nico_collard Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I found this when I was looking for information about Mika possibly being here for Big Day Out, and I found this interview. Hopefully hasn't been posted yet. Mods, if it has, please feel free to close the thread. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Access All Areas.net.au: How’s your day going? Mika: It’s going....it’s just started. I’m in London. I got woken up by the phone today and had to go straight on radio on the drive home shows. Access All Areas.net.au: ‘Life In Cartoon Motion’ had a coming of age theme. Tell me about your new album ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much’.....is this album the next step in telling your life story? Mika: There were so many things that I felt needed to be done after ‘Life In Cartoon Motion’; things that I started that I needed to conclude. It’s like a comic book version of my adolescence. I guess the first album was a product of my childhood, I was running away from my adolescence, and on this album I wanted to confront it. The good thing is now I feel totally liberated so for the next album, I give myself all freedom for alter-egos, to different sounds, to everything. I think I needed to make a record like ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much’ to resolve myself in a way. Access All Areas.net.au: How did you choose the title? Is this a reference to yourself? Mika: It is a reference to myself, but I wanted a title that could be a comic book title, and to reference Hitch**** as well (The Man Who Knew Too Much). I was so obsessed with Hitch**** from such a young age because I thought he was a brilliant story teller. It’s really weird because I’m talking to you from my studio apartment, and all these story tellers lived around here. Hitch**** actually lived quite near me. If you through a stone, you see J.M.Barrie’s house and the nursery where Peter Pan landed, and in front of where I go to get my milk is where Beatrix Potter lived and wrote a lot of her books. Access All Areas.net.au: Did you choose to live in the area for the creative energy, or was it coincidence? Mika: It was a total fluke, and I love that! Access All Areas.net.au: You mentioned where the inspiration for ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much ‘came from, tell me about yourself as a teenager. Mika: I was a bit of an outsider, and a bit of a freak. I realised that quite early on and I embraced it. I was always looking for ways to give myself value, and making myself feel better about my life, and I suppose that’s why I went into music. That’s why I love comic books and Hitch**** movies because they built a really solid world of fantasy, and anything that made me feel like it was ok to escape into those worlds. I never really liked science fiction. The thing about certain comic books and Hitch**** films is its escapism, but it doesn’t give you a hangover because it’s quite dark and rooted in real life. It takes real life and it makes it more interesting. It’s not cheap escapism. Taking the dark and making it entertaining is something I really gravitated to as a teenager especially, and that’s why I write songs that have a pop sheen and attitude but at the same time have very dark and bitter reality based lyrics. So as a teenager, I wrote songs, wore funny clothes, snuck out of the house and had three lives going on: the life at school, the life with my family, and life at four in the morning. Access All Areas.net.au: You touch on delicate subjects, yet sing in a joyful and humours way. Do you think it’s easier to confront certain issues in that way? Mika: For sure. I think it’s easier to get people to listen and helps you deal with your own issues as well. It’s the power of Alice in Wonderland and the Cheshire Cat idea that the teeth are always there and always menacing, and they are part of a character you love, but the power is all in that smile, and that’s how I write songs and how I perform. I can’t deny that my music appeals to children, it’s bright, and colourful and saturated, but at the same time, I don’t think anyone can deny that there’s this very sinister thing that goes with it, and I think that’s what makes it healthy. Take me away from the realm of ‘irritating children’s TV presenter’, which is horrible (laughs). Access All Areas.net.au: Tell me about the girl who sang on ‘Lollipop’ on the first record. How did she become part of ‘We Are Golden’? Mika: She’s my cousin Audrey, and she lives in New York. I’ve always had a soft spot for her, she’s my favourite, and I put her on the ‘Lollipop’ track when she was 7 or 8. Now she’s 13 and I put her on ‘Golden’ as well, she’s the screaming kid in the background. Access All Areas.net.au: Your new single ‘Rain’ is out soon. It seems to have a more serious vibe than some of our other tracks. You sing ‘I hate days like this’. Tell me about it. Mika: It was written as this weird break up letter. I left it on the table and walked out. I thought it would be funny in retrospect to put it to a dance beat. We all hate the same things. I’m not any different. Access