Video: French Press Conference + translation "Mika aux Vieilles Charrues " July 2010

[French Deb]

Just to add that the last wuestion was cut !! The journalist added that the music industry is changing and that he sold less albums that the first one and wanted to know ho he felt about that. Then Mika answered that what was the most important was the stage and that he sold many tickets for his tour all around the world, that people still want to see him live and that what mattered

[mari62]

Thank you sooooo much for this vid

It reminds me a great memory. As I still don't have the vids I filmed during this press conference, I'm so happy to see this one

you're welcome

can't wait to see your videos

 

Just to add that the last wuestion was cut !! The journalist added that the music industry is changing and that he sold less albums that the first one and wanted to know ho he felt about that. Then Mika answered that what was the most important was the stage and that he sold many tickets for his tour all around the world, that people still want to see him live and that what mattered

thank you for the info Deb

[French Deb]

you're welcome

can't wait to see your videos

 

 

Me too, but my friend told me the sound wasn't great at all because of the rap gig Sometimes, we can barely hear what he says. But I filmed a few more questions, I hope she will manage to do something with the vids

[mari62]

Me too, but my friend told me the sound wasn't great at all because of the rap gig Sometimes, we can barely hear what he says. But I filmed a few more questions, I hope she will manage to do something with the vids

oh that's a pity!

ok, i hope so as well

[Nanouch]

Here (finally) the videos of the press conference filmed by Deb ! Sorry for the delay, I had some difficulties to upload them

And the sound isn't very good, but I think I can't do better

 

 

[Louiza]

Just to add that the last wuestion was cut !! The journalist added that the music industry is changing and that he sold less albums that the first one and wanted to know ho he felt about that. Then Mika answered that what was the most important was the stage and that he sold many tickets for his tour all around the world, that people still want to see him live and that what mattered

 

Thanks for letting us know Deb:thumb_yello:

 

Here (finally) the videos of the press conference filmed by Deb ! Sorry for the delay, I had some difficulties to upload them

And the sound isn't very good, but I think I can't do better

 

 

 

Merci:flowers2:

[French Deb]

Here (finally) the videos of the press conference filmed by Deb ! Sorry for the delay, I had some difficulties to upload them

And the sound isn't very good, but I think I can't do better

 

 

 

 

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

I already told you, but thank you sooooo much my dear Nanouch

 

Love seeing them ! It reminds me some good memories ! Sorry, sometimes, I move a lot !

There is the half of the press conference, cause I missed one part (pushed the wrong button )

 

He is so cute !

 

Well, I know that Roxi is the best for translation, I could help her if she wants (we can do one vid each one of us, cause I don't have many time)

Will start this evening !

[mari62]

Here (finally) the videos of the press conference filmed by Deb ! Sorry for the delay, I had some difficulties to upload them

And the sound isn't very good, but I think I can't do better

 

 

merci beaucoup Deb et Nanouch!!!

[French Deb]

merci beaucoup Deb et Nanouch!!!

 

Prego Marina

[French Deb]

Ok, here is the first part of the translation.

I took Roxi's translation and I put in red what I have added. Hope it's ok and sorry in advance for the mistakes !

 

I : So we’re gonna start Mika’s interview who is in time ! Perfect ! And he speaks French.

M : Yes !

I : So if you have any questions, I’ll let you talk directly. If not, as usual, I’ll ask questions…

M : If you do speak, please scream because I don’t hear anything !

I : Yes, it’s gonna be harsh, because we have NTM’s gig

M : It’s ok, it’s nice.

I : Thanks for being cool. But it’s nice, it’s a festival, it’s a mess ! Thank you to be ok to do this press conference in these conditions, cause it’s not easy. And it’s difficult for them too, who work on the sound (*shows the staff*). So if you have any question, go ahead !

No ? So there are no questions !

In a festival like this, in comparison to the Stade de France and other things, what kind of stage design do you have?

M:its always a bit theatrical, but its not 12 trucks., because, really... The thing with festival is that you cant control everything. If you do it too theatrical, it doesnt work. It must be centered aroung music, the atmosphere and the interaction with the audience, more than the rest. For me, the stage design is important, but its simple, its visual, and not too complicated. Technically its not too complicated, very home-made, hand-made, everything is painted. And we have visuals effects tonight that have been made by students.

