Mika at Peugeot Private Concert in Paris - 3 December 2012

[Christine]

Sorry I can't quote as I'm on a mobile but Suzie I don't believe he is going back to record his own music at all muchless on orders of the record co. I totally agree about them not backing a losing horse and surely we've discussed all this before. The A&R guy at Universal in the US had dollar signs in his eyes and was practically salivating at the idea of cashing in on a big piece of LICM II pie for himself. I have a friend who was working at Universal in 2009 and he said TBWKTM was considered a flop after the first week's sales and that was it. Game over, everyone moves on to next week's cash cow hopeful. It's not a conspiracy it's a business and that's how they operate. This hasn't just happened to Mika it happens to hundreds of artists, nevermind the thousands who never enjoy any commercial success at all.

 

I am certain if Mika had more exposure in the UK and US he would have more success but so would thousands of artists. It is unfortunate that record companies do not invest in artist development the way they used to but they just don't. Like it or not it IS his job to promote himself and I would be happy to participate in that along with other fans. But as has been pointed out he doesn't seem to be bothered with it himself so why should I? I am not going to spend all day on Twitter if Mika or his team don't see the need to spend 15 seconds on it.

 

I have just given up worrying about this. There are many things Mika could do to at least attempt a comeback in English markets but he obviously has no intention of doing them. He's making a good living doing other things. It's sad for some of us but if he'd rather just enjoy what he has instead of striving for what he doesn't that's a perfectly reasonable choice for him to make. I am disappointed about some of the choices he made long ago that I believe lead to this point but it's water under the bridge now.

[RAK1]

Finally a sober opinion. Wise words, Rosita.

I think Mika won't neglect the things which he can do for his career's sake. He is a clever man and not flying in clouds, he is bossy enough and a good business man to let the things he needs just slip away. We don't know all those relations and intrigues which take place in British show business

 

If this is the case,then why has he got virtually no profile in the country he is based in?

No one more than me wants to see him do well, I wouldn't have started the trend to promo the single yesterday if I didn't. And I'll do it again if a release actually happens. But something isn't going right in the UK, and the buck has to stop with someone, as regards what exactly is going wrong here.

This is why some fans over here are getting frustrated, as we don't know what is happening, whether he is giving up here or what.

[Dreamy_Queen]

If this is the case,then why has he got virtually no profile in the country he is based in?

No one more than me wants to see him do well, I wouldn't have started the trend to promo the single yesterday if I didn't. And I'll do it again if a release actually happens. But something isn't going right in the UK, and the buck has to stop with someone, as regards what exactly is going wrong here.

This is why some fans over here are getting frustrated, as we don't know what is happening, whether he is giving up here or what.

 

Of course I understand why you are so frustrated. I just think (very humbly) that it is not a fault of Mika-team (let alone Mika himself).

Maybe I take it so easily because in Ukraine he is less than not popular, so I stopped to care about his popularity a long time ago. Of course I do the things I can, as any other MFCer, and I want him to keep his level of success at least at the same point, and no less. That's why I welcome his popularity in France as well.

[vixenbbw]

Nice to see where his priorities lie, when he has a new single to promote over here:mf_rosetinted:

 

Not digging that piano. It looks like a cross between a billiards table and a "space age" (ie concept from 1969) car.

 

You know things are bad when Rose whips out the rose tinted glasses.

