2010 - Mika Junior magazine interview, Brazil

[Christine]

Do you watch Glee?

 

Yes. My next album is super “Glee”.

 

 

There are a lot interesting Mika observations and I epecially like the part about "feminine" masculinity of the late INXS frontman MH

 

I think MH is one of the few people performers I've found more/as charismatic as Mika. It's interesting that Mika's been referencing him for years when he's not of that generation.

[Louiza]

I think MH is one of the few people performers I've found more/as charismatic as Mika. It's interesting that Mika's been referencing him for years when he's not of that generation.

 

But MH died in the late 90s so our generation got to see him in action more than other artsits like Freddie etc.

[toy_girl_mika96]

 

Do you watch Glee?

 

Yes. My next album is super “Glee”.

[/color]

 

[Shine]

 

Which other smilie can I add?

 

I think MH is one of the few people performers I've found more/as charismatic as Mika. It's interesting that Mika's been referencing him for years when he's not of that generation.

 

And there are also parts II,III and IV.

 

That's absoultely true. For my generation MH was and still represents the ultimate pop and male icon. And there's a huge resemblance between young MH and Mika. Look at this one:

 

 

[Christine]

But MH died in the late 90s so our generation got to see him in action more than other artsits like Freddie etc.

 

I don't think Mika has any real personal interest in Freddie Mercury though. I think people just project that onto him and he accepts it because it is complimentary.

 

That's absoultely true. For my generation MH was and still represents the ultimate pop and male icon. And there's a huge resemblance between young MH and Mika. Look at this one:

 

 

 

Wow!!

[cathouzouf]

Thanks for posting the interview:biggrin2:

 

As for reference to MH, didn't Mika himself said (in the BBC new year's show on radio 2) that he used to spent hours singing and dancing to INXS songs?

 

and when you think about it, there are a,lot of similarities between the two:thumb_yello:

[Dark Angel]

And there are also parts II,III and IV.

 

That's absoultely true. For my generation MH was and still represents the ultimate pop and male icon. And there's a huge resemblance between young MH and Mika. Look at this one:

 

 

 

holy cow

[Christine]

As for reference to MH, didn't Mika himself said (in the BBC new year's show on radio 2) that he used to spent hours singing and dancing to INXS songs?

 

Yes he has been mentioning MH for years.

[crazyaboutmika]

Thank you so much Andy for posting this lovely interview and fabulous pic!

It seems Mika felt as ease with the interviewer and he talks so naturaly and shares so much in that interview....I felt as if I heard him talking while reading this...I really felt close to him...sharing what he says about tolerance, politics, love and....his new album! You made my day with your post!

[Louiza]

I don't think Mika has any real personal interest in Freddie Mercury though. I think people just project that onto him and he accepts it because it is complimentary.

 

I dont think that he's particularly interested in F.Mercury either. According to what he says in many interviews he admires D.Bowie, Prince and M. Hutchence a lot more. I just mentioned Freddie in order to point out that our generation didnt get to see him in action sicne he died in 1990 when we were too young to appreciate his music. But as teenagers we got to hear about M.Hutchence while he was still alive.

[Shine]

But MH died in the late 90s so our generation got to see him in action more than other artsits like Freddie etc.

 

True, he died at the end of 1997, pretty much later than Freddie.

 

I don't think Mika has any real personal interest in Freddie Mercury though. I think people just project that onto him and he accepts it because it is complimentary.

 

Always thought the same.

 

 

 

Wow!!

 

Yes, a lot of people on the forum didn't beleive that it was not Mika .

[Marilyn Mastin]

We just found out Mika gave an interview to a magazine the day after the gig in São Paulo (not a very well known mag...). Hope it's not too of, since it's been translated to portuguese with a lot of regional expressions Did my best to try figuring out what he might've actually said

 

Blue parts are for the interviewer

__________________________________________________________________

 

 

It took four years, two albums and dozens of hits for Mika to finally come to Brazil. It was worth waiting. Responsible for the best show of Planeta Terra Festival edition 2010, the singer had the ocean fans that attended the festival sounding loud and transformed the park into a mere extension of his playful and multicolored stage. Owner of a voice capable of putting down the dance floor divas in tribal house remixes (everyone knows Peter Rauhofer right?) and author of lyrics that inspire adolescents in their natural age crises, Mika is the Freddie Mercury of the millennial generation. With no flag raisings, exercises tolerance and at the same time amuses even those who do not care for the sexuality spell.

