French Interview in LaProvence - Nov. 19, 2012

[DerMoment1608]

Mika n'a "pas peur d'avoir 30 ans"

 

Par Olga Bibiloni

Créé le 19/11/2012 14:47

 

Il affirme ne pas adorer les interviews, dire "non à presque tout" : "Toutes les choses essentielles passent par mes chansons". Pourtant, c'est un Mika extraordinairement à l'aise qui a répondu hier soir aux questions de La Provence. Avant un concert au Silo, à Marseille...

 

Une partie de "The origin of love" a été enregistrée en Provence. Quel souvenir en gardez-vous ?

 

Mika : Oui, à La Fabrique à Saint-Rémy de Provence, un très bel endroit. Je voulais être quelque part, seul avec Doriand avec qui j'écrivais. Dans ces cas-là, j'ai besoin de vivre quasiment dans le studio, quelqu'un de la mairie nous avait prêté un piano Yamaha. Je dormais là où je travaillais avec l'idée d'être dans une sorte de cellule et de consacrer 100 % de mon énergie à la musique.

 

Le public français nourrit une vraie ferveur pour vous, comment le ressentez-vous ?

 

Mika : J'ai une relation très honnête avec mon public français. Il a le sens de l'humour et beaucoup de tolérance. Je l'ai constaté notamment lorsque j'avais mis au point ce spectacle d'une façon tout à fait artisanale. Je l'avais joué à Londres, à New York et à Paris au Cirque d'hiver. Le principe était d'installer de la magie avec des petits riens, le public français est le seul à avoir compris ce que je recherchais, le seul qui a parlé de références aux arts de la rue, à l'Arte povera...

 

Ces chansons en français sur le dernier album, c'était un cadeau pour lui ?

 

Mika : Aussi un cadeau à moi-même. Parce que j'adore la chanson française qui m'a beaucoup appris.

 

Cet album s'inscrit dans la continuité mais a une fraîcheur qui le fait

ressembler à un premier album. Comment avez-vous réussi ça ?

Mika : C'est exactement l'objectif que je poursuivais. Je me disais 'si tu ne peux pas capturer une sorte de fraîcheur, ça sert à quoi de faire de la musique ?' Je fais une musique complètement honnête et qui est le reflet de ma vie.

 

Que craignez-vous dans la création ?

 

Mika : J'ai peur de la médiocrité et de devenir une caricature. C'est pour cela que je change tout en restant fidèle à ce que je suis profondément. Quand on arrête de se fixer des challenges, on prend ce risque. C'est aussi vrai dans la vie personnelle, c'est dans ces moments-là que l'amour s'en va. Alors que quand vous avez du succès dans la pop, on a tendance à vous dire 'ne change pas'. C'est un cadeau empoisonné.

 

Vous n'écoutez pas ces conseils-là ?

 

Mika : Non mais je les entends. Et je lutte contre, pour rester sincère tout en évoluant.

 

Est-ce le fruit de la maturité, vous allez avoir 30 ans en 2013 ?

 

Mika : Je n'ai pas peur d'avoir 30 ans. J'ai de toute façon vécu déjà plusieurs crises d'identité : la première lorsque j'ai perdu ma voix de soprano, ensuite pour le premier album et encore à chaque fois pour les deux autres !

 

Comment est née l'idée du clip "Elle me dit" et pourquoi avoir choisi Fanny Ardant ?

 

Mika : Fanny Ardant était idéale pour ce clip parce que la chanson parle de la crise d'identité d'une femme de cinquante ans qui veut détruire son fils, car en refusant qu'il ait trente ans, elle espère ne pas être confrontée à ses cinquante ans ! Fanny Ardant est la représentation parfaite, pour moi, de la femme de cinquante ans à la fois très punk et très glamour, pleine de vie.

 

Est-ce qu'après votre album "The origin of love", vous en savez davantage sur les raisons qui font qu'on est amoureux ?

 

Mika : Je pense que c'est en lien avec nous-même, avec l'ego. Quand on parle d'amour, on parle de la vie.

 

Avez-vous un rêve d'artiste ?

 

Mika : M'installer dans un théâtre pendant deux semaines et y montrer un show avec un vrai univers visuel que j'aurais construit du début à la fin, avec une mise en scène, quelque chose entre théâtre et concert.

 

Pourquoi pas à Marseille, on sera capitale européenne de la Culture en 2013 ?

 

Mika : Je cherche un théâtre. Je pensais à Paris mais c'est vrai que l'idée de le faire dans une ville française qui ne soit pas Paris me tente aussi. On verra.

 

Vous avez parlé récemment de votre vie privée, de votre homosexualité. C'était le moment ?