 

:naughty:

[mellody]

i agree with what has been said that the record company doesn't invest in promoting a 2nd single if the first one fails. it makes me sad though, it's really unfair... celebrate wasn't mika's choice but the record company's. it was the wrong choice, and everyone except them knew it. they invested into promotion for this single, but they don't give mika the chance to prove with a single of HIS choice that he can do it. a single that is really him, that has a story. grace kelly had a story, it was 100% mika. the same goes for origin of love. i'm not sure if he really *wants* to tell the story behind the song though, maybe he just hopes that people will get what it's about. tbh, it took me a while to understand it, although i know a lot about him. people who don't have a clue about mika might not get what the song is about. it was the same with GK, no one would've known that it was about the music industry, if mika hadn't told the story in each and every interview. but people like stories behind songs, artists that tell stories they can relate to in some way. that's how casting shows work, at least in germany... if you don't have a story, you don't have a chance in the show. mostly they were bullied or beaten up by their parents or something else along those lines. or at least they claim they were. mika does have a wonderful story in OOL, and probably there also was one behind celebrate... at least when the song was still called china boy - those bits of china boy he sings here and there sound so much deeper to me than the end result that is on the album. :rolls_eyes:

 

anyway, yes, if the first single is a flop (and the album is too), the label won't invest in promotion for the second one, that's a fact, and not a conspiracy - as sad as it is. and i really wish we could do something about it... but we have no idea what mika wants. and if he isn't interested in the success in a certain country (or only interested if it's really easy), then nothing we could do would help. looking at it from a marketing point of view, i'm wondering why he isn't doing more in the US now... his album was rather successful there, so maybe he should take that as a starting point and do some promo over there, before it's too late and everyone has forgotten him again? personally i wouldn't be too happy if he went to the US for several months... but if he does interviews and gigs there, we'd have some news at least, and if he's successful there, it would also help him in the UK and europe. if he's successful in france or asia, unfortunately that won't help him here at all.

Edited December 4, 2012 by mellody

[cathouzouf]

i agree with what has been said that the record company doesn't invest in promoting a 2nd single if the first one fails. it makes me sad though, it's really unfair... celebrate wasn't mika's choice but the record company's. it was the wrong choice, and everyone except them knew it. they invested into promotion for this single, but they don't give mika the chance to prove with a single of HIS choice that he can do it. a single that is really him, that has a story. grace kelly had a story, it was 100% mika. the same goes for origin of love. i'm not sure if he really *wants* to tell the story behind the song though, maybe he just hopes that people will get what it's about. tbh, it took me a while to understand it, although i know a lot about him. people who don't have a clue about mika might not get what the song is about. it was the same with GK, no one would've known that it was about the music industry, if mika hadn't told the story in each and every interview. but people like stories behind songs, artists that tell stories they can relate to in some way. that's how casting shows work, at least in germany... if you don't have a story, you don't have a chance in the show. mostly they were bullied or beaten up by their parents or something else along those lines. or at least they claim they were. mika does have a wonderful story in OOL, and probably there also was one behind celebrate... at least when the song was still called china boy - those bits of china boy he sings here and there sound so much deeper to me than the end result that is on the album. :rolls_eyes:

 

anyway, yes, if the first single is a flop (and the album is too), the label won't invest in promotion for the second one, that's a fact, and not a conspiracy - as sad as it is. and i really wish we could do something about it... but we have no idea what mika wants. and if he isn't interested in the success in a certain country (or only interested if it's really easy), then nothing we could do would help. looking at it from a marketing point of view, i'm wondering why he isn't doing more in the US now... his album was rather successful there, so maybe he should take that as a starting point and do some promo over there, before it's too late and everyone has forgotten him again? personally i wouldn't be too happy if he went to the US for several months... but if he does interviews and gigs there, we'd have some news at least, and if he's successful there, it would also help him in the UK and europe. if he's successful in france or asia, unfortunately that won't help him here at all.

 

What you say about the US can be said at least for Quebec... The album was not a flop, it was in the top 20 selling album until a few weeks ago, with no promo except a few interviews done when he was at the Balloon festival a monthbefore the album was out. He has a large fan base, following 2 successful appearances on TV shows, but it's so scarse... I'm just hoping for some nice surprises soon... I just think it's a real waste... That much talent should dominate the world :-)

[cathblais]

What you say about the US can be said at least for Quebec... The album was not a flop, it was in the top 20 selling album until a few weeks ago, with no promo except a few interviews done when he was at the Balloon festival a monthbefore the album was out. He has a large fan base, following 2 successful appearances on TV shows, but it's so scarse... I'm just hoping for some nice surprises soon... I just think it's a real waste... That much talent should dominate the world :-)

 

[basicamenteyo]

Sadly it seems we all agree: Mika or whoever that takes care of his career doesnt give a damn about anything. If its not Mika and Mika needs help he f*cking now we are here and we can get organised and tweet ffs!! But we cant tweet or start doing ANYTHING if Mika himself just disappears in a corporate gig the same day his single should be released... I dont get a thing.