All Areas.net.au: Is your track ‘Blame It On The Girl’s’ a dig at anyone or any group in particular? Mika: Kids who have everything but don’t realise it. A spoilt, good looking guy, who is sitting there complaining about his life. I saw an interview with Bill Gates when I was about 15, and he said ‘Only losers blame their parents’, and I thought that’s ok for you, you’re the wealthiest man in the world! I don’t think you’d be saying that if you were working in a toll booth (laughs). I definitely think he’s wrong. The track is that feeling of adolescence, and blaming everyone around you for what’s happening, and blaming everyone other than yourself. Access All Areas.net.au: Your music videos are all so colourful and inspiring....who do you work with on the video concepts? Mika: The secret to everything you do in life is to take your ideas, but then find people who are more talented than you and get them to make them good (laughs). That’s the trick! I work with a mix of directors. I’ve worked with really famous directors, and directors no one’s ever heard about. For ‘Golden’ I worked with Jonas Akerlund, who has done Madonna’s videos, so he is a big time director. Then for ‘Blame It On The Girls’ and ‘Rain’ I did a double video where it’s the same team and same set of dancers , and we did a day time version, and night time video. One is set in a very bright studio, and the other is set in the middle of the night in a forest. His name is Nez, and he’s extremely talented, in his 20’s and has a massive career ahead of him. Access All Areas.net.au: You use Twitter. Is it true that you invited fans to join you at your local pub to celebrate the launch of your recent single? Mika: Yes. I didn’t want to do some cheesy launch with celebrity that show up for ten minutes and journalists; I wanted to do something completely different. My management thought I was out of my mind, but through twitter 500 people showed up at this pub. Nothing was planned, and people who showed up bought music with them to DJ and everyone was dancing on the tables and chairs, it was amazing. Outside the pub turned into a summer festival, with people all over the sidewalk, playing cards and all these people that didn’t know each other were hanging out and talking like it was a proper party. And it was! It turned into a proper street party and there wasn’t a single problem the entire night. Access All Areas.net.au: How do you think sites like Twitter and Face book have changed the relationship between musician and fan? Mika: In some ways it’s really good because I’ve thrown secret gigs through Twitter, and I love that side of it. On the other side of it, it’s kind of ridiculous. It’s really intrusive, kind of annoying and takes away a lot of the mystery. I’m a fan of quite a few artists who are on Twitter, and some of them I’ve stopped following because I don’t want to know when they’re getting on a plane or going to the bathroom! I want the mystery, and for them to be the beautiful freaks that they are. I don’t want to know about their digestive problems. I’ve built up a following on Twitter but I’m bad at it. I’ll tweet constantly for a while, then go off it for a few weeks, then go back on it and infuriate them. But my thing is to try and use it for things that are good. Access All Areas.net.au: What’s been your craziest fan experience? Mika: I’ve ha d a few actually that come to my house and won’t leave. One guy was sleeping on my steps and I had to call the police. It went on for about 5 or 6 days and he wasn’t even eating, it was really bad. Most of my fans are great though. If they do come and leave gifts at my house, even though I tell them not to, they leave them and they run away because they don’t want to be screamed at. Access All Areas.net.au: You’re playing one gig in Sydney soon, what can fans expect? Mika: Fans can expect fantasy for two hours and to leave the world outside. It’s a mixture between theatre and a gig. That’s what I’ve always done, even when there were only 3 people in the audience, we were using puppets and lighting, so we have fun with it, because there’s no reason not to! Access All Areas.net.au: Is that show a teaser for a longer tour down under soon? Mika: We will be coming back for a longer tour. I’m doing the Australian Idol grand final, and then the gig and it gives us a platform to then come back and do a longer tour in many more places in Australia. Access All Areas.net.au: What other plans do you have for your Australian visit? Mika: I fell in love with this aboriginal sculpture which I’ve been looking at on my computer for about four months so I’m going to go see if I want to buy it. It’s very dangerous, I’ve fallen in love with a lot of oceanic art and unfortunately my pockets don’t seem to be deep enough, it’s all very expensive! (laughs). Access All Areas.net.au: Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing you in Sydney soon. Mika: Wicked. Take care. Interview by Alexandra Hartshorn http://www.accessallareas.net.au/artists/Mika.