Mika's debut album, "Life in Cartoon Motion," sold over 8 million copies worldwide and featured the hit single "Grace Kelly."
Born in Beirut, Mika's family moved to Paris when he was just a year old due to the civil war in Lebanon.
Mika is fluent in several languages, including English, French, Spanish, and Italian, and has even studied Mandarin Chinese.
Biography
Early Life
Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr., known professionally as Mika, was born on August 18, 1983, in Beirut, Lebanon. He is the third of five children in a family with a rich cultural background; his mother is Lebanese-Syrian and his father is American. When Mika was just a year old, his family fled the civil war in Lebanon and settled in Paris, where he was raised. From a young age, he showed a passion for music, learning to play the piano and composing his first song at the age of seven.
Career
Mika's music career took off after the release of his debut extended play, "Dodgy Holiday," in 2006, which featured the hit single "Relax, Take It Easy." His first full-length album, "Life in Cartoon Motion," released in 2007, was a massive success, selling over 8 million copies worldwide and earning him a Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act. The album's lead single, "Grace Kelly," topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks. Over the years, Mika has released several albums, including "The Boy Who Knew Too Much," "The Origin of Love," and "My Name Is Michael Holbrook," showcasing his unique blend of pop, glam rock, and alternative rock.
Personal Life
Mika identifies as a Melkite Catholic and has spoken about the influence of his upbringing on his music. He is fluent in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, and Italian, and has a keen interest in philanthropy, participating in various charitable events. Despite early speculation about his sexual orientation, Mika has chosen not to label himself, emphasizing the importance of personal identity beyond societal labels. He holds dual citizenship in the UK and the US and has a deep connection to his Lebanese roots, which he honors through his music and charitable efforts.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Hyperlove2026
- 1.Hyperlove3:00
- 2.Modern Times4:28
- 3.Spinning Out3:23
- 4.Excuses for Love3:05
- 5.Interlude Everything's Beautiful1:53
- 6.All the Same3:24
- 7.Dreams2:50
- 8.Science Fiction Lover3:40
- 9.Take Your Problems With You2:52
- 10.Interlude Please Take Your Problems With You1:18
- 11.Nicotine4:06
- 12.Eleven3:18
- 13.Bells2:56
- 14.Interlude Immortal Dream1:33
- 15.Immortal Love2:57
Que ta tête fleurisse toujours2023
- 1.Bougez3:17
- 2.Jane Birkin3:16
- 3.Sweetie banana2:56
- 4.Apocalypse Calypso3:16
- 5.30 secondes3:09
- 6.C’est la vie3:28
- 7.Moi, Andy et Paris3:35
- 8.Je sais que je t’aime2:51
- 9.Doucement3:11
- 10.Touche Touche2:25
- 11.Amour pirate2:59
- 12.Passager2:50
A L’Opera Royal De Versailles2021
- 1.Grace Kelly4:21
- 2.Toy Boy4:05
- 3.Over My Shoulder4:36
- 4.Ice Cream2:56
- 5.Without Her2:39
- 6.Last Party4:06
- 7.Origin Of Love5:44
- 8.Underwater3:45
- 9.Lollipop3:44
- 10.Good Guys3:55
- 11.Elle Me Dit3:53
- 12.Les Baisers Perdus3:47
- 13.Tomorrow4:20
- 14.Love Today3:52
- 15.Relax, Take It Easy5:34
- 16.Happy Ending5:45
Live From Brooklyn Steel2020