 

Does Mika need someone to help him? Is Mika happy with how thi ngs are doing?

[mellody]

Sadly it seems we all agree: Mika or whoever that takes care of his career doesnt give a damn about anything. If its not Mika and Mika needs help he f*cking now we are here and we can get organised and tweet ffs!! But we cant tweet or start doing ANYTHING if Mika himself just disappears in a corporate gig the same day his single should be released... I dont get a thing.

 

Does Mika need someone to help him? Is Mika happy with how thi ngs are doing?

 

i don't think that mika doesn't give a damn, i just think you have to look at it from a worldwide perspective. he might just concentrate on the markets where he doesn't have to do so much to sell a lot of records, or where he has better chances. i'm sure he'd like to be successful in the UK, but then, i also think he listens to some marketing experts from his record label, because he's an artist and not an experienced marketing person. and if they say, UK is done for now, no chance, then what else should he do than just believe it and concentrate on other markets. then again, whether the "marketing expert" is right or not, who knows. i know a bit about marketing, but not enough to be able to coordinate a worldwide campaign, having to decide which countries to work and which not, because there isn't enough time and/or money for all of them. i don't envy those people for their job, but somehow i hate how much it is simply business, numbers and figures and probably no thought about the people that are involved - mika and his fans.

Edited December 4, 2012 by mellody

[LaraMay]

Sadly it seems we all agree: Mika or whoever that takes care of his career doesnt give a damn about anything. If its not Mika and Mika needs help he f*cking now we are here and we can get organised and tweet ffs!! But we cant tweet or start doing ANYTHING if Mika himself just disappears in a corporate gig the same day his single should be released... I dont get a thing.

 

Does Mika need someone to help him? Is Mika happy with how thi ngs are doing?

 

That's what I've been wondering too. Has anyone ever asked him about how he feels about this? If not, could somebody please ask him if you get a chance to talk to him? In a polite way of course

[tiibet]

i agree with what has been said that the record company doesn't invest in promoting a 2nd single if the first one fails. it makes me sad though, it's really unfair... celebrate wasn't mika's choice but the record company's. it was the wrong choice, and everyone except them knew it. they invested into promotion for this single, but they don't give mika the chance to prove with a single of HIS choice that he can do it. a single that is really him, that has a story. grace kelly had a story, it was 100% mika. the same goes for origin of love. i'm not sure if he really *wants* to tell the story behind the song though, maybe he just hopes that people will get what it's about. tbh, it took me a while to understand it, although i know a lot about him. people who don't have a clue about mika might not get what the song is about. it was the same with GK, no one would've known that it was about the music industry, if mika hadn't told the story in each and every interview. but people like stories behind songs, artists that tell stories they can relate to in some way. that's how casting shows work, at least in germany... if you don't have a story, you don't have a chance in the show. mostly they were bullied or beaten up by their parents or something else along those lines. or at least they claim they were. mika does have a wonderful story in OOL, and probably there also was one behind celebrate... at least when the song was still called china boy - those bits of china boy he sings here and there sound so much deeper to me than the end result that is on the album. :rolls_eyes:

 

Yes, it looked his record company didn't want to promote the real Mika, Celebrate (without China Boy parts) is the least Mika style song on the album... It wouldn't have been his or our choice and they (his label) probably just thought it was the most main stream song on the album and hoped it would raise interest in the big audience, not passion but interest to buy his music. It didn't work so well in the UK and it is sad because Origin is such a good song, there's a story behind as you said and it's totally Mika.

