Cassiopée Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 (edited) Noting really different in this article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1211058/So-got-Mika-track.html So, who got Mika back on track? By Adrian Thrills Last updated at 9:26 PM on 03rd September 2009 Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1211058/So-got-Mika-track.html#ixzz0Q54DrV7D Teenage angst: Mika's latest album reflects his adolescent years Mika found himself turning to an old head for advice when he began thinking about the sequel to a debut album that sold six million. The 25-year-old singer had swept all before him with 2007's euphoric Life In Cartoon Motion. His first single, Grace Kelly, topped the charts on downloads alone, while he also landed Brit and Ivor Novello awards in establishing himself as Britain's most flamboyant new pop star. Then there was a triumphant Glastonbury appearance, a world tour that included a sold-out stadium show at the Parc Des Princes in Paris, and Hollywood parties with Kanye West and Madonna. If Mika's head was spinning when he finally arrived home in London after nearly two years on the road, the thought of writing songs for his second album quickly brought him back down to earth - and ultimately led him to Pete Townshend, lead guitarist with The Who and a gnarled rock veteran who had seen it all before. 'I met Pete through his partner, Rachel Fuller, who is also a musician,' says the singer, chatting over lunch in London's Soho. 'They invited me to their house in Richmond, and Pete could tell immediately that I was nervous about going back into the studio. 'I tried to brush it off with fake bravado, but he knew exactly what I was going through. You come back from a long tour and find yourself in a small room with a blank notebook. The contrast is overwhelming. 'Pete told me to get back to the craft of writing songs. He told me to be disciplined with myself and the inspiration would follow. Hearing that from a living legend made a lot of sense. So I booked myself into a small studio and lost myself in songwriting.' Just as Townshend had predicted, it wasn't long before the creative juices began to flow. Some fresh ideas were soon sketched out and Mika decamped to an LA studio with producer Greg Wells to complete a second album that builds impressively on his debut. The Boy Who Knew Too Much, out this month, is lyrically deeper and darker than the carefree Life In Cartoon Motion, although the big pop hooks, widescreen arrangements and Mika's dazzling falsetto voice remain. The album's first single, We Are Golden, is an effervescent tour de force that features a gospel chorus and a children's choir. 'Even though we've used lots of whistles and bells, this is still bedroom music,' says the singer. 'It's about me sitting at a piano and crafting a song that means something. 'I love the old Brill Building mentality, where Carole King, Gerry Goffin and Neil Sedaka sat in the same New York office and came up with the best songs of their era.' If Life In Cartoon Motion was Mika's 'schoolyard record', with tracks such as Lollipop taking their cue from children's nursery rhymes, The Boy Who Knew Too Much finds him moving on to his troubled teenage years for inspiration. 'The first album was about childhood and it had a certain innocence,' he tells me. 'On this one, I've written from an adolescent standpoint. Adolescence can be a glorious time and We Are Golden is a joyful song. But there's plenty of bitterness as well.' Mika Penniman's own teenage years were far from happy. The son of an American father (who worked in international finance) and a Lebanese mother, he was born in Beirut but grew up in Paris and London, after his war-torn homeland became too dangerous in the Eighties. A dyslexic child who found it hard to settle at school, he left the Lycee Francais Charles de Gaulle, in Kensington, after being bullied, and was educated at home for several months. Salvation arrived in the shape of a tough Russian music teacher, who taught him how to sing operatic arias and play the piano. 'I was trained very hard, the way they used to train Russian gymnasts,' he says. But his talent shone through, leading first to a place at the Royal College Of Music and, shortly afterwards, a deal with Island Records. 'I never felt comfortable as a teenager and I was always questioning myself,' he says. 'I hated school and, even when I went to the Royal College, I thought everyone was more talented than I was. I didn't want to be a classical singer, but I needed something to do.' As he turned towards pop, Mika received plenty of encouragement from other members of the Penniman clan. They are still with him today, too. His mum, Joannie, makes his stage clothes, and two of his three sisters, artist Yasmine and stylist Paloma, are also involved. Mika admits things can sometimes get a bit claustrophobic. People think that having my family involved in everything I do is sweet, but it's not,' he says. 'We're more like the Osbournes than the Waltons. We fight violently and we're brutally honest with one another.' In making an album inspired by his teenage growing pains, Mika will inevitably prompt renewed speculation on the question of his sexual orientation. He has so far kept tight-lipped when asked about the topic, though he now seems happy to be a little more forthcoming. 'To me, it's not about labels,' he says. 'I'm label-less and I want to remain that way. I've done a lot of things in my life. Some of them I've loved and others I haven't. It's about being free and being able to do whatever you want. 'The most interesting thing is the blurring of gender. There should be a way of discussing sexuality without labels. A lot of my favourite artists, like Bowie and Prince, resisted labels. Does that mean I'm avoiding the issue? If that's what people think, so be it.' More at ease when discussing his forthcoming touring itinerary, Mika is already making plans to improve his over-the-top live show. Having premiered his new songs to rave reviews at Sadler's Wells Theatre in June, he is looking forward to launching the new album with an appearance at this month's Bestival on the Isle Of Wight. A full tour follows early next year. 