dcdeb Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Not really much new... just regurgitated from old interviews to promote the GMA appearance on Friday... but still... Watch Mika perform live on "GMA's" Summer Concert Series this coming Friday, Aug. 10 Mika Tastes U.S. Success Childhood Difficulties for the Lebanese-Born Artist Lead Him to Music Often success across the pond doesn't necessarily translate into American popularity, but one young, up-and-coming European artist has wooed U.S. audiences. In an industry littered with 20-something artists who don't write their own music, the artist known as Mika is an anomaly. Not only is he a singer and songwriter, but Mika also is a producer, releasing his debut album in February 2007, called "Life in Cartoon Motion." And on top of that, he can hit the high notes with a falsetto voice most singers can only dream of. At more than 6 feet in height, his dark wavy hair and slim build has earned him a legion of female fans. The success of his album, with singles like "Grace Kelly" and "Relax, Take It Easy," is the fruit of a complicated childhood. According to his Web site, Mika was born in Beirut, Lebanon, during the mid-1980s, but due to the civil war, his family moved to Paris. Soon after, his family settled in London. The singer credits the combination of moving and the difficult time he had in school during his first few years in London with bringing him to music. "I wish I could say I was a self-imposed loner, but it was imposed on me," he writes on his Web site. And it was at this time that music became an important part of his life. "It got me back on my feet," he said. "It was a magical world that you could live in, a parallel universe for people that is illusory and enchanting and amazing." By the age of 9, Mika said he realized "songwriting was his destiny." Under the guidance of a "terrifyingly tough" Russian singing teacher, Mika started working as a professional at a very young age. He did a little of everything, from recording with the Royal Opera to singing a jingle for chewing gum commercial, getting severely underpaid in the process. Mika recalls calling up British Airways to get a ticket, only to be placed on hold, and hearing one of his commercials. "That was a painful eight minutes," he said on his Web site. "My mother and I had no idea what I was supposed to get paid, and no one was in a hurry to educate us. Looking back on it, I think 45 quid for the Orbit chewing gum jingle could have been a little too cheap." Mika, who taught himself to play the piano, includes Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and flamenco music among his early influences. Now he said he has grown to appreciate Prince, superstar Elton John and pop royal Michael Jackson. "These people make amazing pop records that couldn't be performed by anybody else and that's what I always wanted to do," Mika said. "I'm always going back to great artist songwriters, people who make great records to their own vision." Recently, Mika was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for best breakout male artist competing against artists like Akon and Robin Thicke. http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/SummerConcert/story?id=3455528&page=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoochatootch Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 thanks deb! old news to us.... but good publicity for our boy here in the states! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazGirl Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 thanks deb!old news to us.... but good publicity for our boy here in the states! exactly! great publicity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel_tinydancer Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 ooo very cool! thank you for posting! xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveLoveMIKA Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Thank you for posting! I think I welcome just about any US publicity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mika_forever Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backflip_76 Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I think I welcome just about any US publicity. Same here! Thanks for sharing! And thanks to GMA and ABC for supporting Mika Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scut Monkey Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 At more than 6 feet in height, his dark wavy hair and slim build has earned him a legion of female fans. *looks at the demographics of the MFC* Awesome publicity, I must say! It was positive yet didn't didn't build hype: perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilmot Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Not really much new... just regurgitated from old interviews to promote the GMA appearance on Friday... but still... Watch Mika perform live on "GMA's" Summer Concert Series this coming Friday, Aug. 10 Mika Tastes U.S. Success http://www.abcnews.go.com/GMA/SummerConcert/story?id=3455528&page=1 Thanks, Deb, for posting. It was fun to read. All I can say is... if Mika is tasting US Success, then I hope it tastes delicious to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcdeb Posted August 9, 2007 Author Share Posted August 9, 2007 Thanks, Deb, for posting. It was fun to read.All I can say is... if Mika is tasting US Success, then I hope it tastes delicious to him. There you go! Not only that, I hope he gets a bigger and better taste of it! Soon! dcdeb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikas_gal07 Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 thanks deb great article i think mika will have loads of success in america, everyone will soon be under his spell and hypnotised by his music ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanessa Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Thank for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celesteee Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Niceee! Thank youuu! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kinga Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 It's really pleasure to read such things. Thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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