dcdeb Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 Although we have the fabulous and exhaustive Mika Encyclopedia, courtesy of @kreacher, we have had a number of requests for a shorter, quick FAQ on Mika... so we thought we'd give it a try. If you have any suggestions for changes/additions, please let us know. We don't really want to make it any longer, but if we're missing something that you think is really frequently asked, please say so! MIKA FAQ What’s Mika’s real name? Mika's full legal name is Michael Holbrook Penniman, Jr. He was named after his father, but was called Mica because his mother wasn’t keen on the whole “junior” thing. Why did he change it to “MIKA”? According to Mika, his nickname growing up was "Mica," but it was often mispronounced. He changed the "c" to a "k" so that it would be pronounced correctly, and as he also notes sometimes, because artistically the K looked better. When and where was Mika born? Mika was born on August 18, 1983 in Beirut, Lebanon. What’s Mika’s nationality? Mika's mother was born in the US, and his father is also a US citizen (though he was born overseas). Mika, however, was born in Lebanon. He used to have dual citizenship, holding both a UK and US passport, but it is unclear whether that is still true. Who is his mother? Who is his father? Mika's mother is Joanie Penniman. She passed away in January 2021. Mika's father is Michael Holbrook Penniman, Sr. How many brothers and sisters does Mika have, and what are their names and ages? Mika is the middle child in a family of five children - he has four siblings: His youngest brother Fortuné (born 1991 or '92), his younger sister Zuleika Allegra (born May 3, 1990), his older sister Paloma (born July 8, 1981), and his oldest sister Yasmine (born August 13, 1978). Does Mika have any pets? Mika has two golden retrievers, Melachi and Amira. Melachi was born in 2010, and is also known as Moo AKA Melachi the Witch. Amira was born in February 2015 and is Melachi's niece. She is also called Sharky. Where else has Mika lived besides London? After leaving Lebanon due to the civil war, Mika’s family moved to Paris, France (with a brief stopover in Cyprus) when he was about 1 year old. He lived in Paris until he was about 9, at which point his family moved to London. Where does he live now? Mika divides his time between his home in Tuscany in Italy and one in Miami, Florida. Which schools did Mika attend? After moving to London, Mika attended the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle. He left that school at age 11 due to a bullying-induced breakdown, and was consequently home-schooled by his mother for several months, at which time he also began to take voice and piano lessons with Alla Ardakov. He was then enrolled in St. Philips School in Kensington, and after that attended the Westminster School. Mika applied to and was accepted at the London School of Economics for a course of study in Geography, but dropped out on the first day and enrolled instead at the Royal College of Music. He eventually left the Royal College of Music to record his first album. How tall is Mika? Mika is around 188-191cm tall, or 6'3" (he jokes that it’s 6’4” counting his hair). How much does Mika weigh? Mika weighs around 160 lbs or 73 kg. What’s Mika’s vocal range? Mika says he has range of about 3-1/2 octaves. Is Mika gay? Yes. After years of speculation about his sexuality, Mika came out as a gay man in the September 2012 issue of INSTINCT magazine. You can read the article HERE. Is Mika dyslexic? According to Mika, he struggled with dyslexia as a child. This caused him troubles in school and in reading, spelling, telling time, etc. However, he has dealt with his dyslexia and is now an avid reader (though he remains an unconventional speller). He has also said that his dyslexia caused him to be incapable of reading sheet music. Does Mika have OCD? OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, is a psychiatric disease that causes involuntary obsessive thoughts that lead to compulsive actions. In people diagnosed with OCD, the disease is severe enough that it often interferes with living a normal life. Mika has said that he has OCD and that it causes him to do things like buy three pairs of any clothing item, but since “OCD” has entered casual usage as a reference to meticulousness, it is possible that he meant he has OCD traits rather than full OCD. A person can manifest a lot of