was really amazed by Mika's jacket. M. Yes, my jacket is a bit short. I have this thing... Massarini: Is your sister's, isn't it? M.No, it's not my sister's jacket. It could be. Maybe it would be a bit small for her, as well. I just like everything small. Smaller than they should be. I don't mean tight, but just a bit shorter, sleeves or trousers. It gives you a cool, interesting look, it makes you look somewhat more compact, it intensifies your look. We have a designer, Tom Brown, who does that for everything really. It's very hip. I've had problems with my legs, because I used to wear shoes a size too small and I didn't realise. And I asked myself: why can't I walk? Because my muscles hurt! I got over my shoes' problems, but the jacket is still small. Presenter reads another texts: Are you happy and in love? From Simona Here's where Mika misunderstands the question (are you happy when you're in love?) and doesn't know how to answer. Journalist helps him. M. Oh, I understand Italian, but not too much. Yes, yes, I am. But mind your ****ing business...(it sounds quite playful)

Part 3 coming up in a bit.

Here's a rough translation for the first part (so part 2). I have to apoligize in advance for any spelling mistake. It is quite late now. So, they're basically talking about the Future of Music, and new ways of listening to it. The presenter introduces Mika as an original, eclectic and creative artist with amazing vocal range. Mika in joined by an Italian journalist, Carlo Massarini) who's a music connoisseur. Q. What kind of music did you like as a teenager? M. Oh boy, I listened to everything. I never had posters up on my wall. Never really had a "visual" icon, I just listened to the music. So, Nina Simone, Serge Gainzburg, Shabba Ranks, although now I have a very different opinion on him, (...)next to Frank Sinatra, (another French singer whose name I didn't quite get) and Mina (legendary Italian singer), Gipsy Kings. I was never a snob when it came to music, there wasn't a “fashionable” or “unfashionable” in music and I was very open. When I got older, around sixteen, or even fourteen, I realized that your musical choices could make you a looser or a cool kid. And maybe that was one of the most depressing things I had to learn in my adolescence, that is, something that should be pure, could become a very sad thing. I always had the idea that music shouldn't depend on marketing. Q. And when did you decide that music was going to be your life? (read: the job you wanted to do) M. Oh, it wasn't a decision. It was a disaster. (CUE Mika explaining that he was kicked out of school because he was dyslexic and he couldn't read or write, so his mother realised that she had a son that was different from the other ones and got him a music teacher and that he got jobs from a very early age. He said that writing is still very hard for him, and that he writes the words by phonetics, not orthography. So he chose that one lifestyle where he wouldn't be considered an idiot- his words!) (The presenter and Massarini praise Mika's mum) M. I think parents are important. Not necessarily parents, it could be a teacher. But everyone need someone that could be somewhat of a guide for you, someone that helps you find your way. Q. Can you tell me about your stage name (yes, I know...). Did you choose it yourself? M. My real name is Micheal Holbrook Penniman jr. And it's not suitable for pop music. Massarini: Penniman, like Richard Penniman? M. Yes, Little Richard. Actually my family from my father's side comes from the same place as him. But my father wanted me to be called Micheal like him, since I was the first son. My mother said she was willing to follow the family tradition under the condition that everyone would have called me Mica. Presenter asks Mika about the reason why he decided to sing some fragment of a song from the new record in Italian, (She said that the song was Celebrate) and if he loves Italy. M.The song is called Stardust. And I sang some parts in Italian, because I used to sing Opera in Italian, so I thought why not? I sang in French, because I speak French, so why not Italian? They play Celebrate. Presenter asks Mika if he thinks that the Internet is a valid way for newcomers to show their music to the public. (She mentions Mika's Myspace page) M. I think it's the only way, right now. To tell you the full story...when I was signed by Island the Company chose Relax as a first single, which didn't do well in the UK, at first. So it was the Internet that decided that Grace Kelly was going to be the big hit, and that changed the course of my career. Facebook is today's MySpace. I hate Twitter, I can't stand it. I'm on twitter, but I hate I feel like Twitter is so reactive. And that's good if you want to follow trends and this policy of reaction (?). But as a single person it's actally quite difficult to be involved in all these reactions. Writing songs- or writing anything, really is not reactive. It's the opposite of reaction, it's about closing ourselves in a bubble to work- for a very long time- on something that's going to last 3 minutes! So I have this sort of love-hate relationship with Twitter. And my followers hate me, because sometimes I don't tweet for a month and a half in the end. The journalist talks about how we'll listen to music in the future and about the digitalization and globalization of music. Q. What's the project you feel most proud of? M. Oh, nothing! Maybe you should ask Carlo (Messeni, the journalist) this question, 'cause I feel like I've still got a long way to go. My biggest problem is that I don't really like most of the things I've done once I've done them, but I adore them when I'm doing them. I think it's a bit of a destructive tendency. The journalist disagrees. He says he thinks Mika's is somewhat a really constructive inclination. Because his constant questioning his work pushes him to do better, or just move on. M. I also think that, the way things (music) are consumed now, and the speed with which they are consumed, changes the whole process and even the way I look at my own work. I don't have a Vinyl (the journalist mentioned his love for vinyls earlier) for each one of my singles, no one does that anymore. I could do it, but then my fans wouldn't probably want to spent that much money for it. So what's the point? I think that in the future we won't even be downloading songs anymore. Tablets will be a sufficient way to streaming contents.How fast will that happen will depend only on how quickly the internet will grow. The idea of downloading, the concept of possessing a copy (of a record or a song) for eternity is something we have to get rid of. Of course, if we'll live in a world where internet connection will be perfect. Journalist agrees. But remarks his love for CD s. M. But I like them too. But material record are more like a jewel in which we invest. Presenter plays Relax which she calls a “jewel”.

Just be patient with me.

Yep, he said that his father's family is from the same town. Which-I suppose- is somewhere in Georgia (?). I'll see what I can do for the tranlation. Good pretext for practicing my Italian.

I could try and translate it, or just try and hear what the heck Mika's saying and transcribe it. But maybe it's better to leave that to Italian people...