nenartus Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Singer/songwriters were all the rage at that time and I guess I just saw Mika turning into a proper pop star as he became more successful but it seems to be completely dominated by women and 18 year old boys. You've still got the Ed Sheerhan types but Mika is no longer a boy sitting alone at a keyboard and he's obviously never going to be a girl. I still can't understand why things have turned out this way especially since everyone was beyond camp in the 1980s. I was watching an old Duran Duran video a couple of weeks ago and honestly they make Mika look like a football player. You'd think people would be even more open minded in 2013 and that because women are so dominant that Mika would have a real niche carved out for himself as one of the few power pop male vocalists...but... That's because music is a huge business and all about business now. Back in the 80's (60's, 70's and even in some of the music of the 90's) it was all about the attitude and opinion. It really was the way of living. Honesty is rare in todays music. One of the reasons I'm here is because I recognize this in Mika. But I guess honesty is not important and commercial enough for BBC1. World is really a strange place these days. When I was a teenager me and my friends never thought about who is gay and who is not. My best friend and I learned how to put make up on by looking at Boy George posters (and yes we did look like parrots:aah:) and it never was a question about his sexuality. He was gorgeous to us because he was different. Today it became question No1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 World is really a strange place these days. When I was a teenager me and my friends never thought about who is gay and who is not. My best friend and I learned how to put make up on by looking at Boy George posters (and yes we did look like parrots:aah:) and it never was a question about his sexuality. He was gorgeous to us because he was different. Today it became question No1. I wasn't referring to sexuality exactly but just the fact that it's not cool to be that 80s style camp anymore. It doesn't matter of you're gay or straight (as many pop musicians were in those days like Duran Duran). I know gay men who don't like Mika because they think he's too camp which just seems absurd to me because even heavy metal bands were all wearing makeup and spandex pants and long hair when I was a teenager. You would really have to be in full on drag these days to look more camp than even the straightest musicians in the 80s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nenartus Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I wasn't referring to sexuality exactly but just the fact that it's not cool to be that 80s style camp anymore. It doesn't matter of you're gay or straight (as many pop musicians were in those days like Duran Duran). I know gay men who don't like Mika because they think he's too camp which just seems absurd to me because even heavy metal bands were all wearing makeup and spandex pants and long hair when I was a teenager. You would really have to be in full on drag these days to look more camp than even the straightest musicians in the 80s. I know. I just wanted to say the matter of sexuality looks so much important now and we didn't even think about it back in the 80's. Maybe that's why everybody looks and sounds the same today. To cover their sexuality or to mislead since it's such a big deal. Everyone was free to dress up or sound anyway he or she likes in the 80's so this situation today looks even stranger. Seems like everything is going backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiibet Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I know. I just wanted to say the matter of sexuality looks so much important now and we didn't even think about it back in the 80's. Maybe that's why everybody looks and sounds the same today. To cover their sexuality or to mislead since it's such a big deal. Everyone was free to dress up or sound anyway he or she likes in the 80's so this situation today looks even stranger. Seems like everything is going backwards. Just wanted to quote you, it's exactly like you say. Surprising things seems to go backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 I know. I just wanted to say the matter of sexuality looks so much important now and we didn't even think about it back in the 80's. Maybe that's why everybody looks and sounds the same today. To cover their sexuality or to mislead since it's such a big deal. Everyone was free to dress up or sound anyway he or she likes in the 80's so this situation today looks even stranger. Seems like everything is going backwards. In my experience the reason no one was thinking about it in the 80s is because it was taboo. No one talked about it in public, they got involved in heterosexual relationships to cover it up, etc. I didn't think about George Michael being gay because I thought it was impossible not because I was so open minded about sexuality that I didn't think it was an issue. I think there has been huge progress on that front. I think the lack of androgyny these days is not just simply people trying to cover up their sexuality because women are also reinforcing this distinction between the sexes in a huge way, probably moreso than the men. Fake hair, fake nails, fake boobs, fake eyelashes, ridiculously revealing clothes. Even everyday women are walking around looking like Vegas showgirls. If you had walked around the streets like that in the 1980s people would have thought you were a hooker or a stripper. Anyway Mika just seems to be on the wrong side of this trend and I think trading in his hipster skinny jeans, Converse and little singer-songwriter keyboard for the costumes and huge sets wasn't something as many people were willing to embrace. I have to say I like his simpler 2012 image instead of all the costumes myself. Obviously I don't care about his image one way or another regardless of my personal preferences but I am already a fan and already have an appreciation of him beyond how he comes across to others. But I'll admit that I judge other artists based on their image. I think it's human nature and that's why everyone, including Mika, has stylists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyn Mastin Posted January 5, 2013 Share Posted January 5, 2013 Singer/songwriters were all the rage at that time and I guess I just saw Mika turning into a proper pop star as he became more successful but it seems to be completely dominated by women and 18 year old boys. You've still got the Ed Sheerhan types but Mika is no longer a boy sitting alone at a keyboard and he's obviously never going to be a girl. I still can't understand why things have turned out this way especially since everyone was beyond camp in the 1980s. I was watching an old Duran Duran video a couple of weeks ago and honestly they make Mika look like a football player. You'd think people would be even more open minded in 2013 and that because women are so dominant that Mika would have a real niche carved out for himself as one of the few power pop male vocalists...but... I think he just needs to branch into other things. Explore other aspects of music rather than the pop charts. His music is too good for today's charts anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enigma Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I don't think it's anything to do with the camp thing, the gay thing, the fact that singer-songwriters might be out of fashion, the fact that Radio One aren't playing his stuff, etc. I think when Mika was voted Sound Of 2007, he was a very well-deserved winner, and that part of the reason he won was because he was so different from anything else around. Initially, he lived up to the promise he showed, and he had a huge ready-made market to tap into - discerning people who really appreciated the good songwriting, lyrics, musicianship, etc., but also his uniqueness, and the fact that he put two fingers up to what might be the fashion of the moment, and did his own thing. And the reason he could do that was because he had a massive amount of creativity and talent. The fact that he has now clearly tried to "fit in" with what is considered current, and has collaborated with "the right people", only means he has to some extent dumbed down and lost the one thing that set him apart - BEING SUPER-TALENTED AND DIFFERENT. I just wish he'd get back to being belligerent and pig-headed and carving out his own path, rather than following the well-trodden path of a thousand other (IMO inferior) artists. I'm not suggesting for one minute that he should have made a third album exactly like the first two, I just don't feel there's been a progression, more a REgression due to him being influenced by, and listening to, other people's ideas. He doesn't need to collaborate with anyone. His own ideas and creations are better than any of them - after all, one of the best songs he's ever written was Over My Shoulder and that was back in about 1066! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetieval Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Hello MFC, is it still the topic where we wish a happy new year ??? Oh, yes it is.... So Happy new year and all the best for all Mika fansHope we will have a lot of gigs and gifts from Mika this year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cecilia Barrios Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 MFC HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Back to make contact with my dear MFC Never too late to wish best wishes to my friends in the MFC that 2013 brings many good surprises and many concerts the MIKA in many parts of the world! especially Latin America but always try to be aware of our golden boy .... I will try to be more present in the forum as in old times.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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