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Pop singer Mika will be performing in Seoul for the first time, Nov. 28. / Courtesy of Yellow Nine |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Pop sensation Mika will be bringing his fun, catchy music to Seoul for the first time next month.
Mika, whose hit songs include ``Grace Kelly'' and ``Big Girl (You Are Beautiful),'' is holding his first solo concert Nov. 28 at the Melon AX-Hall, Gwangjang-dong, Seoul.
Mika was born Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr. Aug.18, 1983 in Beirut, Lebanon. He grew up in Paris, and later London where he attended Westminster School and the Royal College of Music. He left school to make his debut album with Casablanca Records.
In 2007, the London-based singer-songwriter quickly gained critical acclaim for his first album ``Life In Cartoon Motion,'' filled with fresh-sounding pop music. Mika has said the songs mostly deal with coming-of-age issues he dealt with when he was growing up.
The first single ``Grace Kelly'' spent five weeks on the number one spot in the U.K. charts, and the album sold four million copies in just 10 months in Europe.
His falsetto voice and music earned him comparisons with Freddie Mercury, Elton John, Prince, Robbie Williams and David Bowie. Mika also became known for his flamboyant on-stage persona and eccentric personality.
Mika won British Breakthrough Act in the 2008 Brit Awards, where he also received nominations for British Male Solo Artist, Best Album and Best Single. ``Grace Kelly'' also received a nomination for Record of the Year at the 2007 Grammy Awards.
The 26-year-old Mika, who also plays the piano, just released his second album ``Boy Who Knew Too Much.'' It included catchy and upbeat songs ``We Are Golden,'' ``Blame it on the Girls,'' and ``Blue Eyes.''
Mika's popularity in Korea has been helped by the fact that his songs have been widely used in Korean TV shows and commercials, such as SK Telecom, Asiana Airlines and KB Kookmin Bank.
When the concert date for Seoul was finalized, Mika posted the message ``Seoul here we come" on his Twitter account (twitter.com/mikasounds). He is also scheduled to hold concerts in Tokyo and Hong Kong next month.
Tickets are 99,000 won. Melon AX-Hall is located near Gwangnaru Station Line 5, Exit 2. For information, call concert organizer Yellow Nine at (02) 3444-9969(English booking available). Tickets are also sold on Auction Web site ticket.auction.co.kr (1566-1369) or Yes 24 Web site ticket.yes24.com (1544-6399).
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr |
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