 

In the cab on my way here, I was thinking about what would be my first question and thought it would be better to start by sharing something- which already gives the tone to this interview. Your first album is very special to me. At that time, 2006/2007, I was living in France and going through a period of many discoveries when for the first time I found natural being gay. It was the first time I was proud instead of ashamed of who I am.

 

It’s good to start of like this. It’s wonderful to hear that. It’s almost the reason for an album like mine. Like it was made for this. It’s funny, ‘cause I’ve heard other people, that at the time were in their twenties, say the same thing. They’d say they were going through a tough moment and by listening to the album ended up changing, felling more....

 

...strong?

 

It’s not actually strength. It’s like a little bird that pulled them by the shirt’s sleeve and changed their direction . A little push. I think the main reason I agree with that is for the fact that I wrote this songs for the same reason. I write to feel better about aspects of my own life. My songs seem to tell stories about other people, but deep inside they’re about me. I only imagine characters so that people can identify more easily. If it works for me, even when everything is lousy, maybe it will have the same effect on other people.

 

Tell us how it was before music... I look at you and see a kid in his room making loads of creative stuff....does that make sense?

 

My room was a workshop, but not always I did things that creative. I liked to built, made scenarios and environments with my toys. I also made clothes and listened to a lot of music. I was a child that enjoyed building worlds. My mom thought I was a bit autistic ‘cause she’d catch me cleaning the walls with a little brush. I wanted them perfectly white. As time went by, she started to worry. These fantasies are common around seven year olds, and fade away till the age of thirteen. But to me it got worse. By the time I was fifteen I was doing that even more. She decided I should pick something out of all that to work with. I ended up being expelled from school ‘cause I’d stay too much in my own world, so she made me study music. I had really tough lessons with a Russian teacher. Hours of practice. I hated it. But I got good really fast so soon jobs on theaters and opera houses started appearing. Then I started dividing my time, one semester I’d go to school, the other I worked. At school things were still horrible. I was socially rejected and suffered homophobic attacks.

 

How were these experiences in school?

 

Horrible. It wasn’t easy dealing with this growing up thing. Those who disagree with or try to make this bullying and homophobia problems small is talking bull. I think I’ve found a way to bounce back by being good at something. I chose music. I believed that like this I’d win some freedom and would respond to the attacks in a strong way, but not needing to directly confront my aggressors. I wanted to pulverize them.

 

You managed to do that quite well...

 

I was obsessed with it. I kindda formulated something by accident in my head. Today I look back and understand what I was doing. I always suffered a lot with the labels throwed at me, so I decided to always reject any kind of label. It’s rather different attitude from someone who struggled for political rights in the 60’s in the United States, for example. It’s the opposite of that. I was young and lived in a different context, that’s why I focused on expanding the borders of tolerance. I always say that tolerance is much more important. Labels are important to people who depend on them to live and make politics. Once I was on tour through north Africa, in a country notoriously known for having an oppressive and anti gay political system, and during my show I sang “Billy Brown”. Around 46 thousand people singing a song like that is tolerance, not politics and it has nothing to do with labels. I research theatre and am very inspired by Michael Hutchtence (INXS). He was a very important person for male physicality in pop culture. He would, for example, move his shoulders like a woman, but in a masculine way. When I go on stage and dance in a more feminine way I also make a call for tolerance. If you do something similar on the street or a bar perhaps someone will approach you. I can do it on stage no matter if the audience is straight, gay or something else. And they end up reacting the same way. Theatricality is very important to me. It’s my approach. Each person can have their own. But of course sexuality is something that goes through my albums. I talk about that more than any other pop artist in the world, but I do it in a way that deceives people who might never bring it up. There’s no politics in my music. It’s almost an ambush.

