Cautionary Wife Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 THE EXAMINER Entertainment Tom Lanham, The Examiner Mar 2, 2007 SAN FRANCISCO - The obvious: One of the most charming, delightful and altogether sunniest singles in ages belongs to a 23-year-old, Beirut-born Londoner named Mica Penniman, who performs under the moniker Mika. Already a No. 1 hit overseas, “Grace Kelly†melds barrelhouse piano and a campy vaudevillian melody with the singer’s soaring Freddie Mercury acrobatics (even name-checking Mercury in the lyrics), and frappes it all into the most sugary confection on the air waves. But the truth behind the track is anything but sweet. The path from Lebanon to “Life in Cartoon Motion† Mika’s chart-topping new Casablanca debut disc  wasn’t paved with gold, says the singer, on a recent whirlwind promotional tour of the States. The Penniman clan left their homeland as it sank into civil war, relocating to France shortly after Mika was born. For eight blissful years, he recalls, “I had a kind of charmed life in Paris, so I took it for granted that life would always be like what my life was like at my little French school.†As soon as his folks moved to Britain, things took a nosedive. Perhaps it was his fashion sense, he reflects  his customary red trousers with matching bow tie. Or maybe it was his operatically-high voice. “But when we went to London, it was a complete nightmare. I didn’t have any easy time, for every textbook reason, from the size of my hips  which I don’t think are particularly large  to that I was a little bit chubbier then. So I was called everything from a fag to a fatty, and it was like ‘Lord of the Flies.’†When teachers got in on the derisive act, too, he says, “That’s when I just completely started to break down, and I kind of cut myself off from the world.†He was so traumatized, he literally forgot how to read and write. His mother dutifully pulled him out of school for six months, and sent him to study with a Russian singing coach. The lost boy quickly found himself again; Mika was soon appearing in a Strauss production at the Royal Opera House. The young artist’s life quickly divided into two parts: the fake world, school, and reality, music, where, he says, “I was treated like an adult, given responsibility and paid money. Not a lot, but I felt like I was. ... I was real.†Only one instructor gave him any usable grown-up skills, teaching him that everything creative was about developing a process, and “if you established it in the right way then it could only lead to success. And now I apply that to everything in my life, even my songwriting.†It took a while. But the underdog eventually triumphed over his tormentors. Mika started small, composing in-flight music for British Airways, even an Orbit gum jingle before inking his first hastily-aborted deal (“Grace Kelly†was a kiss-off to some meddlesome execs). Currently, Mika  who resembles a young Rupert Everett, circa “Another Country† has been snapped up for Paul Smith’s summer fashion campaign, and licensed his bubbly “Love Today†track to Motorola’s (RED) commercials. Now, as he stands ready to become the breakout star of ’07, Mika can laugh about those misunderstood days when he was obsessed with comics, toys, art books, Egyptian music  “things that don’t translate well to the schoolyard, because no one ever gave it a chance.†He adds, “But I’m sure if people actually spent a little more time with me, as opposed to writing me off at face value, then things would’ve been easier.†Thanks to the picture-perfect “Grace Kelly,†Mika has all the get-acquainted time he needs. --- CW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-on.the sax Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 An interesting read, i bet Mika would be a great story teller, Well as we can see from his songs, but i can see him reeling off stories, it sounds like he's had lots of life experiences that have obviously brought him to, well what we see now ha ha, do i sound indepth there, i wasn't meaning it, lol [currently listening to queen] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisylou Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 I know we have heard it all before but its a lovely story where the good guy wins in the end! He seems to have so many stories to tell that I think he will be here for a long time yet even if its just to clear his mind of every thing that has troubled him in his life and lets hope so! xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean_Fairy Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Awww sweet, poor lost boy and this is such a great description "One of the most charming, delightful and altogether sunniest singles in ages. " He liked egyptian music how awesome is that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 thanks, CW, What a lovely brief on him, this is rally positive and well written, makes people wanting to hear and see more of him ! I love it! It is using the knows press release material, stirring it and unfolding it afresh, with a twist of humor and adding enough spice to awaken curiosity... brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raha! Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 very interesting; touching, even. i used to know some egyptian songs when i lived in dubai...but the only one i remember goes, "habibi, habibi!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raha! Posted March 3, 2007 Share Posted March 3, 2007 thanks CW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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