'The live thing has come to define me,' he says. 'For the Sadler's Wells show, we constructed the stage set out of tinfoil on the day of the gig. It's about small ideas that make big statements. I love making beautiful things out of simple, everyday objects. 'I want to keep changing. If you stay in the same place, you won't be around for long. But I'll always write songs. Music is the thing that helped me get through the hard times.' • Mika's new single, We Are Golden, is out on Monday. The album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, follows on September 21. He plays Bestival on September 12. Edited September 3, 2009 by dcdeb was missing first 3 paragraphs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Droopsy Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thank god I refreshed, I was posting the same thing So t4p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassiopée Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thank god I refreshed, I was posting the same thing So t4p I did refresh too before posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CazGirl Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Lovely, thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewokwicket Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 T4P Not much we haven't read before but at least it's a bit of publicity for Mika and the new album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzie Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thank you - that's a nice one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miro Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sienna Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thank you! This was a nice article, and the pictures has so clear colours even if we have seen them before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thank you!This was a nice article, and the pictures has so clear colours even if we have seen them before! Well you can't do anything too startling for Daily Mail readers - they would choke on their tea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Angel Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thx for posting One they wrote before his bday but first desided to post now? "The 25-year-old singer" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil'Violet Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 thank you for posting cassiopée!!! interesting and very nice article!! i can't believe that the big day is really near!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silke Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Thank you - that's a nice one exactly my thought Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel_tinydancer Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Love it! Thank you for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sienna Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Well you can't do anything too startling for Daily Mail readers - they would choke on their tea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lala_lollies44 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 T4P! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vixenbbw Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I'm amazed that it's that balanced coming from the Daily Mail!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatagordinha Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I'm amazed that it's that balanced coming from the Daily Mail!!! haha yes I hate the Daily Mail, nasty reactionary paper , but I do seem to recall they have been nice to Mika in the past. For some reason . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAK1 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 T4P ;-) Makes me more excited for Bestival, now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mika4Life13 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 He is bi. I don't care, I LAV him T4P! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassiopée Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 He is bi. Which is good for all of us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lollipop_monkey Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Um... wow. 'To me, it's not about labels,' he says. 'I'm label-less and I want to remain that way. I've done a lot of things in my life. Some of them I've loved and others I haven't. It's about being free and being able to do whatever you want. This is intriguing. What does he mean "some of them I've loved and some I haven't"...? 'Cause that can be taken in a couple of different ways. Especially in the context of that paragraph. And free to do whatever he wants...hmm. All I can say is...hmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmbm Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Um... wow. 'To me, it's not about labels,' he says. 'I'm label-less and I want to remain that way. I've done a lot of things in my life. Some of them I've loved and others I haven't. It's about being free and being able to do whatever you want. This is intriguing. What does he mean "some of them I've loved and some I haven't"...? 'Cause that can be taken in a couple of different ways. Especially in the context of that paragraph. And free to do whatever he wants...hmm. All I can say is...hmm. I think that answers our empty-loving question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louiza Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 nice article! t4p:thumb_yello: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiibet Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Thanks for posting This was a really nice article, and lovely pics (not new ones but good ones). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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