To believe or not to believe the hype
Mika is not the next big thing. He is merely the latest creation of the music industry’s marketing machine.
I some point in Chris Morris’ sublime Brass liye. the comedian sanctimoniously declared. ‘liind out what to think after this break‘. I‘m reminded of this line every year when
the full weight of the music industry gets together
to tell me exactly what music I‘m going to lind wonderful over the next l2 months.
Music pundits have always liked to predict the winners and losers for the forthcoming year. But recently something much more sinister has emerged. The lines have blurred between pundits.
journalists and DJs and the music industry
and its tnighty marketing machine. The ‘predictions' of what‘s going to be huge are nothing more than a fait accompli. a self-fulfilling prophecy with no connection to an exciting underground act actually breaking out of nowhere to stardom. liven worse. sheep-like pundits tow the line for fear of not looking zeitgeist enough.
This year's musical muppet heading for the big time is. of course. Mika. With the colossal promotional muscle of Universal behind him. how could / ‘Grace Kelly‘ fail to go straight in at ' number one? No doubt the album will sell millions. and he‘ll be duetting with Elton John and fronting Queen for charity before the year's out.
The single is passable glam pop with a Freddie Mercury clone at the helm. 3 hardly worth the extraordinary hype. I‘m sure he‘s a nice bloke. But it‘s all just so underwhelming. and I can’t help getting annoyed at how I‘m supposed to swallow (from the music industry. via the media) that this is some massive new extraordinary pop talent.
It‘s the emperor‘s new clothes. repeated year after year. Corinne Bailey Rae — yes. very exciting. Keane and Ra/orlight — fantastic. Joss Stone and the Scissor Sisters — who could‘ve predicted something so bland would sell loads'.’ Oh. wait. me.
In this age of alleged internet-fuelled musical democracy. it seems it‘s really just business as usual for the music industry and the predictable pop pap they continue to foist on us.
The hype and hysteria surrounding Mika is joyfully justified. His
music is catchy,
fun and witty.
ast month. the BBC published the results of its Sound of 2007 survey. One hundred and thirty of the UK‘s most influential
music pundits had been asked to name their
favourite new acts. Those questioned included Glastonbury ()rganiser limin liavis. Alison Howe. the producer of Later it'll/l Jon/s Holland. and a number of Mercury Music prize judges. Top of the pile and number one was Mika. Why‘.’ Well. probably the same reason that he reached number one with (iraee Kelly: because he clearly has
talent and no amount of labelling. marketing or
hyping can take that away from him. His melodies are preposterously catchy. his lyrics fun and witty. The ‘next big thing’ label is bound to stick to someone like Mika and what of it'.’ The guy is a talented singer/songwriter who has worked hard
‘WHO COULD'V E PREDICT ED SOMETHING SO
BLAND WOULD SELL
LOADS. 0H, WAIT A MINUTE, ME'
and is now reaping the rewards. Granted. sometimes it takes an influential person in the media to proclaim an artist‘s greatness before other people take note. but surely recommendations are one of the main ways people find out about new talent. Somebody has to start the ball rolling. Like going to the theatre or the cinema. most people try something as a result of someone else‘s endorsement. a review perhaps or the buzz. surrounding it. And give people credit. they can make tip their own \\ minds. Nobody is holding a gun to the public‘s head and telling them to buy Mika‘s single because he is ‘the next big thing‘. As for Mika himself. from what I've read he is pretty much like any 23-year—old who finds himself the toast of the town — excited. honoured.
yeah. a bit conceited but he can afford to be.
Mika’s debut album Life in Cartoon Motion is out now on Island. Mika plays ABC, Glasgow, 20 Feb.
10 THE LIST 15 Feb - 1 Mar 200/
PLUCKING FRUITS FROM THE CULTURAL BUSH
I Expect many cries of “there’s been a murder' with news that more episodes are to be filmed of ITV ScotCop dramas Taggart and Rebus. Four new 90- minute mysteries of the former start filming in April and further adventures for Ian Rankin's world-weary rozzer are also scheduled. with the excellent Ken Stott continuing in the saddle . . . Roman Polanski is to direct Pompeii, an adaptation of the Robert Harris best- selling novel about a young engineer who has to repair the Roman Empire's greatest aqueduct following the eruption of Vesuvius in A079 . . . Frank Skinner has just announced his first stand-up dates for umpteen years. His sole Scottish night is in Aberdeen this September but more dates might trickle out soon . . . Travis have confirmed that their new album The Boy with No Name will be out in May . . . Ex—Bond lassie Famke Janssen is to play the lead in a new female US cop show. The as yet untitled series comes from House creator David Shore . . . Jaunty Avril Lavigne is to release a new album in mid-April entitled The Best Damn Thing . . Spanish maverick Pedro Almodovar is working on his next movie, La Pie/ que Habito. about a plastic surgeon who seeks horrible vengeance upon his daughter's rapists . . . A bizarre bunch of cover versions have been knocked up for a compilation entitled Sounds Eclectic which is due for release in March in the US. and shortly after in the UK. Where else would you get Magic Numbers being ‘Crazy in Love‘. Damien Rice crooning ‘Creep'. Paul Weller ‘Wishing on a Star' and The Flaming Lips getting their ‘Knives Out"? Nowhere, that‘s where.