I: there wont be the mouth then?

M: no mouth, but theres like a planet in the middle. And thats where the images are projected. And they've been made by students all around the world; Japan, Berlin, England, France, everywhere.

I: really?

M: so each song was made by different students.

I : Well, at first, I thought that it was your sister who did all the designs/ visuals, or your sisters…

M : So this has created some troubles because it’s the first time I give visuals to someone else !

I : And how did you find the students ?

M : We found them on the Internet. With Es Devlin, who helped me with the set design, we have sent them emails saying “hello this is Mika” or “I’m writing from Mika, do you want to make visuals for gigs ?” And most of the people wrote back “seriously ? Is that a joke ? Stop being an idiot!” We had a small budget for all the visuals… and often there were some people who were at university and they received the idea to do that… [sorry, it’s not clear in French neither !!] So it’s cool !

I : How do you explain that someone who sold as many discs as you, millions and millions, gets a small budget ?

M : Oh no, it’s not that I have a small budget, but normally, when we do visuals for a festival, we ask to a company and they ask us for an amount of money. But this time, we have divided the amount between 15 people and this is totally different. So it’s not a small budget…

I : Don’t hesitate to raise your hand to ask questions

 

Journalist: Mika is a concept very visual with alot of colors, even on your watch! Is it a very commercial concept, or a trademark. It's almost your happiness?

M: no, its not a trademark... When i started doing that, it wasnt really commercial, all those colours... in fact, it was anti-cool. It was the opposite. Being super colorfoul is a bit weird, naive, and you always have to justify the color. When i do something visual... i just love using colors. I mix very saturated colors with this macabre side. For example, my last tour, that we did in Bercy or in some arènes, and even the show tonight, is based on the Day of the Dead, in Mexico. And thats a perfect example. Very bright colors but with a very dark and serious matter. But we're confronting this subject in a very festive way, with bright colors. So this attitude, and the opposite between the 2, fascinates me. It's the same thing in my music. My lyrics can be hard and dark, and talk about hard moments in my life. I combine it with a dancy and euphoric music. But the euphoric side is almost too happy. So it kinda becomes dark. It hits too hard. It's the contrast between the joy and things that are darker that makes it more interesting for me. Otherwise, it's a bit too "disney".

I : That’s true that there are some weird things in your lyrics.

M : Like what ?

I : “Doctor John” for instance ! It’s quite weird !

M : Yeah

I : You know how it’s work, people identify things, Mika’s equal ‘?’ [sorry, I don’t hear the word in French], he’s got a voice with 3,5 octaves. And people can consider only these things. But when we listen to your lyrics, there are some weird things, “Doctor John” is weird for example.

M : Yeah, It’s kind of weird. But….hmm…

I : There is a dark side and a strange side…

M : It’s a strange world, a little bit childish but it speaks about adult topics at the same time. That’s why it’s mixed and it’s a little bit strange. But I must confess I think it’s good.

I : *sings Doctor John* “I never hurt you…”. It’s quite weird, I like it, and it’s put in the song in a very interesting way. I think you try things with your lyrics, like that. As you play with music elements, you play with lyrics and you’re having fun shifting them so as to lead to effects that even surprise you !

M : Yes, it’s true.

But sometimes i like to hide the meaning of my lyrics. And i do that often. In WAG, its a 16 year old me who doesnt know what to do, who's rejected and who wants to kill himself. And nothing else. But he does all that with an euphoria that almost scares. That’s why the videoclip is happy but it’s so exaggerated that it’s becoming dark. And in Love Today, it talks about a prostitute that i used to see alot in Miami, when i was doing my demos for my album. And i saw her everyday at 3am in a gas station. And she was a bit old, she was like 50 something and she could never find a job. So i invented all this story around her and wrote this song for her. But 8 or 9 year old kids dont realize what i say, and its not worth it. But people my age, can realize it and understand the story, and it becomes something else.

I: super...

