Thank God that You Found Me

[QueenBigFat]

Millions celebrate his music, live performances, and TV shows, but for many, the Mika experience can also be profoundly life changing. Do you see things in a different way since discovering Mika? Has the man or his music motivated or inspired you, kindled, or rekindled your creativity? Are you kinder towards yourself or others, more open, more caring? Has Mika helped you to be brave? Assisted your healing from trauma? Provided an environment that allowed you to find support, break free of oppression or isolation? Please share your experience. It doesn’t have to be a big dramatic story: after all, tiny steps are as valuable as tiny love.

[holdingyourdrink]

Love that you have decided to start this thread. If you allow me, I’d love to dive into it right away.

 

14 hours ago, QueenBigFat said:

Has the man or his music motivated or inspired you, kindled, or rekindled your creativity?

I think this mostly applies to me. I come from a very emancipated and immigrant household where education is everything and was absolutely the main focus growing up. I have been raised with the idea that in order to excel and to succeed, distractions were not allowed if they would possibly hurt my education. The best metaphor I can find is that I was only allowed to be one colour, in order to succeed and to excel. And that one colour was my education. 

 

I used to draw for fun. It was my meditation. But I had given up on it when I was 17, because life happened. I had put this part of me away. For almost 20 years. 
 

Then BAM a pandemic happened and my incredibly efficient constructed life just kind of went POOF. In the meantime my life was still very busy, but different. So the one colour I had chosen to be, was kind of established and settled in my life. I had already reached the point where I had succeeded and excelled. 

 

One day during the start of pandemic I heard Mika on the radio in a frantic pandemic supermarket craziness, it was “Relax” and although I knew the song, it’s the first time I really started listening while witnessing the bizarre situation in front of me unfold. I decided to look him up and dove into a whole discovery of not just his entire discography, but also the rest of his work. 

That day I also decided to start drawing again.
 

Long story short: his music and his work have opened my mind, to not only acknowledge but also honour all sides of me. Including my artistic side. It allowed me to see myself in all the colours that I am and to BE colourful. And to be proud of that. It allowed me to connect the dots that have always been there, his work just opened my eyes to it. I now feel very enriched in all aspects of my life.

 

I don’t really share my doodles on the forum, but I do so on my Instagram profile. In case anyone is curious. 

Edited September 30, 2023 by holdingyourdrink

[QueenBigFat]

Wow.

Thank you for sharing that wonderful, moving, victorious  experience.

 

Edited September 29, 2023 by QueenBigFat

[CharlotteL]

Thank you for sharing that Michelle, very interesting!

I love how you describe expressing different sides of yourself as accepting different colours, a theme that Mika has often used himself and can be applied to so many things in life.

The realization that you don't have to decide on one path and that you can be many things at the same time is so freeing.

 

The biggest impact Mika has had on my life was the way he deals with queerness and sexuality I think.

I am young (and therefore lucky) enough to have seen lgbt+ representation in media throughout my teens and young adulthood but never had I seen or heard anything that felt as relatable to me as his lyrics. He expressed thoughts and emotions I had never known other people felt as well and it made me feel seen and validated in a whole new way. Which I think finally allowed me to accept these emotions, feel less guilty about them and made me more compassionate towards myself.

In the end this even led to me finally coming out fully so yes, he did indeed help me to be brave. I mean I have no idea if I'd done it, had I not found his music at this point in time but I think there's a good chance I wouldn't have. And one way or another these two things will always be connected in my mind and I'm grateful for that. So thank god he found me when he did.

 

[linzijay]

This is a wonderful thread, I love reading everyone’s accounts of how Mika has impacted their lives.

 

Like with many of my favorite artists, I discovered Mika and his music during one of the darker periods of my life when I needed him the most. When I first heard “Lollipop” in Pitch Perfect 2, it was a little over a year into the pandemic and a little bit longer than that since my dad had passed away—among some other stresses in my life at the time—so I really needed someone and something like Mika and his creativity to help me through it and to see the world in a different and brighter way once again.

 

I would definitely say that Mika has helped me be more creative and has expanded my world, even just through simple things like understanding French and Italian a bit better than I ever did. My niece and I have also bonded through Mika and his music and I think he’s had a positive influence on my family overall.