 

But political involvement is important for achieving legal rights.

 

Little by little I’m getting more involved on the political aspect, as I’m getting older. Recently I’ve wrote to a column for the Italian journal La Repubblica in which I respond to a recent homophobic comment from Berlusconi (referring to the Italian prime minister’s declaration that answered to accusation of having harassed a Moroccan under aged girl saying that it’s “better to be passionate about girls that being gay”).

 

What do you say on the article?

It’s not out yet, but basically I say that in any other developed country in the world a political leader makes such comment and get nothing but taps in the back instead of negative repercussion. It’s not funny. He and everyone who supports him should be ashamed. It’s stupid. And I write that in a moment where my album is on the top in various segments of the Italian market.

 

We never get to know anything about you. How do you keep yourself far from the midia harassment?

 

I’m a mystery. I have a lot of secrets, some are good and others that embarrass me since I was young. “The Boy Who Knew too Much” is a reference to the youngster who’d pretend to go to sleep and climb out the window to throw himself at clubs till 5 a.m. I’m not that perfect.

 

And what do you do for fun?

 

Same as everybody. I go out, but to places where there are no photographers. I drink, do stuff...you know...like everyone. But no one reads about it. I don’t give it all. I put everything in my songs and not on interviews. I think it’s important to wake up in the morning and be able to do a show, write a song, do my job and not fell like I’ve sold every aspect f my life. And that helped me a lot. The tour of my second album was three times bigger than the first one’s. I think that only happens because I’ve kept myself relatively focused. Maybe one day that will change, but for now I’m pretty happy the way it is.

 

What can we expect from the third album?

 

It’s going to be ultra pop. Way more than the second, but way different from the first. It’s not about childhood nor adolescence. There’ll be different stories. You’ll be able to fit it in the whole of my carrier, but at the same time will see new things. There’s something about my music that is hard to explain. I don’t consider myself cool or uncool, fashionable or out of fashion. I’m kindda anything. My music is not pop, or indie, or electronic. It remains there in a weird place among all of that. It’s like a bubble. And I know that when I do something good is really hard not to get involved. A song like “Happy Ending”, for instance, simply works and that’s it. I want it to be like that, full of melody and not fitting in any genre. You’ll see.

 

Do you watch Glee?

 

Yes. My next album is super “Glee”.

 

They should have a Mika special episode.

 

I’m not as famous in the U.S. as you think.

 

I’ll suggest it to Fox.

Well done Andy, it's awesome! thank you!

Love the bit where the interviewer says he'll suggest Mika to Fox! I've always said that Glee needs Mika!

The interviewer is such a fan! He really 'gets' our maestro!

OMG I can't wait for the next album!!!!!!!!

And I admire Mika's political stance. I think it's good that he's getting more involved in political affairs, showing he's much more than the fantastic musician we know him to be.

It's a wonderful interview!

[laura*]

And about his mother....just the way she dealt with it all, it was amazing. She really handled the sittuation. I've seen so many amazing kids loose so much 'cause the parents found them weird or something and didn't know how to act on it

 

I don't think the situation is that easy to read. I mean, his mum certainly had to be strong to face his problems and sending him to singing lessons was a brilliant idea, but I'm sure he felt so different also because his family was worried or afraid of his being different.

Every single person is special and different in his/her own way and this is particularly true during adolescence. I see it all the time as a teacher. People change a lot, sometimes radically, from adolescence to adulthood. People who were introverted can become self-confident.

I was sort of bullied at school because I was a very good student and I loved studying, but I couldn't care less about my schoolmates calling me names or shunning me. I have always been very independent and focused. If he cared that much about what people thought about him, it could be also because his being different made him feel uneasy within his own family (Stuck in the Middle ). Once he said that he had the feeling he wasn't the son his parents wanted him to be. His problems at school may have made him feel "ungrateful" towards them.