- 1.Ice Cream (live)3:28
- 2.Dear Jealousy (live)3:41
- 3.Relax (Take It Easy) (live)4:28
- 4.Origin of Love (live)4:57
- 5.Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) (live)3:47
- 6.Tiny Love (live)4:47
- 7.Blue (live)3:25
- 8.Underwater (live)3:47
- 9.Lollipop (live)5:17
- 10.Popular Song (live)4:35
- 11.Interlude (live)2:43
- 12.Tomorrow (live)3:53
- 13.Happy Ending (live)4:54
- 14.Love Today (live)5:15
- 15.We Are Golden (live)4:59
- 16.Grace Kelly (live)3:49
My Name Is Michael Holbrook2019
- 1.Tiny Love4:05
- 2.Ice Cream2:47
- 3.Dear Jealousy3:47
- 4.Paloma3:43
- 5.Sanremo3:24
- 6.Tomorrow3:50
- 7.Ready to Call This Love3:50
- 8.Cry3:18
- 9.Platform Ballerinas2:47
- 10.I Went to Hell Last Night3:49
- 11.Blue3:10
- 12.Stay High3:30
- 13.Tiny Love (reprise)4:26
Sinfonia Pop2016
- 1.Overture2:59
- 2.Underwater3:35
- 3.Boum Boum Boum3:42
- 4.Rain4:14
- 5.Last Party4:11
- 6.Overrated4:21
- 7.Any Other World4:36
- 8.Love You When I'm Drunk3:30
- 9.Ordinary Man4:44
- 10.Heroes5:04
- 11.Toy Boy4:11
- 12.Grace Kelly3:14
- 13.Over My Shoulder5:00
- 14.Good Guys4:13
- 15.Make You Happy4:01
- 16.Happy Ending5:47
- 17.Origin of Love5:12
- 18.Relax (Take It Easy)3:03
- 19.Elle Me Dit3:58
- 20.Love Today4:10
- 21.Stardust6:01
- 22.Overture
- 23.Underwater
- 24.Boum Boum Boum
- 25.Rain
- 26.Last Party
- 27.Overrated
- 28.Any Other World
- 29.Love You When I'm Drunk
- 30.Ordinary Man
- 31.Heroes
- 32.Toy Boy
- 33.Grace Kelly
- 34.Over My Shoulder
- 35.Good Guys
- 36.Make You Happy
- 37.Happy Ending
- 38.Origin Of Love
- 39.Relax (Take It Easy)
- 40.Elle Me Dit
- 41.Love Today
- 42.Stardust
- 43.Interviews with Mika and Simon Leclerc
No Place in Heaven2015
- 1.Talk About You3:22
- 2.All She Wants3:40
- 3.Last Party3:39
- 4.Good Guys3:23
- 5.Oh Girl, You’re the Devil2:52
- 6.No Place in Heaven3:20
- 7.Staring at the Sun3:36
- 8.Hurts3:37
- 9.Good Wife3:18
- 10.Rio4:08
- 11.Ordinary Man3:46
- 12.Promiseland2:59
- 13.Porcelain3:20
- 14.Good Guys (Night Time mix)3:37
- 15.L’amour fait ce qu’il veut3:25
MIKA et l’orchestre symphonique de Montréal2015
- 1.Toy Boy4:05
- 2.Grace Kelly3:21
- 3.Underwater3:42
- 4.Boum boum boum3:52
- 5.Relax (Take It Easy)3:12
- 6.Last Party4:11
- 7.Origin of Love5:02
- 8.Ordinary Man4:47
- 9.Happy Ending5:37
- 10.Heroes4:58
- 11.Over My Shoulder4:53
- 12.Good Guys4:21
- 13.Rain4:09
- 14.Any Other World4:49
- 15.Love Today4:25
- 16.Elle me dit4:30
Songbook, Vol. 12013
- 1.Relax, Take It Easy3:41
- 2.Grace Kelly3:15
- 3.Stardust3:26
- 4.Celebrate3:05
- 5.We Are Golden3:58
- 6.Origin of Love3:13
- 7.Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)4:07
- 8.Rain3:44
- 9.Underwater3:12
- 10.Popular Song3:20
- 11.Blame It on the Girls3:33
- 12.Live Your Life2:57
- 13.Love Today3:53
- 14.Kick Ass (We Are Young)3:12
- 15.Happy Ending (LA edit)3:32
- 16.Lollipop3:03
- 17.Stardust (Benny Benassi mix)3:05
- 18.Any Other World4:09
- 19.Blue Eyes2:51
- 20.L’amour dans le mauvais temps4:04
The Origin of Love2012
- 1.Origin of Love4:37
- 2.Lola3:45
- 3.Stardust3:18
- 4.Make You Happy (Miami Edit)3:36
- 5.Underwater3:12
- 6.Overrated3:38
- 7.Kids3:05
- 8.Love You When I'm Drunk2:54
- 9.Step With Me3:36
- 10.Popular Song4:06
- 11.Emily3:34
- 12.Heroes3:17
- 13.Celebrate3:08
- 14.Elle Me Dit3:39
- 15.Karen (French Version)3:57
