Mika: In Pursuit of Pop (NPR Interview)

[lollipopgirl99]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114105196

 

 

Mika: In Pursuit of Pure Pop

 

October 25, 2009 - Lebanese-American singer-songwriter Mika gained worldwide attention in 2007 with his debut single ("Grace Kelly") and album (Life in Cartoon Motion), which blends the influences of '40s stage and screen music, '60s feel-good pop and Elton John-style songs of the '70s. He's hoping to duplicate that album's success — it has sold more than 5 million copies — with The Boy Who Knew Too Much.

 

But Mika's early life was far from a happy-go-lucky pop song. In 1984, when he was a year old, his family was evacuated from Lebanon to escape the civil war there. During his school years, he suffered from severe dyslexia and says he was bullied by a teacher and his classmates. Today, however, he's considered a rising star.

 

The Boy Who Knew Too Much features a collaboration with singer Imogen Heap on a delicate and dreamy song called "By the Time."

 

"She's very talented," Mika says. "She's very connected to the tools she uses. She's a very tech-savvy artist who kind of weaves together her songs. I met her, thought her hair was amazing, and I told her that. We ended up working together two days later."

 

Mika says there's great power in the pop music he admires and hopes to make.

 

"I am totally unapologetic about pop music," he says. "I think, 'How could anybody mock a good pop song?' It is timeless; it transcends barriers; it breaks down every single type of social barrier that you can possibly have. It can deal with the most difficult subjects, even if it abstracts the subject matter."

[Dark Angel]

thx for posting

[Droopsy]

Don't forget you can listen to the actual interview on the site

[RAK1]

T4P:thumb_yello:

Imogen seems VERY tech savvy. On the show This Week, just the other day, she was defending the use of Twitter, and how she loves how it helps her keep in contact with fans. And the pic she showed of a new piece of equipment she's just started using, and she was so excited about it, very refreshing.

And I agree with Mika, her hair is amazing:thumb_yello:

[Marilyn Mastin]

The interview is great! I loved it T4P

[mari62]

Don't forget you can listen to the actual interview on the site

and download it by clicking on the "Download" button

 

T4P!! love it!

[Sabine64]

Thank you for posting, I ´ve downloaded it.

[Miro]

Thanks for posting

[clownfish]

I had found this interview just by accident on the NPR site. I always think it's strange when people ask what the name Mika means, for some reason. I like how he's been collecting meanings for the name, even though it's just short for Michael.

[Louiza]

Listened to the whole interview on their site. Really interesting!!

[Randumb]

Wow.

 

T4P

[maude]

Now that he's on NPR, I hope he gets to be interviewed by Terry Gross on Fresh Air at some point in his career.