M: but, its important not to be obvious... And I was doing another press conference at another festival at Belfort, the Eurockéennes, and there was a small disagreement because I’m very “pop” and they saw me as a pop artist…. [sorry, I missed a few sentences]

[French Deb]

Ok, the 2 nd vid now. Hope it's usefull !

 

 

M: It was very theatrical, very visual. And all the extremes in music, whether its pop or metal, it can allow you to do something very courageous visualy. So, in this way, its a big influence. It gives you confidence and the desire to do something very strong visually, and never say "sorry".

I: Just to talk about a few songs. “Relax” took everybody with surprise because it was very original. Apparently, it’s easy for you to be original ?

M : Sorry ?

I : *he repeats* You don’t have to make the effort to be original. But as the same time, we can hear a lot of influences, like with “Relax” for instance, we can hear bits of Bee Gees, bits of Prince [i’m not sure, we don’t hear very well…] but what makes the difference is obviously your incredible voice. So the question is do you still work on your voice today and how do you position it ?

M : First of all, I never try to be original. Never ! I don’t know what it is. Honestly I don’t know. For my voice, I have a classical background and I started working on it when I was 11. But nothing really changed ! Well, many things have changed around me, but from the foundations, nothing changed. When I was 11, I was driven everywhere by my Mum and I slept at the back of the van and I sang… The way to prepare myself before a gig didn’t change from when I sang Classical music as a kid or at the College 4 years ago or now. But I’m working on my voice, yes I am. It’s not very cool to say that, but I have to work on it because I do so many gigs.

I : You know, a few years ago we had Joan Baez here and she works on her voice every day too.

M: I have to work on it because i want to change the way i sing. It's my ambition. Because i know that musically you always have to evolve. I'm working on my third record and i have this challenge in front of me. I must evolve in a very courageous way. I have to explore something new. Take what i love and evolve towards something new. Thats why i work on my voice.

 

I : So this “new” thing, will it be a new vocal performance with a “grown up” you ?

M : But it’ll be still me !

I : Cause you already told that with the 2nd album based on your adolescence. So we’re waiting for the follow-up

M : But I always want to develop, I never want to stop. For me, it’s funnier.

I : So it’s gonna be the individual voice from a man/grown up [well, it’s strange in French too ! ]

M : Let me explain. It all started because iw anted to play piano. but i couldnt because i was dyslexic, and i still am. so i cant read music. So when i started to study piano, i started to learn it by myself. So i play piano in a very sumple and rythmic way, but musically very simple. So to add drama, or something interesting, i have to everything with my voice. So i use the piano like a rythm instrument and my voice to color everything. So thats why i use my voice high, low, i scream, i sing.

 

[There is an aside with a journalist who talks to Mika bout 2 other journalists kept in hostage in Afghanistan. And they ask to artists and public people to leave a video message, what he does. But he says that he already did it on another festival. I don’t translate this because it’s not about his music]

 

I : One last question, they do me a sign because you have a lot things to do. We speak about your voice, but also about language : you do speak French very well. So will we have the French version of “Grace Kelly” ?

M : If you want ! If you want me to do it, I will

I : So do it !

M : Ok, so I do it ! Maybe I’ll start like that, it could be fun, isn’t it ?

I : Yes, do it, it could be good.

M : Alone in front of the piano ? Me, alone, in front of the piano ? In front of 55 000 people ? I’m gonna vomit on the side of the stage ! But I’ll try !

I : Too late, you said it ! Last question

 

Journalist number 3: You have a young audience…

M : That’s not true ! Have you ever been to one of my gigs ?..

 

Journalist : We're in a sort of turning point in music. How do you see the future of music? You're in the middle of it, you're a young artist.