I'm not sure I'm making myself understood.

 

 

Thanks for posting

There are a lot interesting Mika observations and I epecially like the part about "feminine" masculinity of the late INXS frontman MH

 

Yep! And I still think the We Are Golden video has clear references to him.

[Christine]

I dont think that he's particularly interested in F.Mercury either. According to what he says in many interviews he admires D.Bowie, Prince and M. Hutchence a lot more. I just mentioned Freddie in order to point out that our generation didnt get to see him in action sicne he died in 1990 when we were too young to appreciate his music. But as teenagers we got to hear about M.Hutchence while he was still alive.

 

I just never really thought the world put Michael Hutchence in the same category as Bowie, Prince, Michael Jackson, etc. Maybe it's that way in Europe? INXS had their heyday in North America in the late 80s and early 90s but I don't think they ever reached supergroup status like U2 or Bon Jovi. INXS is not exactly obscure, but I am still a bit surprised that Mika identifies with MH so strongly. I saw MH when I was around 20 and INXS were at their peak. I don't think I would have taken much notice of them had I been born 15 years later.

[AndyFerrari]

Thank you so much Andy for posting this lovely interview and fabulous pic!

It seems Mika felt as ease with the interviewer and he talks so naturaly and shares so much in that interview....I felt as if I heard him talking while reading this...I really felt close to him...sharing what he says about tolerance, politics, love and....his new album! You made my day with your post!

 

oown, that's sweet no problem I actually did the same thing as I translated I was writing and now and then I was like "no....I don't that's the word he would've used...." completely hearing his voice on my head although I don't come even close to have his vocabulary.........

 

Well done Andy, it's awesome! thank you!

Love the bit where the interviewer says he'll suggest Mika to Fox! I've always said that Glee needs Mika!

The interviewer is such a fan! He really 'gets' our maestro!

OMG I can't wait for the next album!!!!!!!!

And I admire Mika's political stance. I think it's good that he's getting more involved in political affairs, showing he's much more than the fantastic musician we know him to be.

It's a wonderful interview!

 

No problem He's just so....not like most people in the business I enjoy knowing he's so cult (he often makes me go study something )

[AndyFerrari]

I don't think the situation is that easy to read. I mean, his mum certainly had to be strong to face his problems and sending him to singing lessons was a brilliant idea, but I'm sure he felt so different also because his family was worried or afraid of his being different.

Every single person is special and different in his/her own way and this is particularly true during adolescence. I see it all the time as a teacher. People change a lot, sometimes radically, from adolescence to adulthood. People who were introverted can become self-confident.

I was sort of bullied at school because I was a very good student and I loved studying, but I couldn't care less about my schoolmates calling me names or shunning me. I have always been very independent and focused. If he cared that much about what people thought about him, it could be also because his being different made him feel uneasy within his own family (Stuck in the Middle ). Once he said that he had the feeling he wasn't the son his parents wanted him to be. His problems at school may have made him feel "ungrateful" towards them.

I'm not sure I'm making myself understood.

 

Of course, I know what you mean I just mean that I'm happy things went the way they went. I know the feeling too, I've always been quite odd and adding some things that happened when I was younger I was lucky my mom always supported me on going my own way instead of trying to force me through the "regular" way (not sure I'm making any sense )

 

But anyway, I'm just so glad things went down in this way and today he is this wonderful person he is

[Louiza]

I just never really thought the world put Michael Hutchence in the same category as Bowie, Prince, Michael Jackson, etc. Maybe it's that way in Europe? INXS had their heyday in North America in the late 80s and early 90s but I don't think they ever reached supergroup status like U2 or Bon Jovi. INXS is not exactly obscure, but I am still a bit surprised that Mika identifies with MH so strongly. I saw MH when I was around 20 and INXS were at their peak. I don't think I would have taken much notice of them had I been born 15 years later.

 

I remember watching INXs vids on MTV as a teenager, I really liked them. They were considered one of the most popular groups but maybe they were bigger in Europe than in other places like America etc.

[camille*]

Thanks for posting!