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Droopsy Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 T4p:thumb_yello: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FREDDIESDOUBLE Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thanks Nico nice article , the sleeping on the doorstep is around somewhere I think , which makes me "think" this is around , but hey. So funny that he has someone on his door step THEN only have 6 days decided to talk to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naectegale Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Hitch**** T4P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FREDDIESDOUBLE Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Hitch**** T4P Yeh that tickled me too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kodes100 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thank you for posting nico_collard. It is another very interesting article. I don't want to get political or preachy - but come on - part of person's name is not printed here because some might find part of that name "offensive???" I would like to know why his name is not" allowed" to be printed here???? I find that very offensive. It isn't just any person either. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchc*ck was a an amazing director, producer & filmaker! I will stop - BUT this is so ridiculous!! Yuck! Sorry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngievV Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thank you for posting nico_collard.It is another very interesting article. I don't want to get political or preachy - but come on - part of person's name is not printed here because some might find part of that name "offensive???" I would like to know why his name is not" allowed" to be printed here???? I find that very offensive. It isn't just any person either. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchc*ck was a an amazing director, producer & filmaker! I will stop - BUT this is so ridiculous!! Yuck! Sorry! It's not because we don't want his name here, it's just that c*ck is an automatically filtered word. Just like Hilary S**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywonka Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I love how things are solved around this place....Hitch****!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywonka Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thank you for posting nico_collard.It is another very interesting article. I don't want to get political or preachy - but come on - part of person's name is not printed here because some might find part of that name "offensive???" I would like to know why his name is not" allowed" to be printed here???? I find that very offensive. It isn't just any person either. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchc*ck was a an amazing director, producer & filmaker! I will stop - BUT this is so ridiculous!! Yuck! Sorry! It's not because we don't want his name here, it's just that c*ck is an automatically filtered word. Just like Hilary S**** Kodes, down, boy, down, listen to Ingie.... And then try typing Hillary S****! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greta Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thank you for posting nico_collard.It is another very interesting article. I don't want to get political or preachy - but come on - part of person's name is not printed here because some might find part of that name "offensive???" I would like to know why his name is not" allowed" to be printed here???? I find that very offensive. It isn't just any person either. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchc*ck was a an amazing director, producer & filmaker! I will stop - BUT this is so ridiculous!! Yuck! Sorry! no, srsly.. you're so right! gotta find the ****very annoying, especially when you're trying to post a link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewokwicket Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thanks for posting Nice interview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kodes100 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 It's not because we don't want his name here, it's just that c*ck is an automatically filtered word. Just like Hilary S**** I know I get it IngievV! I am not saying the moderators should be running around correcting people all the time as it would be abused if it was allowed. It probably is a computer program anyway. It is out of our hands - I get that. I just find it very offensive - as you know. It will be fixed when there are better programs that can detect nuance, intention, etc. I get it - I am just not happy about it. I remember the Hilary Sw*nk nonsense too. I had to google it as I had no idea what the problem was. I still had never heard of that slang. Anyway I am going to get a second coffee. :roftl: I am finished my rant now!:roftl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gracekelly85 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 t4p! I love this kind of interviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAK1 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I found this when I was looking for information about Mika possibly being here for Big Day Out, and I found this interview. Hopefully hasn't been posted yet. Mods, if it has, please feel free to close the thread. