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RADIO-CANADA [Il est toujours 5 h quelque part] phone interview 16 May 2020


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31 minutes ago, Mikasister said:

 

Thank you!

 

Does he say something about gigs, festivals or projects for the future?

no he didn't say much more than we already know

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9 minutes ago, Anna Ko Kolkowska said:

 

 

A song Mika mentioned in the interview: he was listening to while preparing his dinner with Andy that evening.

 

 

 

 

I remember he played it during an "art of songs" session

I realy love this song !

 

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Here is an English translation of the interview.

 

RADIO CANADA 16 05 2020 interview by Pierre_Yves Lord

 

 

He should give a concert yesterday evening in Montreal, and today in Quebec at the Center Videotron.

However, he had to cancel America's tour for a reason well known to us. But we could talk to him by phone in distant Athens, where, along with his two dogs, he decided to be in quarantine. Good evening Mika.

 

M: Good evening. How are you?

 

P-Y: I'm fine. I am glad that during the "5 a 7" program we can talk over a long-distance drink. How are things in Greece?

M: As for the situation here, it is rather good. The government reacted very quickly. But I'm becoming a little crazy. Really. I can tell you that they reacted here very quickly and so on ... I found myself here in a strange moment. I was on tour. I was in Australia and suddenly ... The concerts in China were canceled ... Then South Korea ... Then Japan ... Then I thought that next will be Lollapaluza in South America ... Coachella ... and all the rest. The tour was to last two and a half months. And I was in Wanuatu ... in the Pacific ... I was filming there something. I asked myself then: where should I go now? My boyfriend cannot enter the United States because he has no green card. I couldn't be with my family in Paris because the hotel I always stay in was closed. I told myself: OK. I don't want to be alone in the States and go crazy there. I don't know how long it will take. I'm going to Athens. And now I'm in his (Andy's) tiny apartment, right in the city center, where the Acropolis can be seen from the balcony. It's such a flat for a student with an amazing view. I can say that I was lucky because I am not too far from my family, and I have a beautiful view from the balcony where I spend most of my time reading books.

 

P-Y: You know Mika, I had the opportunity to see what your apartment looks like. In social media, on Instagram you showed videos, so-called "Live", where you cook, talk, play music for an hour. You dance, cook ...

M: What is a home? For me, like for many people, this is kitchen and music. Often both at the same time. I listen to everything. For example, tonight we're going to have dinner - me and Andy – and I listened to Mike Posner's album, the song is called "Iris". I also listened to the arias performed by Cecylia Bartoni – a lyrical singer. In contrast, there was also Nirvana and a little bit of Cher .... I really feel a little awkward because it's not a perfect playlist. But it is funny. At home, we don't care what other people think ... I didn't want to perform in this whole situation. I don't have a piano here, I didn't want to sing a capella. I didn't want to perform using my telephone. Everything I had, I invested in this tour, a huge show. And suddenly the tour ends in a half way Everything is canceled. What am I supposed to do? Sing to the phone? I said no. I don’t sing now. I'm listening now. And then I'll sing even more and louder.

 

P-Y: Let's imagine that you would enter the Center Videotron stage tonight. What would the last moments before going on stage look like? When the lights are down, when you hear the crowd waiting for the beginning of the show? What state are you in? What happens for a few seconds before entering the stage?

M: The question you asked me is very important on my concerts. My concert starts at the moment you enter the venue. If we want the audience to open completely, to become softer ... more expressive ... we must take responsibility for managing it. You have to tell them that everything is fine. If only life changes for these two and a half hours, if we suspend reality, make us more human, more real, let us feel emotions that are more joyful ... When people come to my concerts, something starts to happen. For this latest tour, I wrote songs that are something like a biography, self-portrait, which is associated with colors. It is divided into chapters in different colors. And I put my life and my emotions that I share with the audience into colors. Blue, red and so on ... I created a whole rainbow. And finally I say: even in white, which is not the color, which is the coldest thing in the world, all the colors of the universe are included. So this is a poetic and emotional journey through emotions, using music, of course. So, the concert becomes a circus of colors. Spectacular and very personal at the same time.