 

Maybe I'm completely behind the times, but I don't really know Glee, I have just vaguely heard about it being broadcast on a channel I don't get.

So when Mika says 'My next album is super Glee' that doesn't mean a lot to me

Could anyone specify what he might mean?

[AndyFerrari]

Thanks for posting!

 

Maybe I'm completely behind the times, but I don't really know Glee, I have just vaguely heard about it being broadcast on a channel I don't get.

So when Mika says 'My next album is super Glee' that doesn't mean a lot to me

Could anyone specify what he might mean?

 

Well...I actually don't know either I've seen a couple of episodes and listened to some songs.....but I'm not sure what he means when he says that

[laura*]

Is there a scan with the original text or a link to the online article, please?

[A. Clay]

holy cow

+

http://www.inxs.com/photoviewer.aspx?type=PhotoGroup&ID=799&g=1

_____________________________________

_

Note:

Hutchence was found dead in his hotel room in Sydney on November 22, 1997.

He was found to have died from asphyxiation caused by hanging.

Edited December 19, 2010 by A. Clay

[AndyFerrari]

Is there a scan with the original text or a link to the online article, please?

 

sure hon

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/11715001...56734157042866

http://picasaweb.google.com/11715001...56745989857346

http://picasaweb.google.com/11715001...56753324502770

 

Thanks to Katita for those

[vanessa]

Interesting article.

I like Glee but please Mika don't do pop songs like theirs cause I found them a bit cheesy.

For those who don't know what Glee is .It is a musical comedy-drama television series and the actors usually sing cover songs

For more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glee_%28TV_series%29

[Shine]

I don't think the situation is that easy to read. I mean, his mum certainly had to be strong to face his problems and sending him to singing lessons was a brilliant idea, but I'm sure he felt so different also because his family was worried or afraid of his being different.

Every single person is special and different in his/her own way and this is particularly true during adolescence. I see it all the time as a teacher. People change a lot, sometimes radically, from adolescence to adulthood. People who were introverted can become self-confident.

I was sort of bullied at school because I was a very good student and I loved studying, but I couldn't care less about my schoolmates calling me names or shunning me. I have always been very independent and focused. If he cared that much about what people thought about him, it could be also because his being different made him feel uneasy within his own family (Stuck in the Middle ). Once he said that he had the feeling he wasn't the son his parents wanted him to be. His problems at school may have made him feel "ungrateful" towards them.

I'm not sure I'm making myself understood.

 

Perfectly. I had similar problems as you in my Highschool.

 

 

 

 

Yep! And I still think the We Are Golden video has clear references to him.

 

Absolutely. Mika has also adopted some elements of Hutchence style clothing, especially in the 2007 (white T shirt and jeans, strype pants). The stage moves are very similar and provocative, but their voices sound quite different. And the type of music of course, even though there are some connections.

 

I just never really thought the world put Michael Hutchence in the same category as Bowie, Prince, Michael Jackson, etc. Maybe it's that way in Europe? INXS had their heyday in North America in the late 80s and early 90s but I don't think they ever reached supergroup status like U2 or Bon Jovi. INXS is not exactly obscure, but I am still a bit surprised that Mika identifies with MH so strongly. I saw MH when I was around 20 and INXS were at their peak. I don't think I would have taken much notice of them had I been born 15 years later.

 

I remember watching INXs vids on MTV as a teenager, I really liked them. They were considered one of the most popular groups but maybe they were bigger in Europe than in other places like America etc.

 

No, they were not that big like those you've mentioned. Not even in Europe.

But it's not bad to remind that they were very popular about 1990 and the decade before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INXS

I mean a lot awards, influences, and especially Hutchence harismatic appearence on stage. He was always spoted like a solo singer IMO thanks to his great look and hotness.

I have recently been watching their DVD (live gigs) and was stunned by his energy which can be absolutely comparable with Mika.

Edited December 19, 2010 by Shine

[willywonka]

Obrigado por postar, Andy...

E O Mika ta um gato nessa foto...