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Access All Areas.net.au: How’s your day going? Mika: It’s going....it’s just started. I’m in London. I got woken up by the phone today and had to go straight on radio on the drive home shows. Access All Areas.net.au: ‘Life In Cartoon Motion’ had a coming of age theme. Tell me about your new album ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much’.....is this album the next step in telling your life story? Mika: There were so many things that I felt needed to be done after ‘Life In Cartoon Motion’; things that I started that I needed to conclude. It’s like a comic book version of my adolescence. I guess the first album was a product of my childhood, I was running away from my adolescence, and on this album I wanted to confront it. The good thing is now I feel totally liberated so for the next album, I give myself all freedom for alter-egos, to different sounds, to everything. I think I needed to make a record like ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much’ to resolve myself in a way. Access All Areas.net.au: How did you choose the title? Is this a reference to yourself? Mika: It is a reference to myself, but I wanted a title that could be a comic book title, and to reference Hitch**** as well (The Man Who Knew Too Much). I was so obsessed with Hitch**** from such a young age because I thought he was a brilliant story teller. It’s really weird because I’m talking to you from my studio apartment, and all these story tellers lived around here. Hitch**** actually lived quite near me. If you through a stone, you see J.M.Barrie’s house and the nursery where Peter Pan landed, and in front of where I go to get my milk is where Beatrix Potter lived and wrote a lot of her books. Access All Areas.net.au: Did you choose to live in the area for the creative energy, or was it coincidence? Mika: It was a total fluke, and I love that! Access All Areas.net.au: You mentioned where the inspiration for ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much ‘came from, tell me about yourself as a teenager. Mika: I was a bit of an outsider, and a bit of a freak. I realised that quite early on and I embraced it. I was always looking for ways to give myself value, and making myself feel better about my life, and I suppose that’s why I went into music. That’s why I love comic books and Hitch**** movies because they built a really solid world of fantasy, and anything that made me feel like it was ok to escape into those worlds. I never really liked science fiction. The thing about certain comic books and Hitch**** films is its escapism, but it doesn’t give you a hangover because it’s quite dark and rooted in real life. It takes real life and it makes it more interesting. It’s not cheap escapism. Taking the dark and making it entertaining is something I really gravitated to as a teenager especially, and that’s why I write songs that have a pop sheen and attitude but at the same time have very dark and bitter reality based lyrics. So as a teenager, I wrote songs, wore funny clothes, snuck out of the house and had three lives going on: the life at school, the life with my family, and life at four in the morning. Access All Areas.net.au: You touch on delicate subjects, yet sing in a joyful and humours way. Do you think it’s easier to confront certain issues in that way? Mika: For sure. I think it’s easier to get people to listen and helps you deal with your own issues as well. It’s the power of Alice in Wonderland and the Cheshire Cat idea that the teeth are always there and always menacing, and they are part of a character you love, but the power is all in that smile, and that’s how I write songs and how I perform. I can’t deny that my music appeals to children, it’s bright, and colourful and saturated, but at the same time, I don’t think anyone can deny that there’s this very sinister thing that goes with it, and I think that’s what makes it healthy. Take me away from the realm of ‘irritating children’s TV presenter’, which is horrible (laughs). Access All Areas.net.au: Tell me about the girl who sang on ‘Lollipop’ on the first record. How did she become part of ‘We Are Golden’? Mika: She’s my cousin Audrey, and she lives in New York. I’ve always had a soft spot for her, she’s my favourite, and I put her on the ‘Lollipop’ track when she was 7 or 8. Now she’s 13 and I put her on ‘Golden’ as well, she’s the screaming kid in the background. Access All Areas.net.au: Your new single ‘Rain’ is out soon. It seems to have a more serious vibe than some of our other tracks. You sing ‘I hate days like this’. Tell me about it. Mika: It was written as this weird break up letter. I left it on the table and walked out. I thought it would be funny in retrospect to put it to a dance beat. We all hate the same things. I’m not any different. Access All Areas.net.au: Is your track ‘Blame It On The Girl’s’ a dig at anyone or any group