Mika in UK and Ireland press - 2025

Kumazzz · January 10

2025

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Kumazzz · January 10

Independent School Parent

https://www.independentschoolparent.com/featured/interview-mika-westminster-school/

Thu 9th Jan 2025

Interview:

Mika "Westminster was great for the development of what always should be a unique sense of self."

Founded in 1560, Westminster School – where Sir Christopher Wren, Lord Lloyd-Webber and Sir John Gielgud studied – has within its walls an exuberance, as evidenced by alumni including Helena Bonham Carter, Dido, plus Brit and Ivor Novello award-winner, Mika.

Known for its gold-standard education, Westminster School in London not only boasts the second highest national Oxbridge acceptance rate, but also a strong music programme that offers both academic coursework and diverse musical activities. It’s perhaps little surprise then that it was at the school – which is located in the precincts of Westminster Abbey itself – that singer and songwriter Mika began to build a solid foundation in music.

Among many engagements beyond the classroom, the school arranges visits to renowned venues like the Royal Opera House, the Southbank Centre and a host of West End theatres. Students also benefit from masterclasses with internationally acclaimed musicians and participate in composition workshops, fostering both discipline and creativity.

It was this and more that attracted the parents of Mika (real name Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr). The family initially moved to Paris from war-torn Lebanon, then on to London, where Westminster became a pivotal space – the doorstep of one of the world’s most vibrant cultural, historic and architectural cities, combining with the emergences of his own natural talent for stage and studio.

Mika, who was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, also benefited from special attention at Westminster School, with his diligence and aptitude leading to him winning a place at the London School of Economics. Once at Westminster, he began to put the building blocks in place for a music career, enrolling after his time at the school at the Royal College of Music, where he remained until the release of his debut single, Relax, Take It Easy (which topped the charts in Belgium, France and the Netherlands). Having opened the door, follow-up smash hit Grace Kelly truly made Mika a household name globally, with album Life In Cartoon Motion going platinum six times over, setting him on his way to become the world’s biggest-selling rock-pop solo artist in 2007.

Mika has gone on to release five further long-players, as well as serving as a judge on the French version of The Voice, and The Piano in the UK. “I’d had what I’d describe as an inconsistent childhood in the sense I’d moved around a lot, struggled at other schools and even been home-schooled for a while. I remember arriving at Westminster School with all the usual trepidation – I knew I didn’t want to be restricted by genre labels and was relieved to find in the school (and London itself) that it was going to be possible to forge my own path.

“The school itself is absolutely stunning. Set in the heart of London, the buildings reflect a rich cultural and social history. The old school has this beautiful, classic architecture with intricate stonework, and the cloisters and courtyards are peaceful, almost timeless. The contrast between the busy city and the serene space inside the campus is incredible. There’s this perfect blend of old and new that made it an inspiring place to learn and grow.

“I was obsessed with music and that was my world, but I wasn’t the stereotypical ‘geek’ – the one who excelled academically and was admired for their brains. At the same time, I wasn’t exactly the cool kid, either. “As I wasn’t out on the football field or at the centre of the social scene I kind of ended up in my own space, and that shaped who I am today. As I’ve said, sometimes being on the fringes offers the freedom to view properly and to explore, and Westminster was great for the development of what always should be a unique sense of self.

“The school also provided great assistance with my dyslexia. The teachers there were incredibly supportive, providing me with the space and resources I needed to work at my own pace. They really understood my challenges, which made a big difference in how I approached learning.

“Naturally, my performance side soon came to the fore and one of my first proper experiences in front of an audience included a production of Vaughan Williams’ The Pilgrim’s Progress when I was about 15 years old. It was around that time I fell in love with the stage, the lights and the rush of connecting with a crowd. It was an exhilarating way to learn the ropes and inspired me to think seriously about a career in music. I wrote songs constantly, drawing on the contrasts around me. That balance taught me so much about fusing genres and finding my own voice. I wasn’t a traditional Westminster School student, but I think the mould has been broken even further since.

“Having had a real taste of the arts there, I knew going on to study Economics at LSE was never going to be for me. I just knew music was where I needed to be, but at that age you tend to go with the flow until it’s too late! “Subsequently I lasted a day at LSE! When I moved on to the Royal College of Music I underwent a period of incredible discovery and challenge. London was a whole new world for me – bustling, dynamic and filled with endless cultural inspiration. Like at Westminster, there was an intense dedication in the student population, and it’s those high standards that drive us all to constantly push our limits.

“As time went on, I was living two lives, in a way. There was this formal world of intense practice and then, at night, I’d go to clubs and let my imagination run wild. I wanted to break free from strict genre definitions and create something entirely of my own, with London in the early noughties acting as a hotbed for creativity and independence, a place where I felt free to experiment and begin to shape my own musical identity; and the belief to do that came from my time at Westminster School.”

Mika was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age and benefited from special attention at Westminster School. Picture: Angel Marchini, ZUMA Press Wire, Shutterstock

Westminster School in London boasts the second highest national Oxbridge acceptance rate. Picture: Westminster School

Mika credits the school for the ability to shape his musical identity. Picture: Universal Music

dcdeb · January 10

It's so interesting to me that this should come out at this time. Thanks for finding and posting, @Kumazzz !

Kumazzz · January 11

The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/2025/jan/10/year-best-record-sleeves-lady-gaga-fontaines-dc-hiatus-kaiyote-in-pictures

Fri 10 Jan 2025 07.00 GMT

‘Is it sexual? Or violent?’: 2024’s best record sleeves – in pictures

Last year saw dazzling cover art for records by Fontaines DC, Julia Holter and more.

But Rajni Perera’s soulful blue painting for Hiatus Kaiyote’s Love Heart Cheat Code proved to be the ultimate winner of the 20th Best Art Vinyl award.

Cover image and art by Royal Gilbert and Big Active for Que Ta Tête Fleurisse Toujours by Mika

The album title, which translates as ‘may your head always bloom’, suggests a hinterland of dreams and creativity, which designer Mat Maitland of Big Active and Mika interpreted into a fantasy image of Mika sitting on a cloud. Stylistically they strove to create something between a photo and a painting to further support the concept

Photograph: Island Def Jam