anonymous
2008-11-23 07:54:49 UTC
5. How tall is Mika?
Mika is around 6’3” (he jokes that it’s 6’4” counting his hair), or around 188-191 cm tall.
6. How much does Mika weigh?
Around 161 lbs or 73 kg.
9. Is Mika gay?
Mika refuses to discuss his sexuality with the media because he considers it irrelevant, and a part of his private life that he does not feel the need to share. It has been speculated that he may be gay, but until he decides to tell the public himself, we cannot know what his sexuality is for sure.
10. Is Mika dyslexic?
Yes, Mika has said that he’s been diagnosed with dyslexia, which caused him troubles in school and in reading, spelling, telling time, etc. However, he has dealt with his dyslexia and is now an avid reader, though he remains an unconventional speller. ;-) He has also said that his dyslexia caused him to be incapable of reading sheet music, although medically it is a different issue and has nothing to do with dyslexia proper. It has also been questioned whether Mika’s learning disability was actually dyslexia and not something else, because according to him, he started having trouble reading and writing after a traumatic bullying experience, whereas dyslexia is a genetic condition and not caused by trauma.
11. Does Mika have OCD?
OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, is a psychiatric disease that causes involuntary obsessive thoughts that lead to compulsive actions. The compulsions most commonly manifest themselves in things like counting, meticulous cleaning, inventing rituals or performing other repetitive actions. In people diagnosed with OCD, the disease is severe enough that it often interferes with living a normal life. Mika has said that he has OCD and that it causes him to do thing like buy 3 pairs of any clothing item, but since “OCD” has entered casual usage as a reference to meticulousness, it is possible that he meant he has OCD traits rather than full OCD. A person can manifest a lot of OCD traits without necessarily having the disorder.
15. Does Mika wear glasses or contacts?
Yes, Mika usually wears contacts, but you can sometimes also spot him wearing stylish prescription glasses, especially before and after shows.
20. Which schools did Mika attend?
After moving to London, Mika attended the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle. He left that school at age 11 due to a bullying-induced breakdown, and was consequently home schooled by his mother for 6 months, at which time he also began to take voice and piano lessons with Alla Ardakov. He was then enrolled in St Philips School in Kensington, and after that attended the Westminster School. Mika applied to and was accepted at the London School of Economics for a course of study in Geography, but dropped out on the first day and enrolled instead at the Royal College of Music. He eventually left the Royal College to record his first album.
22. How many brothers and sisters does he have, and what are their names and ages?
Mika is the middle child in a family of 5, and he has 4 siblings. His youngest brother Fortuné is 17, his younger sister Zuleika Allegra is 18, his older sister Paloma is 25 and his oldest sister Yasmine is 28.
23. Who is his mother?
His mother is Jonni Penniman, and she works as a children’s fashion designer. Currently she designs and makes Mika's stage costumes.
24. Who is his father?
His father is Michael H. Penniman, and he works in finance as a banker.
33. Who is the woman doing the voice in “Grace Kelly”?
A professional actress was auditioned to provide a spoken-voice sample for the song to “sound like” Grace Kelly. However, Mika is the one who recorded the lines “getting angry doesn't solve anything” and “Humphrey we're leaving,” with the key of the recording altered so as to put it in feminine pitch.
35. Who is the woman speaking in “Any Other World”?
Mika’s neighbor and longtime family friend Raffa, from Lebanon. She is also in the crowd scenes of the “Grace Kelly” video and is the woman getting out of the cake in the “Love Today” video.
44. Is it possible to meet Mika after a gig? How?
Mika often makes himself available to speak with fans after his performances although it is never guaranteed that you will be able to meet him at any one particular gig. Circumstances vary depending on how he is feeling, venue security and whether you are in the right place at the right time.
Normally the “right place” is at the artist’s entrance where he is likely to come out approximately 30 minutes to 2 hours after the show. Patience is the key so if you are determined to meet Mika you should plan to stay at the venue long after the show has ended.
48. If I see Mika after his show, can I touch his hair?
No, you should probably not. Many Mika fans will tell you that he is friendly and prone to spontaneous hugs, but he finds it odd when strangers want to touch his hair.