 

I have mixed feelings about this success thing. We all know how much he deserves success, I really want people to appreciate him and his music and I can see how happy he is when his albums are doing good. But he is not willing to do all it takes for being huge (or is he, I mean promotion etc) and he seems to be happy doing many other things too. I was just watching the latest Italian interview and I loved it, he gets joy from SO many things in life, and not only from success. But I do understand that certain level of success makes it possible for him to do some things he loves (design bigger shows etc.). I just hope he doesn't find all this too stressful, maybe spending some time at the studio could actually be helpful, and I hope it gives him satisfaction to know/think that the new album is good (well it really is).

[Jojotje]

This is also true.

There are so many shows he could be doing here, Graham Norton, Alan Carr to name a couple he has been on before. Yet he hasn't been on them yet. And the record company are really making me angry, with all this getting him back in the studio nonsense, when they are the ones who are supposed to get the album promoted on billboards in the press, and to radio/tv stations, and don't seem to be bothered at all about it!

I would like 10 minutes alone in a room with whoever from the record company who deals with the marketing, and tell them that a blind monkey could do the job better than they are!

This is how frustrated I am becoming with all this!

 

I'm afraid for the Netherlands it's just the same. Universal.NL doesn't do much to promote Mika here! The one who is actively promoting Mika is Paul de Leeuw. He doesn't get much airplay on the several radio stations either.

[Jojotje]

I will accompany you for this ten minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I really think they are doing it on purpose

 

Can I join too?

[Kumazzz]

Peugeot upload 2 pics on their facebook.

 

 

 

[AnnaMariaPetra]

From twitter:

 

Peugeot‏@Peugeot

 

Yesterday, @Mikasounds performed on the Peugeot Design Lab piano in the mythical Salle Pleyel in Paris. http://ow.ly/i/1cC8s

 

 

@Peugeot @mikasounds Amazing sound from both #MIKA & the piano. Any video footage to share ? Would love to look 'n' listen

 

‏@Kodes100

 

Beautiful! RT @Peugeot @Mikasounds performed on the Peugeot Design Lab piano in the mythical Salle Pleyel Paris: http://ow.ly/i/1cC8s

 

 

Lorrie Lee‏@Pandora217

 

@Kodes100 @peugeot @mikasounds - I would love to see a video instead of still pics.

 

 

 

@pandora217 Don't worry, the video is coming soon!

 

5 december 12 om 9:49

[Marilyn Mastin]

That's what I've been wondering too. Has anyone ever asked him about how he feels about this? If not, could somebody please ask him if you get a chance to talk to him? In a polite way of course

This is what I think too. I don't believe any of this is his fault. He's worked so hard for his career, since he was about 13 years old. I don't believe he would purposely ignore a lucrative market like the UK. Besides, its his home. He's always said he considers himself a Londoner.

So something needs to be done. Someone needs to talk to Mika.

[Marilyn Mastin]

The only way he can dispel the "cartoon character playing cheesy" image, is by going on the prominent tv shows I mentioned, and showing how different he is now. Being on Sunday Brunch would have been a great start to doing a run of promo in that direction, but he did it as he was about to start the tour abroad, so that fell flat.

The Q magazine interview was great, it portrayed him as the intelligent person we know that he is, and not the screeching falsetto singer that everyone else in the UK sees him as. That would have been a great part of a change of image promo, which would have helped with the album sales immensely.

My thing with the record company is, that they have the vested interest, and the marketing is under their perview, and there has been next to no promo, with tv advertising (I don't think a couple of spots on ITV2 late at night,is helpful promo!) The Universal billboard going into London, had the last 2 albums up on it at release time, this album not a sniff of this new one. Has anyone seen any advertising in The Metro? That is the one paper that gets read by everyone travelling, best way to advertise, catching people on their way to work. If the record company don't try in these avenues of marketing, makes me wonder what it is they are doing to try to sell the album to recoup their money.