 

Also: as I am someone who was bullied quite intensely throughout high school, I find Mika’s overall message of acceptance and empathy to be both comforting and vitally important. I wish I’d discovered him sooner, but sometimes I think that maybe I found him at just the right time.

[QueenBigFat]

1 minute ago, linzijay said:

Also: as I am someone who was bullied quite intensely throughout high school, I find Mika’s overall message of acceptance and empathy to be both comforting and vitally important. 

God, bullying is so soul destroying. I do admire anyone who survived it. I also think internalized homophobia, such as CharlotteL described (and I struggled with from the age of 8) is kind of like a self-bullying. 
 

But what I really wanted to say was…oh, you think you discovered Mika, huh? Not the other way around?

[linzijay]

3 minutes ago, QueenBigFat said:

But what I really wanted to say was…oh, you think you discovered Mika, huh? Not the other way around?

It really does make sense when we say he found us rather than the other way around—he's that type of force in the world.

[CharlotteL]

10 hours ago, linzijay said:

I wish I’d discovered him sooner, but sometimes I think that maybe I found him at just the right time

This is exactly how I feel as well!!

I'm sad sometimes that I didn't discover him sooner but I also think that maybe I wouldn't have been ready for his messages and I wouldn't have absorbed them in the way I did now.

I'm not a big believer in fate but I am a hopeless optimist so I chose to believe that it all worked out the way it was supposed to and what do I know maybe he really does find all of us exactly when we need him 

[holdingyourdrink]

12 hours ago, QueenBigFat said:

Wow.

Thank you for sharing that wonderful, moving, victorious  experience.

 

Thank you, but I am not sure if it’s victorious per sé. It’s been a natural outlet to what felt like unanswered questions in my life, if that makes any sense? Like I mentioned in the other topic when we started talking about this: creativity begets creativity. I feel Mika’s work just gave me the right nudge to allow myself to be creative again. 
 

Doesn’t take away from the fact that I’m a total fangurl though! Which means he is embarrassingly often the victim of my doodles. It’s my way of giving back. My form of a tiny love. 

 

12 hours ago, CharlotteL said:

I love how you describe expressing different sides of yourself as accepting different colours, a theme that Mika has often used himself and can be applied to so many things in life.

 

Thank you! And you know what? After I have discovered his work more and even have seen him live now many times, I keep expanding my colour palette. Not just in my own life: but when I’m drawing him as well. I feel that this is his superpower, one that he probably didn’t anticipate on, but ultimately the reality to us fans. 

[holdingyourdrink]

And @CharlotteLand @linzijay, I really loved reading your stories and your version of how Mika opened your mind to things that were always there…just hidden inside of you all this time. But it came to expression and that is such a beautiful thing. 

[linzijay]

2 hours ago, CharlotteL said:

I'm not a big believer in fate but I am a hopeless optimist so I chose to believe that it all worked out the way it was supposed to and what do I know maybe he really does find all of us exactly when we need him 

That’s a great way to think of it 😀

2 hours ago, holdingyourdrink said:

Mika opened your mind to things that were always there…just hidden inside of you all this time

This seems to be a theme among all of our stories here 😊 This is a fantastic way of describing it.

[QueenBigFat]

11 hours ago, holdingyourdrink said:

Thank you, but I am not sure if it’s victorious per sé.

I get it and agree with what you say, but I also think it is a victory to allow your real self to break free of restraints! In the women’s movement we call it “finding your voice.”

Edited September 30, 2023 by QueenBigFat

[CharlotteL]

@QueenBigFat had the idea for this thread after a conversation in the Last Party Discussion Thread went off topic. We mainly realized how Mika's art and his creativity inspires his fans to be creative themselves which is life changing in big and small ways.

I just compiled the key points from that conversation:

 

He seems to be able to activate people's creativity with his own creativity (or, how you put it: the inspiration he inspires!! xD)! When we queued for the Bristol gig, everybody sat down to do something crafty: we made crêpe paper flowers (you should've seen the look on his face when he saw the flowery and colorful first row!!), I remember one person doing embroidery, another one was making bracelets, then (maybe you've seen this) one person (Elizabeth) arrived with this wooden box she carpentered and painted herself, and then we all wrote little notes to put into it and for him to read. I've been to so many concerts in my life but I've never seen this much dedication, creativity, positivity, acceptance, sense of community and belonging, and passion in a fandom – truly inspiring.

