UK⿿S MOST CELEBRATED NEW ARTIST TO ROLL-OUT U.S. DEBUT
LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION ON MARCH 27
FIRST SINGLE ⿿GRACE KELLY⿿ MAINSTAY OF BIG 10 ROTATION ON MTV
Mika, is making history in the UK only weeks before his acclaimed new album Life In Cartoon Motion debuts in the U.S. on March 27. The 23 year-old phenom went straight to #1 on the UK album charts this week with his 11-song disk, moving 107,732 copies of the eclectic new album, and adding to an unparalleled string of #1s for a debut artist: #1 single ⿿Grace Kelly,⿿ which has held the top spot now for 4 weeks running. The infectious single is also the #1 itunes song in the UK, #1 on the national and regional airplay charts, #1 video download, as well as holding down the #1 video slot in the country. The charismatic newcomer also owns the #1 album on itunes, an incredible launch for an artist who was turned down by virtually every record company with his visionary brand of groundbreaking, kiss-goodbye-the-cookie cutter songmaking.
The Lebanese émigré has already topped the prestigious BBC Sound of Music Poll for 2007, which has anointed previously-unknown superstars such as 50 Cent and Keane. Name-checked on most Artists to watch polls for the coming year, Mika has been praised for his chameleon-like pop apparitions which mirror his incredible journey to pop stardom.
The London-based singer/songwriter (whose also trekked through Paris and the middle east) has taken to describing himself on his delectable hand-scrawled Myspace site as ⿿Beck via Queen and Elton John with a touch of Rufus W.,⿿ throwing in Harry Nilsson, of course. U.S. audiences are already getting their own healthy dose of the multi-talented performer, thanks to his hit video for ⿿Grace Kelly,⿿ which has become a staple of MTV. Mika has also recently been appearing in a handful of U.S. cities doing pre-promotion for the new album.
Ceritifiably crowned a ⿿star⿿ by a throng of UK critics, his luminous arrival on the pop scene has been feted by such noted newspapers as the Independent, which called him ⿿The pop sensation of 2007,⿿ and The Times, which raved: ⿿With certain acts ⿿ it⿿s obvious to anyone they⿿ve got he makings of something huge - Mika is one of those artists.⿿
A self-admitted caricature junkie, (check out his myspace website at
www.myspace.com/mikamyspace) he⿿s also one of the music world⿿s most compelling new songwriters, with album gems such as ⿿Grace Kelly,⿿ ⿿Lollipop,⿿ Billy Brown,⿿ and ⿿Relax And Take It Easy,⿿ displaying his innovative wordplay. ⿿I⿿ve always respected people who make great records to their own vision,⿿ writes the quixotic Mika.
UK (and soon-to-be U.S. fans) to Mika: Mission accomplished!
(story and media courtesy of WiredSet)
