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TBWKTM is #10 this week in France If I remember well it has been in the top 25 ever since its release in September, and it has (of course may I say as it's in France) reached #1. I am happy about it, but I find it so strange that the effect is not the same in some other places, particularly in the UK. British people loved him with LICM didn't they? Do they really find TBWKTM not good, do they not know about it or have they just changed their minds about Mika? Of course when I say 'them' it is really vague, I'm not blaming anybody just trying to understand, but we'll never get any answer I guess. Last thing is, even here BIOTG and Kick-Ass haven't been physically released. How strange is that? Are they not gonna release any song anymore?

And a few more... Especially for those who were on stage, hope you can see yourselves in there. Can anybody tell me if it's Mika's writing on the set list?

This gig was almost one week ago but I've still got so much of it in my mind! Here are some pics, I had not posted them yet.

Some other videos of this gig : Entrance Happy Ending Lollipop I still can't believe I was at that gig... It was so awesome!! I feel like I want to share so much about it with you all, but this thread is not very active.. I've got some pics but don't know how to post them, I can attach them but can't post them in big, can anyone help me?

Here are the links to my Youtube videos of the Liévin gig. As I said before, it was my first gig, I was really happy and you can see it from the moves and you can hear it from the shouting in the vids! Sorry! I can translate what he says into English if you want me to..

Hi everybody! I was at the gig yesterday, first one for me! It was amazing!! At the moment I can't even realise it happened! I thought I would be sad it's over after all this wait but on the contrary I'm much happier than usual. I got a number, thanks to everybody about that, I had a very low one but as was said I think everybody got mixed and I was 2nd row right in the middle while higher numbers as I've just read were on the side. I don't know how it happened, suddenly I realised I had an ideal spot without even really trying to.. I have some pics and vids, I need to take some time to upload them and then I'll share. Maybe later I'll write a detailed report, but at the moment all I can say is WOW! Incredible show. It was quite emotional for Mika too I think, or maybe it's often like that but it looked like he was about to cry sometimes.. Anyone who was there agree with me? (I'm thinking especially of Happy Ending)

Thank you for trying to find information about that and sharing it. I'm going to my first gig soon and I'm not very aware of all the system so I have to say that worried me quite a lot. Can't wait to hear more! By the way, when you say people from MFC can be in a priority queue, does it mean you need to prove you're from MFC? How do you do that?

Parfait!

I thought so too. Apparently it won't be live tonight then.. I wonder how they are gonna make us believe it is live from Lyon!

It was quite long but first of all Mikaleyshialicious helped me and that was great, and secondly it is always a pleasure to translate for all of you, and translating means Mika spoke in French which I absolutely love! I'm always overexcited when there's a French interview and then I've got the energy to translate it

Translation of the second part: Mika's childhood is first of all an incredible crossbreeding. Half Lebanese from his mother, half American from his father, he grew up in Paris before settling in England. M: I'm a percentage of all these countries, and not only one country. I : Is that an asset? M : It is an asset, but it can maybe give some identity complex. For a musician, it is not a problem, it gives us personality, it helps. Mika still lives at his parents', in Kensington, a rich district in London. He lives in the basement of the family house. Mika sleeps, works and composes in these 50m². We could believe we are in one of his music videos, a small tangy world, populated with multicoloured objects, like these Mexican figurines, or this collector bike from the 40s. M : I collect. I'm always collecting things. For example, I found these masks in China, and they don't really look like anything, but when you put them on, they become something.. Excentric Mika, and to find the evidence of it, you just need to go to his wardrobe, and have a look at all his shoes. M: It's probably not even a quarter of all the shoes I have. I have a lot more shoes. And, I don't know, I think they are really pretty, so they're not worth putting in a suitcase. I: Are they shoes for the stage or do you also wear them on the streets? M: In the streets too, of course. Not these ones, no. I am not going to go to the supermarket wearing these. In all those collections, there is also inheritance from his childhood. French music discs, in which he finds a part of his inspiration. M: I grew up with songs by Moustaki, Barbara, Aznavour, Gainsbourg, France Gall.. When I'm sad and I need to be alone and listen to some music, I always listen to French music. Moments when he is down, because in Mika's past there are also some cracks. At 10, he becomes dyslexic. Failing at school, he shuts down on himself and takes refuge in music. His best friend is then this piano, that he always keeps preciously in his living room. M: This is the piano that we had in our flat in Paris. It is very cheap, it is totally broken. I wanted to play the piano but because I was dyslexic, I am dyslexic, I couldn't read notes, so if I wanted to play something I had to make up melodies. And this is how it started. I made melodies up. Mika has developed his own way of composing music. M : I stand in front of it and I think about a story. So it can start for example with...(plays) There are imaginary movies in my head. So I think of a short scenario and on the piano I am writing the music. And then I write a song on it. 'Blue eyes' An experienced pianist, with an exceptional voice which covers 3 octaves and a half. Mika has chosen his career since he was 12. His family followed him. Today they still work together. It's with his sister Jasmine that he prepares the presentation book for his next tour. And now I'm handing it over to Mikaleyshialicious