 

Mika : Pour 99 % des gens, cela n'a rien changé. Et je me fiche du 1 % qui reste. En parler venait d'un sentiment positif peut-être en relation, justement, avec le fait que je vais avoir trente ans. Je l'ai fait par sincérité, uniquement pour ça.

 

La France est au coeur d'un débat de société autour du mariage pour tous, qu'en pensez-vous ?

 

Mika : Je suis pour l'égalité pour tous, quel que soit le sexe de la personne qu'on aime. Même si, en tant que personne, je ne suis pas obsédé ni par une qualification, ni par un côté religieux de l'officialisation. La sexualité fait partie de la vie. C'est la force de la musique, pouvoir parler de ça dans tous les pays.

 

Êtes-vous inquiet pour le Liban, pour cette partie du monde à laquelle vous êtes attaché vu les récents événements ?

 

Mika : Oui. J'ai peur que cela empire, que 2013 soit l'année d'un désastre.

 

http://www.laprovence.com/article/spectacles/mika-na-pas-peur-davoir-30-ans

[AnnaMariaPetra]

Merci pour posting!

[RAK1]

What he says about the French only understanding what he does with his stage show. That is not true at all, I get where he is coming from. And I'm sure I'm not the only one.

This makes me feel like he is cutting himself off from the UK audience, and this makes me very sad indeed.

[camille*]

Very nice interview!! Thanks for posting.

 

I translated it

 

He says he doesn't like interviews and 'says no to almost everything' : 'All the essential things are in my songs'. However, it is an extraordinarily relaxed Mika who answered our questions yesterday night. Just before his show at Le Silo, in Marseille.

 

A part of 'TOOL' has been recorded in the Provence region. What memory do you keep from it?

 

Yes, at La Fabrique in Saint Rémy de Provence, a very beautiful place. I wanted to be somewhere, alone with Doriand with whom I was writing. In these situations, I need to almost live in the studio, someone from the city hall had lent us a Yamaha piano. I was sleeping where I was working with the idea to be in a sort of cell and to give 100% of my energy to my music.

 

The French audience keeps a real fervour for you, how do you feel about this?

 

I have a very honest relationship with my French audience. They have a sense of humour and a lot of tolerance. I noticed it in particular when I prepared my show in a very handmade way. I had played it in London, in New York and in Paris at the Cirque d'Hiver. The goal was to let the magic settle with tiny bits of nothing, the French audience was the only one to understand what I was looking for, the only one who talked about references to street art, to Arte Povera...

 

These French songs on your last album, is that a gift for them?

 

Also a gift to myself. Because I love French chanson that taught me a lot.

 

This album is in the continuity but has a freshness that makes it like the first album. How did you succeed in doing that?

 

 

It is exactly the goal I was trying to reach. I was telling myself 'if you can't capture a kind of freshness, what's the point in making music?' I make a completely honest kind of music which is the reflection of my life.

 

What do you fear in creation?

 

I'm afraid of mediocrity and of becoming a caricature. This is why I'm changing while remaining true to what I profoundly am. When you stop giving yourself challenges, you take that risk. It's also true in personal life, this is when love goes away. So when you're successful in pop music, people tend to tell you 'don't change'. It's a poisoned gift.

 

So you don't listen to this kind of advice?

 

No but I hear it. And I fight against it, to remain sincere while evolving.

 

Is it the result to your maturity, you will soon be 30

 

I'm not afraid to be 30. Anyway I have already been through several identity crisis : the first time when I lost my soprano voice, then for the first album and again each time for the next ones!

 

How did you come up with the idea for the EMD video and why did you choose Fanny Ardant?

 

She was ideal for this video because the song talks about a 50 year old woman's identity crisis , she wants to destroy her son because as she refuses him to be 30, she hopes not to be confronted to her 50 years old. Fanny Ardant is the perfect representation for me of the 50 year old woman who is punk and glamour, full of life.

 

After this album 'The Origin of Love', do you know more about the reasons that make us fall in love?

 

I think it is in relation with ourselves, with ego. When we talk about love, we talk about life.

 

Do you have a dream as an artist?

 

To settle in a theatre for 2 weeks and create a show with a real visual universe that I would have built from beginning to end, with a mise en scene, something between theatre and gig.

 

Why not in Marseille, which will be European Cultural capital in 2013?

 

I'm looking for a theatre. I was thinking about Paris but it's true that the idea to do it in a French city that wouldn't be Paris tempts me too. We'll see.

 

You have recently talked about your private life, your homosexuality. Was it the right moment?

 

For 99% of the people, it hasn't changed anything. And I don't care about the remaining 1%. Talking about it was coming from a positive feeling maybe in relation, precisely, with the fact that I'm going to be 30. I did it by sincerity, only for this.

 

France is in the middle of a society debate about marriage for everybody, what's your view on it?