- 16.L'amour Dans Le Mauvais Temps (French Version)4:07
- 17.Un Soleil Mal Luné (French Version)3:06
- 18.Make You Happy (Cherokee Remix)5:47
- 19.Celebrate5:53
- 20.Elle Me Dit (BeatauCue Remix)5:02
- 21.Make You Happy (LA Edit)3:11
- 22.Tah Dah2:51
Life in Cartoon Motion / The Boy Who Knew Too Much2011
- 1.Grace Kelly3:08
- 2.Lollipop3:04
- 3.My Interpretation3:35
- 4.Love Today3:55
- 5.Relay, Take It Easy4:30
- 6.Any Other World4:19
- 7.Billy Brown3:15
- 8.Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)4:08
- 9.Stuck in the Middle4:09
- 10.Happy Ending / Over My Shoulder10:21
- 11.We Are Golden3:58
- 12.Blame It on the Girls3:34
- 13.Rain3:44
- 14.Dr. John3:44
- 15.I See You4:17
- 16.Blue Eyes2:50
- 17.Good Gone Girl3:02
- 18.Touches You3:20
- 19.By the Time3:21
- 20.One Foot Boy2:59
- 21.Toy Boy2:58
- 22.Pick Up Off the Floor3:23
iTunes Live: London Festival ’092009
Tracklist not collected yet.
The Boy Who Knew Too Much2009
- 1.We Are Golden3:58
- 2.Blame It on the Girls3:34
- 3.Rain3:44
- 4.Dr John3:44
- 5.I See You4:17
- 6.Blue Eyes2:50
- 7.Good Gone Girl3:02
- 8.Touches You3:20
- 9.By the Time3:21
- 10.One Foot Boy2:59
- 11.Toy Boy2:58
- 12.Pick Up Off the Floor3:23
- 13.We Are Golden (acoustic version)3:18
Live Parc des Princes, Paris2008
Tracklist not collected yet.
Life in Cartoon Motion2007
Tracklist not collected yet.
iTunes Festival: London2007
Tracklist not collected yet.
Live in Cartoon Motion2007
Tracklist not collected yet.
Zodi et Téhu, frères du désert
Tracklist not collected yet.
Love2023
Tracklist not collected yet.
Pride2023
Tracklist not collected yet.
This Is the Sound of MIKA2010
Tracklist not collected yet.
Songs for Sorrow2009
Tracklist not collected yet.
Relax / Lollipop Bundle2007
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dodgy Holiday2006
Tracklist not collected yet.
2006-12-18: NapsterLive2006
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Casablanca Records
- Record label
- Island Records
- Record label
- Republic Records
- Record label
- Universal Music Group
Achievements
- Award
- NRJ Music Award for International Male Artist of the Year
- Award
- Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
- Award
- Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act
- Award
- NRJ Music Award for International Revelation of the Year
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Mica Penniman, Michael Holbrook Penniman, Jr., Michael Penniman, ミーカ
Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr., known professionally as Mika, is a singer-songwriter born in Beirut, Lebanon, and raised in Paris and London. Mika rose to prominence after the release of his first extended play, Dodgy Holiday (2006), which contained his debut single "Relax, Take It Easy". The track was released in October 2006, and topped the charts throughout Europe. His first full-length studio album, Life in Cartoon Motion (2007), released on Island Records, was led by the single "Grace Kelly" which topped the UK Singles Chart for five weeks starting in January 2007. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, and sold more than 8 million copies worldwide. Life in Cartoon Motion helped Mika win a Brit Award in 2008 for Best British Breakthrough act, while its single "Love Today" was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
…