Mika Breakout Artist of the Year
Brit Awards, Grammys Nominate Grace Kelly Singer Songwriter
Mika, the flamboyant singer-songwriter who broke into the musical scene last year, easily becomes the breakout artist of 2007 with multiple Brit and Grammy nominations.
Unknown only 12 months ago, Mika, the glitzy British singer-songwriter has garnered multiple award nominations in his native UK and America.
Nominated in the Brit Award categories Best-Selling New Artist, Best-Selling Male Pop/Rock Artist and Best-Selling British Artist, and the recipient of one Grammy award nomination for 'Love Today', Mika tops off what has been an incredible year for the emerging artist.
In the week of January 22, 2007 Mika made musical history when 'Grace Kelly' hit number one in only its second week on the Official UK Chart.
While the UK Chart frequently sees songs debut at number 1, 'Grace Kelly' was the first song permitted under new rules to chart without a physical single in the shops. Mika’s assent to the top marked only the second time that a download-only song hit number 1 according to The Official UK Charts Company website. But 'Grace Kelly' was only the beginning.
Life in Cartoon Motion
Beirut born, English raised, Mika gave the finger to the record industry by recording and releasing 'Grace Kelly'. When he first sought out a record deal, no company would touch this flamboyant, classically trained pop sensation. So he wrote 'Grace Kelly', containing the biting lyrics “I tried to be like Grace Kelly /But all her looks were too sad / So I tried a Little Freddy / I've gone identity mad…Should I bend over? /Should I look older? Just to be put on the shelf?”
Upon initial release as a download-only track it topped the UK chart and stayed there for 5 weeks. One year later it still remains in the lower regions of the chart.
Love Today
Eager to prove he was no 1-hit wonder, Mika quickly released his debut album, Life in Cartoon Motion. A week online and in the shops and album track 'Lollipop' had already reached the lower portions of the chart despite it being so sugary sweet it hurts the teeth.
Mika proved he was 1 of the most versatile artists around, his ear-shattering falsetto even compared to Queen’s Freddie Mercury. Life in Cartoon Motion proved Mika had more than 1 hit up his sleeve. He quickly morphs from an Angel-esque Robbie Williams on 'My Interpretation' into a Darren Hayes-style pop sensation prepared to break out onto the dance floor with killer disco jaunts such as 'Love Today' and the ultimate highlight 'Relax, Take it Easy', currently climbing the Official UK Chart alongside 'Happy Ending'.
No stranger to controversy, Mika dips into odd territory with the tracks 'Billy Brown' and 'Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)'. 'Billy Brown', in a campy cabaret style, tells the tale of a suburban man with a wife, some kids and a male lover who takes off to Mexico to get his head…straight.
'Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)' continues the cheesy fun with Mika singing big band style about girls with a lot of back. “You take your girl and multiply by four,” Mika coos about this rather large girl who eats nothing but pizzas and diet coke. While it met with some controversy, the song became Mika’s third top 10 single in a row after 'Love Today' and 'Grace Kelly'.
Mika’s Happy Ending
While Mika’s Life in Cartoon Motion contains some of the best pop songs of the last year, including the Grammy nominated 'Love Today', it also contains 'Erase' and 'Stuck in the Middle' that easily grate on listeners' nerves.
These songs prove that while he deserves his multiple Brit nominations including Best-Selling New Artist, Best-Selling Male Pop/Rock Artist and Best-Selling British Artist, Mika still has room to grow as a songwriter and an artist.
Mika will be on hand to collect any of his 4 Brit Award wins and will perform on the February 20th telecast.
Though nominated for a Grammy, he did not perform at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards when they were handed out on February 10, 2008. Mika lost the Grammy for "Love Today" to Justin Timberlake for "Love Stoned/ I Think She Knows".