 

I'm for equality for all, whatever the sex of the person we love. Even if, as a person, I'm not obsessed by a qualification nor by a religious side to the formalization. Sexuality is part of life. It is the strength of music, to be able to talk about this in every country.

 

Are you worried about Lebanon, about this part of the world you're attached to, after the recent events?

 

Yes. I'm afraid it will get worse, that 2013 will be a year of disaster.

[DerMoment1608]

Thank you, camille

[mikatokiota]

camille*, merci beaucoup and thank you so much, how quick and how great translation!! i thank original script posted by DerMoment1608 too, i love these your big effort, that's why i can see what is going on and what MIKA says and feels and thinks. this is why i can feel i am too part of his world wide fans' network.

thank you so much! xxx

 

mikatokiota

mika from tokyo

[toshiko]

Thank you for translating the interview, Camille:original::original:

[Louiza]

Avez-vous un rêve d'artiste ?

 

Mika : M'installer dans un théâtre pendant deux semaines et y montrer un show avec un vrai univers visuel que j'aurais construit du début à la fin, avec une mise en scène, quelque chose entre théâtre et concert.

 

 

That would be super amazing, hope it happens soon:wub2:

[Marilyn Mastin]

Thank you Camille.

I do think that people of other nationalities get the art within his work. I think its just that the French are, by their culture, not as inhibited as British, or maybe some other nationalities possibly are, and can describe it better when they talk about it.

[smokesignal]

Thank you Camille.

I do think that people of other nationalities get the art within his work. I think its just that the French are, by their culture, not as inhibited as British, or maybe some other nationalities possibly are, and can describe it better when they talk about it.

 

And of course let's not forget this is a French interview... he always says something nice about the fans in the country he's visiting

[Christine]

I had played it in London, in New York and in Paris at the Cirque d'Hiver. The goal was to let the magic settle with tiny bits of nothing, the French audience was the only one to understand what I was looking for, the only one who talked about references to street art, to Arte Povera...

 

Yes obviously all of France can read Mika's mind and the rest of us can't. :rolls_eyes:

 

The gig in NYC was on a teeny tiny stage most of which probably could not even be seen by anyone except for the 30 or so people in the front row. Mika was dressed in a pretty pink jacket with tails. The backing singers were dressed in formal wear. The string section looked horrified because they had silver headpieces and had no idea what Mika was doing because they probably just met him a few hours before the show. There was some silver confetti and silver balls.

 

That's it.

 

Even if we were psychic and knew that any of this was supposed to be a reference to street art how is one supposed to express that? How does he even know what NY audiences think versus other audiences?

[Ruth]

What he says about the French only understanding what he does with his stage show. That is not true at all, I get where he is coming from. And I'm sure I'm not the only one.

This makes me feel like he is cutting himself off from the UK audience, and this makes me very sad indeed.

 

Is that the general consensus; that he's working France and the USA?

[krjsantos]

What he says about the French only understanding what he does with his stage show. That is not true at all, I get where he is coming from. And I'm sure I'm not the only one.

This makes me feel like he is cutting himself off from the UK audience, and this makes me very sad indeed.

 

I don't come to the defense of what Mika tells about French audience, but I was not resentful of it, I think he meant that France, the broad understanding, has a huge opening to all expressions of art and specifically in the music scene I think that's all for understanding "world music" and all scene around.

 

In other countries an here in my country, at least the largest base of Brazilian fans, understand this scenery.

 

I don't know if I expressed my thoughts clearly I hope so.

[Christine]

Is that the general consensus; that he's working France and the USA?

 

No just France.

 

I don't come to the defense of what Mika tells about French audience, but I was not resentful of it, I think he meant that France, the broad understanding, has a huge opening to all expressions of art and specifically in the music scene I think that's all for understanding "world music" and all scene around.

 

But he is not giving people outside a comparable experience in order to judge. The audience in NYC was not at Cirque D'Hiver. They weren't thousands of people sitting around a huge circus floor. It was a few hundred people crammed into a tiny club whose normal purpose is to showcase solo pianists and the like.

 

It's a different show. It's a different setting. How can he expect the same appreciation around the world when he constructs everything for France only?

 

It was the same with the massive PDP show. The last time I saw that clown themed set was in Osaka, Japan. When something is designed specifically for a massive audience in France and you take it completely out of that context how can you expect it will work the same way?

 

The same goes for the Louis XVI set. Of course that works for a palace in Compiègne. But it is absurd to expect people to appreciate it in the same way at a private party for a human rights campaign organization in Washington.

 

It is not only the audience's job to interpret art. It is up to the artist to communicate it. If it fails I don't think the audience is to blame.

[krjsantos]

No just France.