in particular? Mika: Kids who have everything but don’t realise it. A spoilt, good looking guy, who is sitting there complaining about his life. I saw an interview with Bill Gates when I was about 15, and he said ‘Only losers blame their parents’, and I thought that’s ok for you, you’re the wealthiest man in the world! I don’t think you’d be saying that if you were working in a toll booth (laughs). I definitely think he’s wrong. The track is that feeling of adolescence, and blaming everyone around you for what’s happening, and blaming everyone other than yourself. Access All Areas.net.au: Your music videos are all so colourful and inspiring....who do you work with on the video concepts? Mika: The secret to everything you do in life is to take your ideas, but then find people who are more talented than you and get them to make them good (laughs). That’s the trick! I work with a mix of directors. I’ve worked with really famous directors, and directors no one’s ever heard about. For ‘Golden’ I worked with Jonas Akerlund, who has done Madonna’s videos, so he is a big time director. Then for ‘Blame It On The Girls’ and ‘Rain’ I did a double video where it’s the same team and same set of dancers , and we did a day time version, and night time video. One is set in a very bright studio, and the other is set in the middle of the night in a forest. His name is Nez, and he’s extremely talented, in his 20’s and has a massive career ahead of him. Access All Areas.net.au: You use Twitter. Is it true that you invited fans to join you at your local pub to celebrate the launch of your recent single? Mika: Yes. I didn’t want to do some cheesy launch with celebrity that show up for ten minutes and journalists; I wanted to do something completely different. My management thought I was out of my mind, but through twitter 500 people showed up at this pub. Nothing was planned, and people who showed up bought music with them to DJ and everyone was dancing on the tables and chairs, it was amazing. Outside the pub turned into a summer festival, with people all over the sidewalk, playing cards and all these people that didn’t know each other were hanging out and talking like it was a proper party. And it was! It turned into a proper street party and there wasn’t a single problem the entire night. Access All Areas.net.au: How do you think sites like Twitter and Face book have changed the relationship between musician and fan? Mika: In some ways it’s really good because I’ve thrown secret gigs through Twitter, and I love that side of it. On the other side of it, it’s kind of ridiculous. It’s really intrusive, kind of annoying and takes away a lot of the mystery. I’m a fan of quite a few artists who are on Twitter, and some of them I’ve stopped following because I don’t want to know when they’re getting on a plane or going to the bathroom! I want the mystery, and for them to be the beautiful freaks that they are. I don’t want to know about their digestive problems. I’ve built up a following on Twitter but I’m bad at it. I’ll tweet constantly for a while, then go off it for a few weeks, then go back on it and infuriate them. But my thing is to try and use it for things that are good. Access All Areas.net.au: What’s been your craziest fan experience? Mika: I’ve ha d a few actually that come to my house and won’t leave. One guy was sleeping on my steps and I had to call the police. It went on for about 5 or 6 days and he wasn’t even eating, it was really bad. Most of my fans are great though. If they do come and leave gifts at my house, even though I tell them not to, they leave them and they run away because they don’t want to be screamed at. Access All Areas.net.au: You’re playing one gig in Sydney soon, what can fans expect? Mika: Fans can expect fantasy for two hours and to leave the world outside. It’s a mixture between theatre and a gig. That’s what I’ve always done, even when there were only 3 people in the audience, we were using puppets and lighting, so we have fun with it, because there’s no reason not to! Access All Areas.net.au: Is that show a teaser for a longer tour down under soon? Mika: We will be coming back for a longer tour. I’m doing the Australian Idol grand final, and then the gig and it gives us a platform to then come back and do a longer tour in many more places in Australia. Access All Areas.net.au: What other plans do you have for your Australian visit? Mika: I fell in love with this aboriginal sculpture which I’ve been looking at on my computer for about four months so I’m going to go see if I want to buy it. It’s very dangerous, I’ve fallen in love with a lot of oceanic art and unfortunately my pockets don’t seem to be deep enough, it’s all very expensive! (laughs). Access All Areas.net.au: Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing you in Sydney soon. Mika: Wicked. Take care. Interview by Alexandra Hartshorn http://www.accessallareas.net.au/artists/Mika.php Oooh, who do we know who's constantly doing this then?:roftl: T4P Teegs:thumb_yello: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I know I get it IngievV!I am not saying the