 

P-Y: Does this mean that you're preparing the audience to be open to feeling? And you, Mika? When you are on stage - let me remind you that your album is called "Michael Holbrook" - then are you Mika or Michael?

M: I am both. This is the result of both of them. One is going to bed at night crying, afraid, worried. The second one goes on stage and sings in front of thousands of people he doesn't know ... I speak in the third person now, but in order to show this fight between two personalities in my life ... Since I have been working since I was seven, I am Mika. But I was born as Michael. I rejected my father's name, Michael, to become Mika ...

 

P-Y: But why?

M: I don't know. I never understood why it happened ... I was afraid that I would not have the strength to be Mika ... It is strange ... There is always tension in me provoking creativity ... For me it was also a relationship with my dad, my mum who trained me ... dad was often absent ... but there is a lot of love between three of us and the whole family ... It's funny, but on stage I can say everything without the need to look for nice words, without the need to apologize, without fear of someone being offended ... ... I can say everything on stage. Through gesture, emotion, look ... I say that while singing we expose ourselves completely. We can do strip tease ... I can take off ... I can show my bare ass ... I can take off my underwear ... but you will see less than when I sing. This applies to everyone.

 

P-Y: Yes, a more personal relationship is created ... Mika, apparently you are learning Arabic and philosophy in Greece.

M: And how do you know that? Did you do the research?

 

P-Y: Yes, I did some research. So is that true? Are you learning Arabic and philosophy?

M: Well, I have to do something. I don't have a piano here. For now, I listen to a lot of music. I’ll tell you something. It hasn't happened to me for a long time ... I listened to the music last night and I had tears in my eyes. I was alone in my room and really ... I wasn't drunk. I drank tea and I had tears in my eyes ... it has not happened to me for so long that I was alone in my room and had tears in my eyes.

 

P-Y: What was the song?

M: Oh, you want to know everything.

 

P-Y: I want to know which song made you cry. What kind of music causes you such emotions that tears flow.

M: It was Nina Simone "Black, Black, Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair". This is an amazing song. (We hear a fragment of the song) ... It's amazing, isn't it? I think it's because of the decompression of my brain that has taken place over the last 6-7 weeks ... it made me more ... human. Everything has become more important again. Music has become more important. Awareness of the love I feel for my friends, family and music. It all became much more important. And at the same time I don't care what other people think. This is the kind of irreverendness that I hope I can keep when one day - and it doesn't happen quickly - everything will become more normal again.

 

P-Y: We give up our defences. We are more real ... Mika, is it possible that one day you will move to Montreal? For a month, for several months ... years?

M: I would like to. I spoke about it many times, but no one offered me a job. And because I'm a gypsy from the circus ... because I really work like in a circus: I started very early ... I follow creativity, because I feel at home when I can express myself freely when a project comes up. But for now, nobody offered me anything. I wouldn't really think too long. I really like Montreal.

 

P-Y: I think this city loves you too. And if you look for a job, we can work together on the radio at "5 and 7". I invite you whenever you want ... It was a huge pleasure to talk to Mika. You are very nice.

M: Thank you. It was a great pleasure. You warmed my heart.

 

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5 hours ago, Anna Ko Kolkowska said:

 

 

A song Mika mentioned in the interview: he was listening to while preparing his dinner with Andy that evening.

