Mika

Pop magpie Mika's bright, kaleidoscopic music has drawn comparisons to everyone from Queen and Elton John to the Scissor Sisters and Rufus Wainwright.

Born Michael Holbrook Penniman in Beirut to a Lebanese mother and American father, Mika and his parents moved to Paris while he was still a very young child, and eventually London by the time he was nine years old.

The frequent moves, incidents like his father being taken hostage at Kuwait's American Embassy, and bullying at school affected young Mika to the point where he stopped talking and was taken out of school for six months.

At this point, music became Mika's lifeline, and he soon began formal musical training, which included voice lessons.

Along with studies at the Royal College of Music, in his teens and early twenties Mika also recorded with the Royal Opera House and created a jingle for Orbit chewing gum.

He dropped out of school to concentrate on his take on pop music, inspired by freewheeling songwriters like Prince and Harry Nilsson.

His debut single, "Relax, Take It Easy," appeared in fall 2006, but it was its follow-up, "Grace Kelly," that broke Mika in the U.K.

Released in January 2007, the song hit number one on the singles chart thanks to heavy downloading, following in the footsteps of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy." Mika's full-length debut, Life in Cartoon Motion, did just as well when it was released that February, and was topping the U.K.

charts around the time it was released in the U.S.

that March.

The album sold over five million copies worldwide, and Mika earned a 2008 Grammy nomination for Best Dance Record for "Live Today" as well as that year's Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year, among other accolades.

Mika collaborated with producer Greg Wells, Imogen Heap, and Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett on his second album.

Initially named We Are Golden after its lead single, the album's title was changed to The Boy Who Knew Too Much for its fall 2009 release.

~ Heather Phares, Rovi

'Grace Kelly' singer Mika is ''out of his mind with worry'' after his sister Paloma Penniman fell from a window-ledge at her London home and was impaled on railings.

(BANG) -

Mika's sister is fighting for her life in hospital after falling from a window and impaling herself on railings.

Paloma Penniman - the pop star's 28-year-old sibling - was believed to be sitting on a window-ledge three floors up in her home in Kensington, west London, when she lost her balance and fell on a spiked barrier below in the early hours of Sunday morning (10.10.10).

Both her legs were impaled on the railings, and another spike pierced her abdomen.

Mika - who had been out for dinner with his sister earlier in the evening and was at the apartment at the time of the incident - frantically called emergency services, who arrived at approximately 5am.

A family friend told The Sun newspaper: "To say he's traumatised by this doesn't even come close.

"It's the stuff of nightmares. Paloma had surgery today on her abdomen and legs - but she is critically ill. Mika is out of his mind with worry.

"No one really knows what happened. One minute Paloma was sitting on the window-ledge, the next she had fallen on to the railings."

It is thought that firefighters had to cut a section of the railings and take them to hospital with the stylist.

A Metropolitan police spokesperson said: "Police were called to an address at 5.15 this morning, after reports a woman was impaled on railings after falling from a window."

A spokesman for the 27-year-old singer added: "She is in a critical but stable state. The family have asked for privacy at this time."

Mika doesn't care if people don't like his music as it is ''not meant'' for people who don't understand it.

(BANG) -

Mika's music is not meant for people who don't understand it.

The 'Rain' singer doesn't worry about impressing people who aren't already fans because he knows the songs he produces don't fit in to typical genres.

The 26-year-old pop star explained: "If you don't understand my music it's obviously not meant for you. My music is not calculated. It is a product of circumstance.

"It might appeal to you because of the life you've had or because you relate to the stories. But my music is not fashion. It's not sound. It's not scene. I was never accepted into a scene. I tried! And I would have liked it! But I can't and I just don't know how to do it. I don't know how to make any other type of music than the music I make."

The singer - whose real name is Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. - also admits he wasn't surprised when he revealed he was bisexual that no one seemed to care.

He explained: "Look, I've always said I can fall in love with a man. I can fall in love with a woman. And I've always said that I have no shame in that. And I don't think there was any negative reaction to what I said coming out as bisexual.

"In fact I don't think there was any reaction - I don't think anyone was surprised whatsoever. I don't think anyone gives a s**t. I think people just want me to have a label."

Mika has made an inflatable stage set, so it is easily transportable for his summer festival appearances.

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Mika is taking an inflatable stage on tour.

The 'Rain' singer - famed for his elaborate stage sets - claims the latest version of his show is so elaborate and action-packed, he had to invent a way to make his many props easily transportable.

He said: "I have too much stuff in my current stage set so we are recreating a new one that is inflatable so we can pack it down easily.

"It will be just as colourful and crazy, don't worry about that."

The quirky pop star has also vowed fans will see a different side to him following his summer tour dates as he hopes to emulate the success of US singer Beck.

He added to the Daily Star newspaper: "I want to be more like Beck. What a great career he has.

"He's somebody I look up to and aspire to be like because he has a lot of creative freedom.

"It's exemplary for a pop musician. He gets to make commercial records, produces other people's records, puts out strange collaborations, writes soundtracks and releases eccentric records. I hope to mature into that.

"You assimilate yourself in your own weirdness. That way your fans forgive you for doing it, I hope."

Among Mika's forthcoming ventures is a duet with a mystery female star.

He said: "I'm doing a collaboration with a girl, that's all I'll say. And no, it's not Katy Perry."