moderators should be running around correcting people all the time as it would be abused if it was allowed. It probably is a computer program anyway. It is out of our hands - I get that. I just find it very offensive - as you know. It will be fixed when there are better programs that can detect nuance, intention, etc. I get it - I am just not happy about it. I remember the Hilary Sw*nk nonsense too. I had to google it as I had no idea what the problem was. I still had never heard of that slang. Anyway I am going to get a second coffee. :roftl: I am finished my rant now!:roftl: Unfortunately Kodes, only ears and the mind can detect intention - and computers don't really have that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnaMariaPetra Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Hitch**** T4P hiker....?? :roftl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn Mastin Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Great interview! T4P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avoca Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 thanks for the interview, good one. hehe the story about the man sleeping on his door. told us also in milano and he was surprised we didn't know anything about it. beware those who leave gifts at his doorstep: you'l be screamed at not surprised about what he writes of his relationship with twitter.. we now you just too well, big M.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiibet Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 thanks for the interview, good one. hehe the story about the man sleeping on his door. told us also in milano and he was surprised we didn't know anything about it. beware those who leave gifts at his doorstep: you'l be screamed at not surprised about what he writes of his relationship with twitter.. we now you just too well, big M.. I just don't understand why he would let someone to be on his doorstep for six days? I mean, it's almost a week Was he serious in Milan or joking...? Thanks for posting this article! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avoca Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I just don't understand why he would let someone to be on his doorstep for six days? I mean, it's almost a week Was he serious in Milan or joking...? Thanks for posting this article! he was serious and seriously surprised we hadn't heard about it, as apparently it'd been on the press. the whole thing started because I said -joking- we appeared everywhere he go, like stalkers -but laughing- and he said no way, we were not stalkers at all, we were just kind (supportive, smt,.. I cannot recall exact words now). but then -giggling- he said some people WERE stalkers and proceeded to tell this story: we looked astonished. he was very surprised we hadn't heard it before and told us the facts and how odd it'd been. this convo happened in was in july. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamy_Queen Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Aha, who said that M. drinks no milk? Or he is getting milk just for fun? :roftl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sienna Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Thanks for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eglė Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 What a wonderful interview, thanx. Thank you for posting nico_collard.It is another very interesting article. I don't want to get political or preachy - but come on - part of person's name is not printed here because some might find part of that name "offensive???" I would like to know why his name is not" allowed" to be printed here???? I find that very offensive. It isn't just any person either. Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchc*ck was a an amazing director, producer & filmaker! I will stop - BUT this is so ridiculous!! Yuck! Sorry! Ha, that is just crazy! So, Charles ****ens is no way suitable for public (especially children), right? And I thought my country was going beyond limits... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiibet Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 he was serious and seriously surprised we hadn't heard about it, as apparently it'd been on the press. the whole thing started because I said -joking- we appeared everywhere he go, like stalkers -but laughing- and he said no way, we were not stalkers at all, we were just kind (supportive, smt,.. I cannot recall exact words now). but then -giggling- he said some people WERE stalkers and proceeded to tell this story: we looked astonished. he was very surprised we hadn't heard it before and told us the facts and how odd it'd been. this convo happened in was in july. I see, thanks Avoca!! He tells so many things in interviews, can not always be sure if he serious or not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kodes100 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I found this when I was looking for information about Mika possibly being here for Big Day Out, and I found this interview. Hopefully hasn't been posted yet. Mods, if it has, please feel free to close the thread. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Access All Areas.net.au: How’s your day going? Mika: It’s going....it’s just started. I’m in London. I got woken up by the phone today and had to go straight on radio on the drive home shows. Access All Areas.net.au: ‘Life In Cartoon Motion’ had a coming of age theme. Tell me about your new album ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much’.....is this album the next step in telling your life story? Mika: There were so many things that I felt needed to be done after ‘Life In Cartoon Motion’; things that I started that I needed to conclude. It’s like a comic book version of my adolescence. I guess the first album was a product of my childhood, I was running away from my adolescence, and on this album I wanted to confront it. The good thing is now I feel totally liberated so for the next album, I give myself all freedom for alter-egos, to different sounds, to everything. I think I needed to make a record like ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much’ to resolve myself in a way. Access All Areas.net.au: How did you choose the title? Is this a reference to yourself? Mika: It is a reference to myself, but I wanted a title that could be a comic book title, and to reference Hitch**** as well (The Man Who Knew Too Much). I was so obsessed with Hitch**** from such a young age because I thought he was a brilliant story teller. It’s really weird because I’m talking to you from my studio apartment, and all these story tellers lived around here. Hitch**** actually lived quite near me. If you through a stone, you see J.M.Barrie’s house and the nursery where Peter Pan landed, and in front of where I go to get my milk is where Beatrix Potter lived and wrote a lot of her books. Access All Areas.net.au: Did you choose to live in the area for the creative energy, or was it coincidence? Mika: It was a total fluke, and I love that! Access All Areas.net.au: You mentioned where the inspiration for ‘The Boy Who Knew Too Much ‘came from, tell me about yourself as a teenager. Mika: I was a bit of an outsider, and a bit of a freak. I realised that quite early on and I embraced it. I was always looking for ways to give myself value, and making myself feel better about my life, and I suppose that’s why I went into music. That’s why I love comic books and Hitch**** movies because they built a really solid world of fantasy, and anything that made me feel like it was ok to escape into those worlds. I never really liked science fiction. The thing about certain comic books and Hitch**** films is its escapism, but it doesn’t give you a hangover because it’s quite dark and rooted in real life. It takes real life and it makes it more interesting. It’s not cheap escapism. Taking the dark and making it entertaining is something I really gravitated to as a teenager especially, and that’s why I write songs that have a pop sheen and attitude but at the same time have very dark and bitter reality based lyrics. So as a teenager, I wrote songs, wore funny clothes, snuck out of the house and had three lives going on: the life at school, the life with my family, and life at four in the morning. Access All Areas.net.au: You touch on delicate subjects, yet sing in a joyful and humours way. Do you think it’s easier to confront certain issues in that way? Mika: For sure. I think it’s easier to get people to listen and helps you deal with your own issues as well. It’s the power of Alice in Wonderland and the Cheshire Cat idea that the teeth are always there and always menacing, and they are part of a character you love, but the power is all in that smile, and that’s how I write songs and how I perform. I can’t deny that my music appeals to children, it’s bright, and colourful and saturated, but at the same time, I don’t think anyone can deny that there’s this very sinister thing that goes with it, and I think that’s what makes it healthy. Take me away from the realm of ‘irritating children’s TV presenter’, which is horrible (laughs). Access All Areas.net.au: Tell me about the girl who sang on ‘Lollipop’ on the first record. How did she become part of ‘We Are Golden’? Mika: She’s my cousin Audrey, and she lives in New York. I’ve always had a soft spot for her, she’s my favourite, and I put her on the ‘Lollipop’ track when she was 7 or 8. Now she’s 13 and I put her on ‘Golden’ as well, she’s the screaming kid in the background. Access All Areas.net.au: Your new single ‘Rain’ is out soon. It seems to have a more serious vibe than some of our other tracks. You sing ‘I hate days like this’. Tell me about it. Mika: It was written as this weird break up letter. I left it on the table and walked out. I thought it would be funny in retrospect to put it to a dance beat. We all hate the same things. I’m not any different. Access All Areas.net.au: Is your track ‘Blame It On The Girl’s’ a dig at anyone or any group in particular? Mika: Kids who have everything but don’t realise it. A spoilt, good looking guy, who is sitting there complaining about his life. I saw an interview with Bill Gates