Mika - Interview (Radio Canada)
- 17 years ago
Mika interviewed by Radio Canada (French)
March, 2007.
Translation:
Reporter: He sings Grace Kelly and his name is Mika Penniman, Mika is stage name.
Mika: Mika, M-I-K-A.
Reporter: After verification, his height is 6'2".
Mika: But with the hair it adds to it [height].
Reporter: He is 23 years old and was born in Beirut to an American father and a Lebanese mother. During the war in Lebanon, the family was evacuated to France.
Mika: When we lived in Paris, I listened to everything. Om Kalthoum, Fairouz, France Gall and Serge Gainsbourg.
Reporter: Little Mika then moved to London.
Mika: At the age of 11, I started to train for classical singing and within a few months I got my first job at the Royal Opera House in London, in the Strauss Opera.
Reporter: The help of his Russian singing teacher and the classical music background enabled him to develop his 4 octave singing range.
Mika: I'm not castrato!
Reporter: But you are able to sing very high!
Mika: I can sing very high, but everyone can sing very high.
Reporter: If we learn to do it.
Mika: No, you can do it!
Reporter attempts to sing.
Mika: Yes, no higher, go ahead!
Reporter: No I can't.
Mika: No, you know that you can!
Reporter: On his album, 'Life In Cartoon Motion', Mika has developed a very unique style.
Mika: It's a pretty psychotic universe.
Reporter: Yes!
Mika: Pretty original and a little bizarre, but everything is in a pop format, of 3 to 3 and a half minutes.
Reporter: One may immediatly compare him to Freddie Mercury, the Scissors Sisters or Michael Jackson.
Mika: I am lucky that people are comparing me to artists that I like.
Reporter: Are you suprised of the success?
Mika: Yes.
Reporter: Well you hoped for it.
Mika: Yes, but I'm still surprised. But I would be totally stupid if I didn't take advantage of everything that's going on around me because, truthfully, I'm here for 20 years, you have no choice!!
March, 2007.
Translation:
Reporter: He sings Grace Kelly and his name is Mika Penniman, Mika is stage name.
Mika: Mika, M-I-K-A.
Reporter: After verification, his height is 6'2".
Mika: But with the hair it adds to it [height].
Reporter: He is 23 years old and was born in Beirut to an American father and a Lebanese mother. During the war in Lebanon, the family was evacuated to France.
Mika: When we lived in Paris, I listened to everything. Om Kalthoum, Fairouz, France Gall and Serge Gainsbourg.
Reporter: Little Mika then moved to London.
Mika: At the age of 11, I started to train for classical singing and within a few months I got my first job at the Royal Opera House in London, in the Strauss Opera.
Reporter: The help of his Russian singing teacher and the classical music background enabled him to develop his 4 octave singing range.
Mika: I'm not castrato!
Reporter: But you are able to sing very high!
Mika: I can sing very high, but everyone can sing very high.
Reporter: If we learn to do it.
Mika: No, you can do it!
Reporter attempts to sing.
Mika: Yes, no higher, go ahead!
Reporter: No I can't.
Mika: No, you know that you can!
Reporter: On his album, 'Life In Cartoon Motion', Mika has developed a very unique style.
Mika: It's a pretty psychotic universe.
Reporter: Yes!
Mika: Pretty original and a little bizarre, but everything is in a pop format, of 3 to 3 and a half minutes.
Reporter: One may immediatly compare him to Freddie Mercury, the Scissors Sisters or Michael Jackson.
Mika: I am lucky that people are comparing me to artists that I like.
Reporter: Are you suprised of the success?
Mika: Yes.
Reporter: Well you hoped for it.
Mika: Yes, but I'm still surprised. But I would be totally stupid if I didn't take advantage of everything that's going on around me because, truthfully, I'm here for 20 years, you have no choice!!