I don't think they are out to destroy him, I just think someone there isn't doing their job properly, and should get the boot!

There have been no TV ads, as far as I have seen. Everyone else with an an album or new single out has had ads on TV, at the time most people are watching, between about 7pm, and 10pm. But not Mika. If there have been ads, they've been either very late at night or very early in the day

[DutchAnnie]

Sadly it seems we all agree: Mika or whoever that takes care of his career doesnt give a damn about anything. If its not Mika and Mika needs help he f*cking now we are here and we can get organised and tweet ffs!! But we cant tweet or start doing ANYTHING if Mika himself just disappears in a corporate gig the same day his single should be released... I dont get a thing.

 

Does Mika need someone to help him? Is Mika happy with how thi ngs are doing?

 

That's what I've been wondering too. Has anyone ever asked him about how he feels about this? If not, could somebody please ask him if you get a chance to talk to him? In a polite way of course

 

Ask him what? How he feels that the one that takes care of his career doesn't give a damn about it OR how he feels that SOME OF HIS FANS THINK that the one that takes care of his career doesn't give a damn about it?

 

This is what I think too. I don't believe any of this is his fault. He's worked so hard for his career, since he was about 13 years old. I don't believe he would purposely ignore a lucrative market like the UK. Besides, its his home. He's always said he considers himself a Londoner.

So something needs to be done. Someone needs to talk to Mika.

 

And then what?

 

 

 

Personally I don't think that the way Mika or someone else is taking care of his career is any of our business and it's not up to us to decide for him that his career is not going well and that we need to help him. It seems to me that he's doing a lot of things next to his main career (which is selling albums) and he seems to be happy with it. Didn't I read somewhere that he had to give up the Futuroscope project because he was too busy? So in my opinion the only thing we can do for Mika is to buy his albums, attend his gigs, promote him among our friends and request radio stations to play his songs, but we have to leave Mika himself out of this whole discussion and we should not ask him anything about it. He would probably not answer those questions anyway.

 

BTW ... I'm happy he did this gig ... it's the perfect way for people that do not know him yet to get to know him and to see how good he is: in a great venue accompanied by a professional choir behind a piano (even if it's an ugly piano )? Don't we all want to see that?

Edited December 5, 2012 by DutchAnnie

[RAK1]

Ask him what? How he feels that the one that takes care of his career doesn't give a damn about it OR how he feels that SOME OF HIS FANS THINK that the one that takes care of his career doesn't give a damn about it?

 

 

 

And then what?

 

 

 

Personally I don't think that the way Mika or someone else is taking care of his career is any of our business and it's not up to us to decide for him that his career is not going well and that we need to help him. It seems to me that he's doing a lot of things next to his main career (which is selling albums) and he seems to be happy with it. Didn't I read somewhere that he had to give up the Futuroscope project because he was too busy? So in my opinion the only thing we can do for Mika is to buy his albums, attend his gigs, promote him among our friends and request radio stations to play his songs, but we have to leave Mika himself out of this whole discussion and we should not ask him anything about it. He would probably not answer those questions anyway.

 

BTW ... I'm happy he did this gig ... it's the perfect way for people that do not know him yet to get to know him and to see how good he is: in a great venue accompanied by a professional choir behind a piano (even if it's an ugly piano )? Don't we all want to see that?

 

I wouldn't be asking him about does he think people aren't taking care of his career, I want to ask him why, on the day he was alledgedly releasing a single on the UK, that said single hasn't become available as a single. I can't say that any artist I have ever heard of that this has happened to. Maybe he wasn't aware of it, although I had tweeted him asking what was going on, and that I couldn't find it anywhere. Trying to get any sense out of the record company is as bad as trying to get a straight amswer from a politician!

Is that too much to ask , really?