@sarinaa

 

This is very true. For me personally, listening to his music and further exploring his work made me rediscover the artistic side of me, one that I had laid to rest for many years. Creativity begets creativity. His creativity is like a catalyst. Not just to me, to many!

@holdingyourdrink

 

Thank god he inspired you to draw again, we would miss out on so much beautiful art if you didn't.

It's the same for me I had nearly stopped making music altogether but his music sparked that joy in me again of just doing it for myself without constantly thinking about whether it's "good" or other people will like it. But just as a means to express myself and my emotions.

@CharlotteL

 

 

[QueenBigFat]

Thank you so much, CharlotteL.

 

This conversation is also for people who have changed or grown emotionally through Mika’s work. For me, in my life, I have always been speedy in public, and loud. Snarky. Hard. All of that was self protective but of course self defeating. My work as a therapist put my in the locally public eye a lot from the beginning, and I  also had a very public professional life on a local, then regional, then national level because of my work as a lecturer and author. A public face underwritten by the damage done by a childhood of building boundaries. But inside…in private conversations, or when I felt very very safe in the world—which was rare—lived a quiet, soft, warmer person. 

After I retired it actually got worse because political issues in the US so enraged me…the increasing verbal and physical violence against the queer community and women and immigrants and other minorities, the threat of losing this Democracy to the extreme right wing minority—-made me hard and hopeless.

 

Then I discovered Mika. 
 

and something changed in me.

 

The warmth in this community, his vulnerability, the lyrics that could pierce my hardness and so I could find my heart again, the intensity of his human connectedness with his audiences….he created a safe world for me to retreat to, where I could shred the shell and sarcasm and just….smile. And open up again. And cry a lot when I talk about him or watch his videos. And I am so very grateful that I have found an escape from the hideous realities in which I was drowning into the world he offers. Into the reach of his symbolic arms in his video for The Last Party, which offers human connection in these harsh and threatening times.

 

Love. 

[QueenBigFat]

I attempted to edit the above post and the system told me it could “no longer be edited “. I love computers.

 

anyhoo if you pardon the indulgence am posting the edited version

 

Thank you so much, CharlotteL.

 

This conversation is also for people who have changed or grown emotionally through Mika’s work. For me, in my life, I have always been speedy in public, and loud. Snarky. Hard. Funny hard, but closed off. All of that was self protective but of course self defeating. My work as a therapist put my in the locally public eye a lot from the beginning, and I  also had a very public professional life on a local, then regional, then national level because of my work as a lecturer and author. A public face underwritten by the damage done by a childhood of building boundaries. I had had therapy that helped me to be vulnerable in select circumstances, but not if I felt at all defended, which I often felt. Inside…in private conversations, or when I felt very very safe in the world—which was rare—I was a quiet, soft, warmer person. Loving deep connection. But in public, I sabotaged myself.

 

After I retired it actually got worse inside because political issues in the US so enraged me…the increasing verbal and physical violence against the queer community and women and immigrants and other minorities, the threat of losing this Democracy to the extreme right wing minority—-made me hard and hopeless through and through, except when I could find a way to laugh. 

 

Then I discovered Mika. 
 

and something changed in me.

 

The welcoming warmth in this community that so reflected who he is, his vulnerability, the lyrics that could pierce my hardness so I could find my heart again, the intensity of his human connectedness with his audiences…and that smile, right from his heart….he created a safe world for me to retreat to, where I could shred the shell and sarcasm and just….feel. And open up again. And cry a lot when I talk about him or watch his videos. And I am so very grateful that I have found an escape from the hideous realities in which I was drowning into the world he offers. Into the reach of his symbolic arms in his video for The Last Party, which offers human connection in these harsh and threatening times. The world is still a genuinely threatened and threatening place, but now I can retreat from it for a while to Mika’s world, where there is….Love. 

 

[holdingyourdrink]

@QueenBigFat, thank you for sharing. It is wonderful to read how connected you are with yourself again. With a part of you that has been tucked away, but resurfaced due to his work. I’m very glad that you found him and this community! And that you found a safe space here ❤️

[QueenBigFat]

Awwww. Thanks! I have been connected, but only to my bad parts! Now I have also broadened my ability live in the good parts more openly. Mika opens people to their best selves, as he did you! He's pretty amazing, huh?