when I was about 15, and he said ‘Only losers blame their parents’, and I thought that’s ok for you, you’re the wealthiest man in the world! I don’t think you’d be saying that if you were working in a toll booth (laughs). I definitely think he’s wrong. The track is that feeling of adolescence, and blaming everyone around you for what’s happening, and blaming everyone other than yourself. Access All Areas.net.au: Your music videos are all so colourful and inspiring....who do you work with on the video concepts? Mika: The secret to everything you do in life is to take your ideas, but then find people who are more talented than you and get them to make them good (laughs). That’s the trick! I work with a mix of directors. I’ve worked with really famous directors, and directors no one’s ever heard about. For ‘Golden’ I worked with Jonas Akerlund, who has done Madonna’s videos, so he is a big time director. Then for ‘Blame It On The Girls’ and ‘Rain’ I did a double video where it’s the same team and same set of dancers , and we did a day time version, and night time video. One is set in a very bright studio, and the other is set in the middle of the night in a forest. His name is Nez, and he’s extremely talented, in his 20’s and has a massive career ahead of him. Access All Areas.net.au: You use Twitter. Is it true that you invited fans to join you at your local pub to celebrate the launch of your recent single? Mika: Yes. I didn’t want to do some cheesy launch with celebrity that show up for ten minutes and journalists; I wanted to do something completely different. My management thought I was out of my mind, but through twitter 500 people showed up at this pub. Nothing was planned, and people who showed up bought music with them to DJ and everyone was dancing on the tables and chairs, it was amazing. Outside the pub turned into a summer festival, with people all over the sidewalk, playing cards and all these people that didn’t know each other were hanging out and talking like it was a proper party. And it was! It turned into a proper street party and there wasn’t a single problem the entire night. Access All Areas.net.au: How do you think sites like Twitter and Face book have changed the relationship between musician and fan? Mika: In some ways it’s really good because I’ve thrown secret gigs through Twitter, and I love that side of it. On the other side of it, it’s kind of ridiculous. It’s really intrusive, kind of annoying and takes away a lot of the mystery. I’m a fan of quite a few artists who are on Twitter, and some of them I’ve stopped following because I don’t want to know when they’re getting on a plane or going to the bathroom! I want the mystery, and for them to be the beautiful freaks that they are. I don’t want to know about their digestive problems. I’ve built up a following on Twitter but I’m bad at it. I’ll tweet constantly for a while, then go off it for a few weeks, then go back on it and infuriate them. But my thing is to try and use it for things that are good. Access All Areas.net.au: What’s been your craziest fan experience? Mika: I’ve ha d a few actually that come to my house and won’t leave. One guy was sleeping on my steps and I had to call the police. It went on for about 5 or 6 days and he wasn’t even eating, it was really bad. Most of my fans are great though. If they do come and leave gifts at my house, even though I tell them not to, they leave them and they run away because they don’t want to be screamed at. Access All Areas.net.au: You’re playing one gig in Sydney soon, what can fans expect? Mika: Fans can expect fantasy for two hours and to leave the world outside. It’s a mixture between theatre and a gig. That’s what I’ve always done, even when there were only 3 people in the audience, we were using puppets and lighting, so we have fun with it, because there’s no reason not to! Access All Areas.net.au: Is that show a teaser for a longer tour down under soon? Mika: We will be coming back for a longer tour. I’m doing the Australian Idol grand final, and then the gig and it gives us a platform to then come back and do a longer tour in many more places in Australia. Access All Areas.net.au: What other plans do you have for your Australian visit? Mika: I fell in love with this aboriginal sculpture which I’ve been looking at on my computer for about four months so I’m going to go see if I want to buy it. It’s very dangerous, I’ve fallen in love with a lot of oceanic art and unfortunately my pockets don’t seem to be deep enough, it’s all very expensive! (laughs). Access All Areas.net.au: Thanks for your time and we look forward to seeing you in Sydney soon. Mika: Wicked. Take care. Interview by Alexandra Hartshorn http://www.accessallareas.net.au/artists/Mika.php Now that I have calmed down I wanted to say again how really good & very intersting this article is. :thumb_yello: I really love these revealing Mika interviews where he talks about his creative process or art he is interested in etc. Thanks again nice_collard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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