 

 

Iris Lyrics

 

If I could be just one thing
I would be what you're craving
Six foot three with steel blue eyes
Sweep you off of your feet before you count to five
But the truth is I am just a man
Standing five foot ten doing the best I can
And I've lived long enough to see
You will never be craving me

Oh whoa
I watched her go
After she planted her love in the top soil
And from the top soil an iris bloomed
It was pretty in May, but it died in June

If I could sing the way I feel inside
It'd sound happy and sad at the same damn time
'Cause when you smiled at me on that dance floor
It was the prettiest mask that you ever wore

Oh whoa
I watched her go
After she planted her love in the top soil
And from the top soil an iris bloomed
It was pretty in May, but it died in June

From the top soil an iris bloomed
It was pretty in May, but it died in June
 

 

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Many thanks @Anna Ko Kolkowska ! :wub2: I love the interview, especially the parts about his concerts and Mika/Michael. I wonder why he says he doesn't know why he rejected his father's name to become Mika, I thought he had said before that it was because singing and performing gave him back a sense of value, after his whole life crashed when his father was caught in Kuwait, they lost everything, moved, he got bullied, his father wasn't the same anymore when he returned... or was it just me who made this connection? There were so many interviews, I can't remember all the details. :teehee: But maybe this story just was too long, deep and complicated for a 10 minute radio interview. He does quickly mention that his Dad was away often and his Mum trained him, so maybe that's to sum it up without telling the whole story - his fans know it anyway.

 

1 hour ago, Anna Ko Kolkowska said:

It's funny, but on stage I can say everything without the need to look for nice words, without the need to apologize, without fear of someone being offended

 

Aww. :huglove:  I really hope he can keep / intensify this feeling of "I don't care what other people think" that he seems to have now, as he says at the end of the interview - I love it that he's such a sweet and caring and sensitive guy, but it seems he still can't free himself of always trying to please everyone. And he's right, it's funny, because on stage he doesn't try but he manages exactly that. :lol3: And yeah, I guess that is the connection to the music and singing, as he says. So far I thought the "singing reveals more about a person than if they take off their underwear" was just part of his show, to connect with people, a fun element he added - personally, I can't see (yet) what he means with this. Singing can make you feel free and open and in touch with yourself, and you need courage to sing in front of others, that's for sure - but idk, I see and hear the others in my choir sing every week (not now, but usually), but I didn't find that very revealing so far. :dunno::teehee:

 

What I find interesting is that he said in the last live that he started writing again, but here he says that he still doesn't have a piano, he doesn't want to sing now - so I suppose what he meant in the live wasn't writing songs. Maybe lyrics. Or maybe his book (if he ever wants to finish that, I guess now's a good time :teehee:). Or just a shopping list. :naughty: Tho he also said in the Greek interview that the lockdown helps him a lot for his creativity. He kind of avoided answering the question here about learning Arabic and Philosophy, so maybe he's given that up already. Or he changes his mind daily, sometimes feeling really motivated and sometimes just reading and listening to music all day. I could totally relate to that, I'm very moody these days. :rolleyes:

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18 hours ago, Paoletta said:

@Subtitling Team Please can you  translate also in italian ?

11 hours ago, Elena Mastro said:

 

I can take charge of the Italian translation, if you allow me. :wink2:

 

We are already working on the Italian and English translation. Working as a team and adding subtitles to a video requires more time than translating directly and sharing the text here or on socials, please be patient with us :no:

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INSTAGRAM

 

Mika en confinement en Grèce (Il est toujours 5h quelque part)

S'il n'était pas question de la pandémie de COVID-19, Mika (@mikainstagram) aurait été en ce moment au Québec en tournée pour son album My Name Is Michael Holbrook.

Il se trouve plutôt confiné à Athènes, en Grèce, avec ses deux chiens, sans trop savoir quand il remontera de nouveau sur la scène.
•Au micro de Pierre-Yves Lord (@monsieurpy), il raconte sans inhibition ses déboires de confinement.
•Rendez-vous sur l'appli @rc_ohdio pour écouter toute l'émission!

#pierreyveslord #ohdio #icipremiere #été #radio #balado #podcastfranco #dj #musique #mika #mikamusic @revelation_tour_mika

 

 

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