[holdingyourdrink]

5 minutes ago, QueenBigFat said:

Awwww. Thanks! I have been connected, but only to my bad parts! Now I have also broadened my ability live in the good parts more openly. Mika opens people to their best selves, as he did you! He's pretty amazing, huh?

The adorable thing? He’s very humble about it. I have noticed when people tell him all the amazing things his work has enabled them to do, he gives them a shy smile and at one point even said “well, I’m glad that I could play a very tiny part in your journey, but I think you would have gotten there by yourself any way.”

 

I think it was the M&G in Bristol where he said that. But it holds true for any other time people come up to him and tell him their story. 

[Mubbin Sarina]

Yayy love this new chat and loved reading what's already been added 

Will need to think about how to elaborate on this even further (apart from the paragraph @CharlotteL was so kind to share), because Mika affected so many different spheres of my life – it's hard to put that into words, but I will definitely come back to this when I'm in the right place of mind (and got the time) to think about it :))

[CharlotteL]

51 minutes ago, holdingyourdrink said:

But it holds true for any other time people come up to him and tell him their story. 

I mean to be fair it must be so strange to have strangers come up to you and tell you how you have changed their life. Wonderful but strange.

But I'm sure deep down he understands because he also has role models who have had a big impact on his life.

Although that's exactly what Calum Scott pointed out to him in the Pride talk "Now you're gonna have people who look to you..." and Mika looked so flustered (but happy)

[QueenBigFat]

It feels like a big responsibility when put that way. Also, in my past (professional) life, I had a lot of people say that to me, and I responded as he did, because…it's true. The changed person did the work, for the most part. Besides which a “civilian” might be a bit overwhelmed, esp hearing it again and again (and again!) especially if you are still struggling with your own (recovery or coming out) process.

 

OTOH…. He gives out a very healing energy. Which becomes, as we used to say in the biz, a “corrective emotional experience”. Or a stimulating one (not that way, shaddup ). Of creativity.

[QueenBigFat]

I went back and checked my write up for this discussion. Fortunately I was consistent with my knowledge of this issue of who is responsible for our changes. I did not say he was responsible. Phew! Truth is, no one else “makes us”  do or feel anything. (you know how people say, “ you make me feel”? We are always responsible for our own…everything (except for victims). 
(I did screw up my post to Chat, however. Saying it that way is shorthand) 

Edited October 1, 2023 by QueenBigFat

[QueenBigFat]

Inspires. 

[TinyLove_CJ]

Very glad you've created this thread @QueenBigFat I feel like it's a topic many Mika fans will be able to discuss and express their own stories of life changing Mika moments.

 

As for myself, where do I start?! (I feel like this is a thread I'll keep popping back into to).

 

   Well the beginning is a good a place to start as any, so I shall start there!
   I was horrifically bullied from primary school and through to secondary school. For a long time I didn't have much in ways of releasing my emotions, I really didn't know how to express myself and open up to others. I also didn't like music that much when I was younger (shock horror I know!), there just wasn't anything out at the time that grabbed my attention! Certainly nothing substantial enough that I could relate to anyway. All of that changed in 2007.
   Secondary School bullying was WILD. Anything unusual or different that the bullies could pick up on was pretty much all the ammunition they needed to throw back in my face. I found very little escape from it. However, LICM came along and my life was truly changed.
  It took me a while to truly appreciate every song on the album but the ones that struck me straight away were Billy Brown, Stuck in the Middle and Lollipop. Now I was a rather naive child at the time, I didn't know what Lollipop was about at first but for me it became my anti-bullying song! Whenever I had a bad day I would listen to that song over and over again in an attempt to block out the hateful things I'd heard from the bullies. At home I would play LICM from beginning to end and dance around my room, I'd finally found a release for all the bad things that were happening and listening to music, MIKA'S music made me happy in a way that I couldn't experience at school.
(Discovering Mika also opened the door for other musical experiences too, I wouldn't be without music in my life now!).
   I soon realised that here was a guy who was putting his life story into song and I began to take more notice of the lyrics and create my own interpretations too. LICM was like a comfort blanket for me, never before had I felt such a strong relateble connection to an artist. I was hooked on the magic of Mika, his words, his openness and his honesty. It really was a life changing moment discovering him or I should say thank God he came into my life at the right time!

[QueenBigFat]