I looked at a lot of those songs from that “golden age” of songwrit-
ing in America, especially in the 1950s. I realized how often the lyrics talked about such everyday things. Yet, the melodies and the orchestrations were cinematic. If I had to tell you my main ambition for my next album, what I would love to do is to really make an album that absolutely explores that kind of cinematic and almost fantasy- formic style of songwriting. Everyday life is turned into something much, much larger and much bigger. That would be the next record I’d like to make. That’s why I left the last song on the album because that’s where I want to go next. I really admire the fact that you took your own tempo in coming-out and not wanting to be labeled. When it comes down to it, it’s a very personal subject. Was it harder to address because of being in the public eye? I think in general, Bill, I did something that most writers do. They
write about their life, their lust, they write about sexuality and do it quite publicly. However, as a result, it took a long time for my kind of private life to catch up with my public life. Until, I went through all the steps of addressing all the different issues in my private life… from my parents to my siblings and my personal relationships. Only when I felt secure, was it something that I could address with full candor, with full honesty, with full transparency, which meant that I was solid. In that, my basis of talking about my own sexuality and the politics of sexuality would be built upon a very solid foundation. That was the most important thing. The idea of looking at it in terms of “tempo,” as you say, is really a kind
of genius way of describing it. Everyone has his or her own rhythm. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to talk about sexuality. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have to be sexually active. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have to have a normal life, in all its different stages and transi- tions. It just means that you have to address one thing at a time. I had already taken my writing and addressed it publicly, rather than privately. I had to deal with the consequences of that. Though, in the long-term scheme of things, looking at a lifetime… really, that gap in bridging the gap of four years, is really not very much. You’re so right. Besides singing and songwriting, what would you say is the most enjoyable aspect of your life right now? I’m free and I have nothing to hide. I’ve managed to take steps to-
ward that very aggressively. From the age of 30, I decided to confront all of those things that would lead me to “not” being free. Therefore, I can find pleasure from the biggest challenges to the most banal mo- ments. That is something also, that I really want to protect as much as I possibly can. I think you know it’s quite remarkable when putting it in the context of the recent ruling. I just feel the one thing that truly makes someone happy, is feeling like they have options and that they have the same options as everyone else. That’s why I think the ruling is so phenomenal. It procures positivity, which in turn, will procure tolerance. In terms of my life, the one thing that makes me truly happy, apart
from the ruling and all that stuff, the one thing that I want is, to kind of stay free and to stay hungry…to keep my heart light and my brain serious. I think if you do that, you can stay happy. Of course, it’s a chal- lenge presented to all of us. That is our number one challenge, as we move on from day-to-day.
MIKA’s new albumNo Place In Heavenis available on iTunes. For a list of his upcoming performance dates, go
tofacebook.com/mikasounds.
36 36 RAGE monthly | JULY 2015 monthly | JULY 2015
“Only when I
felt secure, was it something that I
could address with full candor, with full honesty, with full transparency, which meant that I was solid.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64