M: For the audience during my gigs, and it’s the only way I can appreciate how is my audience, there is a mix of people : people of 60 years old, 40, 20. I think kids are only ¼ or even 1/3 of my audience. And this is sincerely what I see in front of me, of my audience. I don’t know what that’s mean and I don’t know how this happened… For the question about the future of the music…. So… Well… I don’t know, it’s changing. It’s changing constantly. I am myself in a strange paradox. My second album is selling well, it’s 1.5 / 1.6 millions, it’s a lot, I know, but the 1st album’s sellings were more aggressive. Despite of that, my gigs are duplicating in size, and we do more countries. So everything is different nowadays, you can’t judge only an album sellings, because there is a correlation between the sellings and the people who come to your gig. I don’t understand everything but the only thing I can do is being on tour and offer different shows and of course, doing and register music of which I’m proud of. I think that touring is very important. Now more than ever. And i can see it and feel it in my life. The change is happening right in front of me, and it makes me very happy! I love the stage!

I: yes, we can see that! ALOT!

[kaatje066]

Thanks a lot for posting the vids and writing the translations Deb and Nanouch.

[LilStar]

thank you sop much for the videos!!!

hes adorable!!!!!!!!!:wub2:

[toy_girl_mika96]

[French Deb]

thank you sop much for the videos!!!

hes adorable!!!!!!!!!:wub2:

 

You're welcome !

Yesss, he is really really sweet Especially when he is dancing !

 

And love the zoom on the 2nd video... Well I always watch it

[FREDDIESDOUBLE]

You're welcome !

Yesss, he is really really sweet Especially when he is dancing !

 

And love the zoom on the 2nd video... Well I always watch it

 

Thanks a lot! appreciated .. just read:thumb_yello:

 

Interesting on how we saw the album 2nd sales and touring .. sign of the times I guess

[French Deb]

 

Interesting on how we saw the album 2nd sales and touring .. sign of the times I guess

 

It is, right ? I really like this part. For once, this is a serious and interesting question. And I really like how he sees all that...

[FREDDIESDOUBLE]

It is, right ? I really like this part. For once, this is a serious and interesting question. And I really like how he sees all that...

 

Just nice to get something a little different , seem to read the same things over ... also interesting

 

"For the audience during my gigs, and it’s the only way I can appreciate how is my audience, there is a mix of people : people of 60 years old, 40, 20. I think kids are only ¼ or even 1/3 of my audience. And this is sincerely what I see in front of me, of my audience"

 

[French Deb]

Just nice to get something a little different , seem to read the same things over ... also interesting

 

"For the audience during my gigs, and it’s the only way I can appreciate how is my audience, there is a mix of people : people of 60 years old, 40, 20. I think kids are only ¼ or even 1/3 of my audience. And this is sincerely what I see in front of me, of my audience"

 

 

Yes you're right, like this part too And it was so funny how he has interrupted the journalist with his "have you ever been to one of my gigs"

Everybody had giggled, really a nice and funny moment.

 

All this press conference was one of the best "Mika thing" I had Seeing him in another context that the scene was interesting and at the beginning we could see how nervous he was.

[mari62]

There was so much noise during the press conference, it must have been really hard for him to concentrate while being interviewed

[French Deb]

There was so much noise during the press conference, it must have been really hard for him to concentrate while being interviewed

 

Yes, it was really harsh ! Honestly, I thought they would cancel it. Because it was supposed to be earlier, before the rap gig. But Mika and the team arrived later on the festival (well, the Finistere in France, it's the end of Europe you know it's far from everything !). And you're right, he was really good because focused on the various questions and that's also mean he is more and more comfortable with his French

[mari62]

Yes, it was really harsh ! Honestly, I thought they would cancel it. Because it was supposed to be earlier, before the rap gig. But Mika and the team arrived later on the festival (well, the Finistere in France, it's the end of Europe you know it's far from everything !). And you're right, he was really good because focused on the various questions and that's also mean he is more and more comfortable with his French

yeah, kudos to him!

[francoise]

Thank you! Roxy, you're a star, as always!

 

But i don't like this oldie, interviewer. He looks kinda bored.

 

Great interview, thanks very much..

 

But have you seen this guy, the interviewer, biting his nails during the interview??

So impolite...

[MANGO]

Thank you for posting

:wub2:

[Isuzusan]

There was so much noise during the press conference, it must have been really hard for him to concentrate while being interviewed

 

Yes and even if I'm french I had to read the translation to understand everything

 

Thanks for these videos!