Mika, who has a dual recording contract with both Casablanca Records and Universal Music, was born on August 18, 1983, in Beirut, Lebanon, but his family was forced to flee the war-torn country and ended up in Paris, France, after which they moved to London in the United Kingdom when Mika was nine. After secondary school at Westminster School, Mika attended the Royal College of Music to develop his musical skills and knowledge, but left in order to record his debut album.
Although he has very obvious natural talent, Mika was professionally trained by a Russian opera singer. Before releasing his debut album, Mika performed all over the place, including the Royal Opera House in London. He has also written music for in-flight music for British Airways and a well-known jingle for Orbit Chewing Gum, and appeared on the radio. His radio debut was in September of 2006 on Dermot O’Leary’s BBC Radio 2 program Later with Jools Holland. Another impressive accomplishment of Mika’s is that he made the top spot in BBC News’ "Sound of 2007" poll in January.
In 2006, Mika released his first single, "Relax, Take it Easy"—a limited 7" download. Other follow-up singles include "Grace Kelly," which, incidentally, hit the #1 spot on the U.K Singles Chart in late January this year, released by Universal Music by digital download. Mika’s official debut album, Life in Cartoon Motion, in which he collaborated with Greg Wells, Jodi Marr, and John Merchant, released February 5, 2007, and reached #1 in the U.K. and France, and #29 in the U.S., selling 1,150,000 copies after just eleven weeks, and going certified platinum.
The album includes the singles "Relax, Take it Easy," "Grace Kelly," "Lollipop," and "Love Today," and has been compared to the work of other established artists such as Elton John, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Robbie Williams, and Scissor Sisters. It should be noted that Mika is not a one-man show: he has a band with five other members, comprising Martin Waugh, Michael Choi, Vinnie Potestivo, Cherisse Osei, and Luke Juby.
Since the release of Life in Cartoon Motion, Mika has been featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as well as Jimmy Kimmel’s show, both in late March of 2007.
Mika has also raised public speculation as to his sexuality, with many fans and critics alike wondering if he’s gay (due to a combination of his music, style, wardrobe, and camp performances). Mika, however, has reportedly chosen to keep his sexuality private and out of the limelight.
YUDDY