OCD traits without necessarily having the disorder. How many languages does Mika speak? Mika speaks English, French and Italian fluently. He also speaks Spanish, and some Arabic. He studied Mandarin Chinese in school for several years, but says he has forgotten everything. What’s Mika’s religion? Mika has said that he was raised a “good Catholic boy,” but whether or not he is currently a practicing Catholic is unknown. Does Mika have a lazy eye? Mika has said that his left eye tends to be slightly “lazy” unless he makes an effort to keep it properly focused. Does Mika wear glasses or contacts? Yes. Mika usually wears contacts, but you can sometimes also spot him wearing stylish prescription glasses, particularly before or after a gig. Has Mika ever modeled? Yes, Mika modeled for Paul Smith’s Spring/Summer 2007 collection. Mika also served as the "face" of Lozza sunglasses in its 2012 campaign. Was Mika really an opera singer? Yes. He was a boy soprano at the Royal Opera House in London. You can hear him sing the part of the Woodcutter’s Boy on the Royal Opera House CD recording of The Pilgrim’s Progress. How can I contact Mika? We do not have an address for fan mail for Mika -- neither a postal address nor an email address, sorry. If we learn of a new address, we'll post it here. Read more about contacting Mika in this thread HERE. Currently, the only way to send a message to Mika is via his social media accounts (see below), or if you should happen to see him in person. Does Mika read the MFC forums? He used to, but it seems unlikely that he does now. Still, his management team keeps an eye on it, and the band and family members have been known to read it as well. Does Mika have a Facebook profile? Mika does not have a personal Facebook profile, although his team manages a MIKA Facebook page. Mika has said that any personal profile under his own name on Facebook is a fake. Does Mika have an X (formerly Twitter) account? Does he use Instagram or other social media? Mika's X/Twitter account is @mikasounds and yes, it is usually actually Mika tweeting from that account. He also has an Instagram account that he manages personally. You can find it at @mikainstagram. In October 2021, Mika started a TikTok account @mikatiktok. Mika does not have any other social media accounts that he personally manages that we know of. Where can I find Mika’s interviews and TV appearances? Check the Mika News and Press section of the forum HERE. Where can I find photos of Mika online? MikaFanClub.com is one of the best sources of photos of Mika on the internet! Visit any gig thread for photos of his latest performances, or check out the News forum for photos from current publications. You can also check out the latest Mikagasmics thread on the MFC for plenty of pics! Mika's official website yomika.com also maintains a library of recent photos. Where can I buy Mika merchandise online? From most locations, you can buy official current Mika merchandise from: https://mika.store/ In the UK, you can buy official merchandise from: https://shopuk.yomika.com/ For older merchandise, you have to check online auction sites such as eBay.com. How many albums has Mika released? Mika has released five studio albums to date: Life in Cartoon Motion (2007) The Boy Who Knew Too Much (2009) The Origin of Love (2012) No Place in Heaven (2015) My Name in Michael Holbrook (2019) Mika has also released a collection of his "greatest hits" so far. Called Songbook Vol. 1, it was released in Italy on November 12, 2013, and it contains his singles, as well as some special releases, such as "Live Your Life," from the Spanish commercial for San Miguel beer, and his duet of "Stardust" with the Italian singer Chiara Galiazzo, from X Factor Italia. In January 2020, Mika released a live digital-only album, MIKA: Live at Brooklyn Steel. It is a live recording of the concert he performed at the venue Brooklyn Steel in New York City on the night of September 13, 2019, to kick off the seven-date Tiny Love Tiny Tour. On February 19, 2021, Mika released another live digital-only album, MIKA: A l'Opera Royal de Versailles. It's a live recording of the very special symphonic concert he performed on December 16, 2020, in the Royal Opera of Versailles in Paris. Mika also has released an EP with an illustrated book called Songs for Sorrow (2009). When is Mika's next album coming out? Soon. Or, as we like to say, Mikasoon. Seriously, a French-language