Ok cool

Ok here is the first part of the translation This morning, Mika has a meeting in the London suburbs to prepare his next tour. This tall lanky young man wasn't able to sell his songs just 4 years ago. Today, he can afford the George Lucas studio, a huge warehouse created for the making of Star Wars. 30 meters under the ceiling, and a team made of 25 people working hard. A lot of resources at the service of the unbridled imagination of this new pop star. Mika : It's cool, we're having fun. Interviewer : It's impressive. M: Yes it's not bad. Here are my planets. The thing with my planets is that they are totally white, but when you put UV light on them, you realise they're entirely painted like planets with craters and stuff. More than a planet, it's a universe that Mika managed to impose with a few hits, like Relax, take it easy, a chorus that went all around the world. A coloured and childish style, a high pitched voice and above all a rhythm which irresistibly makes you want to dance. This is Mika's trademark. In only 3 years, he has already sold 8 million albums. Michael Penniman, aka Mika, is an exceptionally talented 26 year old man. Songwriter and singer, he takes care of everything, including costumes and set for his next tour. Everything is made in this warehouse. This is where he feels the best. In the core of this princesses and dragons world coming out of his imagination. M : I love it. This is like a big fluff, but it's a tree, decorated with a small lion, leaves, hearts, clocks, which is all my universe's language. I: You look like a child discovering his toys. M: They're my toys for the next 4 months. A big boy who dreams in the middle of his toys, and who hasn't completely cut the umbilical cord (Sorry it's a French idiom, meaning he's not totally independent) M : Here are my mother and my sister making the stuffing for my Toy Boy. At the back of the room, it is indeed Mum, professional costume maker, making him a giant doll, with Paloma and Jasmine, his two big sisters. Mika has always been protected by the women in his family. M: And here is my man! He's great isn't he? My mother made it. I: Does your son give you a lot of work? Mrs P : A little bit. Paloma : He needs us so that everything works. M: I need help. Mrs P: He has always been the same. He has always been mad like this. He has always wanted huge dolls and always wanted to create fantasy since he was a child. He's the same as before. End of first part!

Oh my! the video is already online, but I might take an hour to translate everything.. Ok I should stop posting and focus now!

I know, but in the meantime, I'm working on the translation.. Hopefully people will be interested in it

A lot of other things were funny, he put some random mask on while Jasmine was talking to the journalist Really, it was a very very nice documentary. A 'must watch' for all fans in my opinion.

I'm sorry the link I posted earlier did not work outside of France, they're really annoying! The part with Mika has just finished, I loved it! It lasted around 15 min, we saw him in his flat and in the London suburbs where he creates costumes, and then we saw him at the gig in Vienna. They described him very well, nothing very new but it was really nice to watch, and I always love him speaking French We saw his mother, Yasmine and Paloma. I think someone will post it soon or I'll try to find the video online

I think everybody will be lucky today!! I've just checked and it seems that 'Sept à Huit' is one of the few shows that this channel broadcasts live on the internet! Here is the link (not working now but that's normal) http://www.tf1.fr/live/ Edit : You might have to register though

I don't think I've ever looked so much forward to being Sunday evening! I think this is gonna be great! Filmed backstage and in his flat I suppose it will be entirely in French so I'll do my best to post translated bits after the show.

Wow, that's great! France is really behind the UK on that one, I haven't heard Kick Ass anywhere or even heard that Mika was involved in a movie soundtrack yet. But even the movie in itself is not mentioned much. Maybe they'll talk about it when he's in Paris this week..

I think I made the same mistake! Was watching the wrong channel. That was way too easy for a first try

OMG I think it's working for me! Can anybody tell me what's on now so I can check? Thanks!

I just checked the latest French charts as every Friday and TBWKTM is n°8, that's 14 places gained from last week! I think BIOTG is having its little effect on French people The 'Rain era' is not totally over here though, it's still n°25. Can I say I'm happy to be French?

No kidding? I clearly hear blood, can't be anything else from my point of view... But hey, it's kind of a relief to know that some English speakers are not sure about English lyrics sometimes, it sure can be hard work for non native speakers

Great to know he's at the premiere! And we even have pictures. MFC really rocks I'm impressed everyday. As we are in the Kick Ass thread (nice name huh?) I wanted to share a comment I've seen under the Kick Ass Youtube vid: 'Never heard of Mika before but this song is awesome'. I thought North American MFCers in particular would be glad to hear that. BTW I replied and asked if he/she had a look at other Mika vids. Let's promote our boy