[DutchAnnie]

I wouldn't be asking him about does he think people aren't taking care of his career, I want to ask him why, on the day he was alledgedly releasing a single on the UK, that said single hasn't become available as a single. I can't say that any artist I have ever heard of that this has happened to. Maybe he wasn't aware of it, although I had tweeted him asking what was going on, and that I couldn't find it anywhere. Trying to get any sense out of the record company is as bad as trying to get a straight amswer from a politician!

Is that too much to ask , really?

 

Yes I think you can ask him that ... but to me it seemed that the suggestion was made that someone should ask him about how he feels about the fact that people around him are not taking care of his career and I think asking him that goes too far. I wasn't talking about you personally Rose, and I understand you are disappointed and frustrated, because I think you only want the best for him.

[krysady]

Ask him what? How he feels that the one that takes care of his career doesn't give a damn about it OR how he feels that SOME OF HIS FANS THINK that the one that takes care of his career doesn't give a damn about it?

 

 

 

And then what?

 

 

 

Personally I don't think that the way Mika or someone else is taking care of his career is any of our business and it's not up to us to decide for him that his career is not going well and that we need to help him. It seems to me that he's doing a lot of things next to his main career (which is selling albums) and he seems to be happy with it. Didn't I read somewhere that he had to give up the Futuroscope project because he was too busy? So in my opinion the only thing we can do for Mika is to buy his albums, attend his gigs, promote him among our friends and request radio stations to play his songs, but we have to leave Mika himself out of this whole discussion and we should not ask him anything about it. He would probably not answer those questions anyway.

 

BTW ... I'm happy he did this gig ... it's the perfect way for people that do not know him yet to get to know him and to see how good he is: in a great venue accompanied by a professional choir behind a piano (even if it's an ugly piano )? Don't we all want to see that?

 

Nothing to add more

[RAK1]

Yes I think you can ask him that ... but to me it seemed that the suggestion was made that someone should ask him about how he feels about the fact that people around him are not taking care of his career and I think asking him that goes too far. I wasn't talking about you personally Rose, and I understand you are disappointed and frustrated, because I think you only want the best for him.

 

That's all I want for him.

The other thing, that hit me this morning,is that it could be deemed as false advertising, which there is legislation for over here. I looked it up this morning and found this:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/915/regulation/2/made

Now I know that there won't be a glut of people throwing this at the record company, and it may not really affect them in the long run, but I'm sure they are aware of it, and it looks like they are flouting it!

[Julia Welcomes]

In my opinion, secret gigs like this are rather a part of M`s private life than his career

[Lilo]

Ask him what? How he feels that the one that takes care of his career doesn't give a damn about it OR how he feels that SOME OF HIS FANS THINK that the one that takes care of his career doesn't give a damn about it?

 

 

 

And then what?

 

 

 

Personally I don't think that the way Mika or someone else is taking care of his career is any of our business and it's not up to us to decide for him that his career is not going well and that we need to help him. It seems to me that he's doing a lot of things next to his main career (which is selling albums) and he seems to be happy with it. Didn't I read somewhere that he had to give up the Futuroscope project because he was too busy? So in my opinion the only thing we can do for Mika is to buy his albums, attend his gigs, promote him among our friends and request radio stations to play his songs, but we have to leave Mika himself out of this whole discussion and we should not ask him anything about it. He would probably not answer those questions anyway.

 

BTW ... I'm happy he did this gig ... it's the perfect way for people that do not know him yet to get to know him and to see how good he is: in a great venue accompanied by a professional choir behind a piano (even if it's an ugly piano )? Don't we all want to see that?

He gave up the Futuroscope project? Oh no.:aah:I've been looking forward to that.

[krysady]

In my opinion, secret gigs like this are rather a part of M`s private life than his career

Why? do you think that the audience from there were made from his friends? I don't think so,they are not even fans,maybe it was the first time for them seeing Mika on stage.And I'm sure they know now who Mika is,and this can't be bad for his career