Mika (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mika
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Mika at the London Roundhouse on 3 July 2022
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Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr.
18 August 1983 Beirut, Lebanon
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| Other names | Mica Mika Penniman |
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| Years active | 2006–present |
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Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. (born 18 August 1983), known by his stage name Mika, is a world-famous singer and songwriter. He was born in Beirut, Lebanon, but grew up in Paris and London.
Mika became a star in 2007. A BBC poll of music experts named him the number-one new artist to watch that year. His first album, Life in Cartoon Motion, sold over 8.3 million copies around the world. It earned him a Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act and a Grammy Award nomination.
His song "Grace Kelly" was a number-one hit in the United Kingdom. Since then, he has released four more popular albums. Mika has also been a judge and mentor on the TV shows The Voice in France and X Factor in Italy. In 2022, he co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest.
Besides music, Mika is a talented designer. He has designed sunglasses, watches for Swatch, and a clothing line.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Start
Childhood in Lebanon, France, and England
Mika was born in Beirut, Lebanon, on August 18, 1983. He is the third of five children. He has two older sisters, Yasmine and Paloma, a younger sister, Zuleika, and a younger brother, Fortuné. His mother is Lebanese-Syrian and his father is American.
When Mika was just one year old, his family had to leave Lebanon because of a war. They moved to Paris, France. The first song he learned to play on the piano was "Les Champs-Élysées". At age seven, he wrote his first song, a piano piece he called "Angry."
When Mika was nine, his family moved to London. At school there, he was bullied and struggled with dyslexia, which makes reading difficult. Because of this, his mother taught him at home for a while. He also received music training from a Russian opera professional named Alla Ardakov.
Training and Early Career
Mika's amazing voice got him a spot singing with the Royal Opera in London. He even sang in a production of The Pilgrim's Progress when he was 15. To earn money, he also sang jingles, which are short songs for commercials. You could hear his voice in ads for Orbit chewing gum and British Airways.
After attending Westminster School, Mika got into the famous Royal College of Music. However, he left to record his first album with Casablanca Records. His first single was "Relax, Take It Easy" in 2006. It was played on BBC Radio 1 and became a hit.
Rise to Global Fame
2007–2008: Life in Cartoon Motion
The year 2007 was huge for Mika. His single "Grace Kelly" was released in January and shot to number one on the UK Singles Chart. It stayed there for five weeks!
His first album, Life in Cartoon Motion, came out on February 5, 2007. It was an instant success, reaching number one in the UK and 11 other countries. People compared his unique style to famous artists like Freddie Mercury and Elton John. The album sold more than 8.3 million copies.
Mika's songs often tell stories about growing up and deal with important topics. For example, "Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)" is about celebrating women of all sizes. Another song, "Billy Brown," tells the story of a man with a secret life.
2009–2010: The Boy Who Knew Too Much
Before his second album, Mika released a special EP called Songs for Sorrow. It came with a book of art inspired by the songs, created by artists like his sister, Yasmine.
His second album, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, was released in September 2009. Mika said the album was like "part two" of his first one, exploring his teenage years. The first single, "We Are Golden", became a top-five hit in the UK.
In December 2009, Mika had the honor of performing for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Performance. He sang his song "Rain" for the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
2010–2014: The Origin of Love and TV Stardom
Mika's third album, The Origin of Love, was released in 2012. For this album, he worked with many different artists, including Pharrell Williams on the lead single, "Celebrate".
The album also included "Popular Song," which he later re-recorded as a duet with Ariana Grande. The song used a melody from the famous musical Wicked.
In 2013, Mika became a judge on the Italian version of the TV show The X Factor. He was the first international star to be a mentor on the show. The next year, he joined the French version of The Voice as a coach, where his contestant, Kendji Girac, won the competition.
Continued Success and New Projects
2015–2018: No Place in Heaven
In 2015, Mika performed with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, turning his pop songs into amazing orchestral pieces. These concerts were a huge success.
His fourth album, No Place in Heaven, was released in June 2015. He described it as a "mature pop album" inspired by 1960s music. One song from the album, "Hurts," was used in an Italian movie called Un Bacio (A Kiss). The film and music video had a strong message against bullying.
Mika also hosted his own TV variety show in Italy called Stasera Casa Mika. The show was so popular that it won a Rose d'Or, a major European television award.
2019–2020: My Name Is Michael Holbrook
Mika's fifth album, My Name Is Michael Holbrook, was released in October 2019. He said it was a very personal album. Before its release, he went on a small tour, playing in cities like New York and Los Angeles.
In October 2019, Attitude magazine gave him a Music Award for making music that is true to himself. Mika then started a worldwide tour called the Revelation Tour.
When the terrible explosion happened in Beirut in 2020, Mika wanted to help. He organized a special online concert called "I Love Beirut" to raise money for the people of his birth city. The concert featured stars like Kylie Minogue and Salma Hayek and raised over €1 million.
2021–2022: Eurovision and Other Ventures
In 2021, Mika returned to the stage for two sold-out concerts with a full orchestra at the Philharmonie de Paris.
The next year, Mika had one of his biggest roles yet. He co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Turin, Italy. The show was watched by 161 million people all over the world. During the show's grand final, he performed his new single, "Yo Yo."
The summer of 2022 was very busy. Mika performed at many festivals across Europe and at a special Disneyland Paris Pride event.
2023–Present: New Music and Tours
In 2023, Mika released his first movie score for the French film Princes of the Desert. He also appeared as a judge on a new UK TV show called The Piano, alongside famous pianist Lang Lang.
He released a new French-language album, Que ta tête fleurisse toujours (which means "May Your Head Always Bloom"), in December 2023. To support the album, he launched the Apocalypse Calypso Tour in 2024, playing shows across Europe.
In May 2024, it was announced that Mika would be a coach on The Voice Spain.
Personal Life
Mika's legal name is Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. His mother gave him the nickname Mica, and he later changed the spelling to Mika. His oldest sister, Yasmine, is an artist who created the colorful artwork for his first two albums.
Mika can speak English, French, Spanish, and Italian fluently. He also studied Mandarin Chinese for nine years. He has been in a long-term relationship with filmmaker Andreas Dermanis for over 15 years.
Mika has spoken out against bullying. After posters for one of his concerts in Italy were damaged with an offensive word, he started a social media campaign with the hashtag #rompiamoilsilenzio (Let's Break the Silence) to encourage people to speak up against hate.
Discography
- Life in Cartoon Motion (2007)
- The Boy Who Knew Too Much (2009)
- The Origin of Love (2012)
- No Place in Heaven (2015)
- My Name Is Michael Holbrook (2019)
- Zodi & Téhu, frères du désert [fr] (soundtrack) (2023)
- Que ta tête fleurisse toujours (2023)
Tours
- Dodgy Holiday Tour (2007–2008)
- Songs for Sorrow Acoustic Tour (2009)
- 1955 Tour (2009)
- Imaginarium Tour (2010)
- The Origin of Love Tour (2012)
- An Intimate Evening (2013)
- Heaven Tour (2015–2016)
- Tiny Love Tiny Tour (2019)
- Revelation Tour (2019–2020)
- For the Rite of Spring (2022)
- Apocalypse Calypso Tour (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Mika (cantante) para niños