album titled "Que Ta Tete Fleurisse Toujours (May Your Head Always Bloom)" is scheduled for release on 1 December 2023. Mika's most recent studio album My Name Is Michael Holbrook was released October 4, 2019. In recent interviews, Mika has said that he will soon release another album in the English language. What was the first song Mika released? Mika released “Relax (Take It Easy)” in 2006 as a UK-only limited release. His first “official” single was “Grace Kelly.” What are Mika's singles? Relax (Take It Easy) Limited UK release, 2006 Europe, June 2007 Canada, July 2007 UK Re-release (with Lollipop) – December 2007 Grace Kelly January 2007 (Digital download followed by physical format single) Love Today April 2007 (UK) August 2007 (France) Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) July 2007 (UK) September 2007 (Germany) February 2008 (Australia) Happy Ending October 2007 (UK) November 2007 (Australia) December 2007 (Italy) Lollipop December 2007 (Released in the UK as a Double A-Side with Relax (Take It Easy) We Are Golden September 2009 Rain November 2009 Blame It On The Girls February 2010 Kick Ass May 2010 (Kick Ass soundtrack released March 29, 2010) Elle Me Dit July 11, 2011 Celebrate June 15, 2012 Underwater November 2012 Popular Song ft. Ariana Grande December 2012 Boum Boum Boum June 11, 2014 (June 17 in US and Canada) Talk About You March 25, 2015 (March 31 in US and Canada) Ice Cream May 31, 2019 Sanremo Dear Jealousy Tomorrow Domani All 2019 Bella d'Estate (with Michele Bravi) Le Coeur Holiday (with Soprano) Me, Myself (with Danna Paola) All 3 collaborations released in the summer of 2020 It Must Have Been Love (with Danna Paola) January 1, 2021 Yo Yo May 13, 2022 Bolero (with BabyK) June 2022 Keep It Simple (with Vianney) January 20, 2023 C'est La Vie September 1, 2023 Apocalypse Calypso October 20, 2023 Who directed Mika’s music videos? This is a partial list of Mika's videos and the directors. For a complete list, check the Mika Encyclopedia. Sophie Muller directed the music videos for “Grace Kelly” and “Love Today.” “Happy Ending” was directed by the duo AlexandLiane. Bonzom, a studio composed of 5 French animators, directed “Lollipop.” "We Are Golden" was directed by Jonas Åkerlund. "Rain" and "Blame it on the Girls" were both directed by Nez Khammal. "Kick Ass (We Are Young)", from the movie Kick Ass 2, was directed by Jim Canty. "Elle Me Dit," which features a number of French actors, but not Mika, was directed by Kinga Burza. The video for "Celebrate" was directed by Max Bohichik of BBGun and shot. "Make You Happy," a short film in which Mika does not appear, was directed by Canadian filmmaker Iouri Phillipe Paille. "Origin of Love," a short film rather than a true music video, was directed by Cristian Jimenez in Santiago, Chile. The video for "Underwater" was directed by Alex Southam. The video for "Popular Song" featuring Ariana Grande was directed by Chris Marrs Piliero. The video for "Boum Boum Boum" was shot on location in Spain and was directed by Jonathan Lia under Manic Butterfly Productions. The video "portrait" for the single "Last Party" was directed in black and white by fashion photographer Peter Lindbergh. The video for "Staring at the Sun" was co-directed by Andreas Dermanis and Mika. The videos for "Talk About You" and "Good Guys" were directed by fashion photographer KT Auleta on location in London. The video for "Hurts" was directed by Ivan Controneo, spliced with scenes from his film, "Un Bacio." A video for "Je Chante," which was used as an advertisement for French rail service TGV, was directed by Martin Werner. The video for "YoYo" was directed by MIKA himself. Where can I find the lyrics to Mika’s songs? While there are lyrics on many lyrics websites, we find MANY inaccuracies there. You can find complete, comprehensive, and we feel the most accurate, lyrics on MFC HERE. I've found the names of some old songs attributed to Mika that are not on the album or on any of the singles. What are they? Mika recorded a number of demos for Life in Cartoon Motion that did not make it onto the final album. These were leaked some time ago, and have made their way around the internet. They are not official releases, and Mika prefers that people do not share them further since these are unfinished versions of the songs and he may want to release them in another format at another time. MFC members try to comply with Mika’s wishes