 

 

But he is not giving people outside a comparable experience in order to judge. The audience in NYC was not at Cirque D'Hiver. They weren't thousands of people sitting around a huge circus floor. It was a few hundred people crammed into a tiny club whose normal purpose is to showcase solo pianists and the like.

 

It's a different show. It's a different setting. How can he expect the same appreciation around the world when he constructs everything for France only?

 

It was the same with the massive PDP show. The last time I saw that clown themed set was in Osaka, Japan. When something is designed specifically for a massive audience in France and you take it completely out of that context how can you expect it will work the same way?

 

The same goes for the Louis XVI set. Of course that works for a palace in Compiègne. But it is absurd to expect people to appreciate it in the same way at a private party for a human rights campaign organization in Washington.

 

It is not only the audience's job to interpret art. It is up to the artist to communicate it. If it fails I don't think the audience is to blame.

 

What you say makes sense, I agree.

[camille*]

When I translated the interview I was sure there would be some reactions about this bit about the French audience (totally understandable)

 

I think when he says 'they were the only ones to...', he can't really be talking about the audience but more about reviews and articles.. How can he know what the audience understood? Of course he can talk to a few people after the show but how many would have told him 'I loved this reference to Arte Povera'

 

So yes maybe from the media it looks like France understood something more. But probably just because it wasn't covered as much in other countries...

[Christine]

I think when he says 'they were the only ones to...', he can't really be talking about the audience but more about reviews and articles.. How can he know what the audience understood? Of course he can talk to a few people after the show but how many would have told him 'I loved this reference to Arte Povera'

 

But do you understand how absurd it is for him to expect that even the press in NYC would get this reference under the circumstances? It's not the same show! People are not psychic. They don't know what is in his head nor can they be expected to know what his show in Paris looked like.

 

If Mika wants to pander to one audience to the point where he completely drives the rest of the world away that is his choice. But if he wants to blame that on the rest of the world not "getting" him I am going to call BS.

 

It's like he's wooing two dates. One gets champagne and roses and chocolate. And the next day date #2 gets a half a glass of flat champagne at the bottom of the bottle, dead petals and the half eaten chocolates no one wants. Then he decides that date #1 is the love of his life because they appreciate his gestures more!

 

[krysady]

It's like he's wooing two dates. One gets champagne and roses and chocolate. And the next day date #2 gets a half a glass of flat champagne at the bottom of the bottle, dead petals and the half eaten chocolates no one wants. Then he decides that date #1 is the love of his life because they appreciate his gestures more!

 

Yes,but he loved the first one only because he was drunk

[camille*]

Lol I liked your analogy!

 

Sorry I didn't really understand that the 2 shows were so very different. I was not even around at the time. I didn't know he was already focusing more on France back in 2009? I thought it started with the success of TBWKTM here.

 

Anyway as much as I like to know Mika loves France and to have him doing tours here, I'm worried too that he won't be such an international star anymore. I really wish him to succeed everywhere.

[krjsantos]

When I translated the interview I was sure there would be some reactions about this bit about the French audience (totally understandable)

 

I think when he says 'they were the only ones to...', he can't really be talking about the audience but more about reviews and articles.. How can he know what the audience understood? Of course he can talk to a few people after the show but how many would have told him 'I loved this reference to Arte Povera'

 

So yes maybe from the media it looks like France understood something more. But probably just because it wasn't covered as much in other countries...

 

Yes, you're right! How knowing what the audience immediately understands, this is not possible because even your entire audience go crazy anywhere

 

 

But do you understand how absurd it is for him to expect that even the press in NYC would get this reference under the circumstances? It's not the same show! People are not psychic. They don't know what is in his head nor can they be expected to know what his show in Paris looked like.

 

If Mika wants to pander to one audience to the point where he completely drives the rest of the world away that is his choice. But if he wants to blame that on the rest of the world not "getting" him I am going to call BS.

 

It's like he's wooing two dates. One gets champagne and roses and chocolate. And the next day date #2 gets a half a glass of flat champagne at the bottom of the bottle, dead petals and the half eaten chocolates no one wants. Then he decides that date #1 is the love of his life because they appreciate his gestures more!

 

 

LOL

 

Yes,but he loved the first one only because he was drunk

 

 

 

Well I think I need a little drink right now

[Christine]

Sorry I didn't really understand that the 2 shows were so very different. I was not even around at the time.

 

This is the Paris show

 

[YOUTUBE]XHGzbnSzHtg[/YOUTUBE]

 

This is the NYC show:

 

[YOUTUBE]4Pg207jdARU[/YOUTUBE]

 

One is a "show", the other is a drunken party in someone's basement.

 

Not that I am complaining about the NYC show at all. It is in my top 3 gigs of all time. The music, the atmosphere, the energy was incredible. But if you're looking for some visual art appreciation you've come to the wrong place.