on the subject, and discuss only officially released songs, or songs that have been performed live. What songs by other artists has Mika covered? The following is a partial list of songs Mika has covered, with the original artist listed: Satellite ~~ Dave Matthews Band Can't Stand Losing You ~~ The Police You've Got The Love ~~ Candi Staton I Want You Back ~~ The Jackson Five Sweet Dreams ~~ The Eurythmics Missionary Man ~~ The Eurythmics Standing In The Way Of Control ~~ The Gossip When Doves Cry ~~ Prince Same Jeans ~~ The View Everybody's Talkin' ~~ Harry Nilsson Hips Don't Lie ~~ Shakira Teardrop ~~ Massive Attack Ain't Got No/I've Got Life ~~ Nina Simone Just Can't Get Enough ~~ Depeche Mode Faith ~~ George Michael Poker Face ~~ Lady GaGa Let It Snow ~~ Dean Martin (and others) Don't Stop Believin' ~~ Journey When I See An Elephant Fly ~~ Dumbo Original Movie Soundtrack I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues ~~ Elton John La Solitude ~~ Barbara We'll Be Comin' Back ~~ Calvin Harris/Example Everywhere ~~ Fleetwood Mac Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes ~~ Paul Simon Happy Xmas/War is Over ~~ John Lennon Rocket Man ~~ Elton John Without Her ~~ Harry Nilsson For a complete list of covers, visit the Mika Encyclopedia HERE. Who are the members of Mika’s live backing band? The current members of Mika's touring band are: Bass, Backing Vocals: Max Taylor Keyboards: Vincent Bidal Guitar: Clement Dewitt Drums: Wouter van Tornhout For a complete list of all musicians who have toured with Mika, check the Mika Encyclopedia HERE. Is it possible to meet Mika after a gig? How? Mika sometimes speaks with fans after his performances, although it is never guaranteed that you will be able to meet him at any one particular event. Circumstances vary depending on venue security, other commitments he may have, how he is feeling, and whether you are in the right place at the right time. Normally the “right place” is at the venue's artist entrance where he may come out anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours after the show. Patience is the key, so if you are determined to meet Mika you should plan to stay at the venue long after the show has ended. Depending on the circumstances, Mika may sign autographs or pose for photos, but there is no guarantee that he will -- usually, if he comes out, he just says hello and chats for a few minutes. How long do you have to queue to get a spot in the front row for general admission gigs? The length of time required to queue varies with the venue and the city. As Mika’s popularity has grown, queuing times to get into the front row have increased to as many as 6 or 7 (or even 10+!) hours before the doors open, especially in cities like Paris or Milan where a large number of fans attend the shows. Check in the gig thread to get an idea of when MFC members plan to start queuing for the gig you will be attending. Check with the venue to find out what time the doors will open. In most cases you will need to arrive at least two hours before the doors open, and often a lot earlier than that! How can I find out when and where Mika will be touring? Mika’s Facebook page and his official website yomika.com will list confirmed upcoming tour dates, but for the latest information and discussions check the MFC Calendar. There will be a separate thread for each date in the Concerts, Gigs, Tours and Performances forum. You can search for the thread in the forum or access it via a link in the calendar. Please note that while MFCers may hear about dates very early on, we don't consider dates as "confirmed" until verified by Mika or his team, or when they appear on Mika's Facebook page or on yomika.com. Who signed Mika? Tommy Mottola (formerly of Sony Music) originally signed Mika to his Casablanca label. (source: http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/story/0,,2067214,00.html) Nick Gatfield signed Mika to Island Records UK. (source: https://www.prlog.org/10046240-and-british-rs-share-no-1-spot-of-world-top-100.html) Which record company is Mika with? Mika is signed to Casablanca Records, a unit of Universal Republic Records Group, which in turn is a division of Universal Music Group. In the UK, Mika is signed to Island Records. Who is Mika's management? Mika's management team is RI Entertainment. 4 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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