Mika reflects on how the media treated him during early career: ‘Brazen homophobia’
"I’m 39 now, the world’s moved on, so I’m not afraid to say it."
Mika has slammed the “brazen homophobia” he received from the media in the early days of his career.
The Voice of Italy coach found fame in 2007 with hits like ‘Grace Kelly’ and ‘Big Girl (You Are Beautiful)’.
(Side note: how was this 16 years ago?!)
Hi debut album Life in Cartoon Motion was the ninth-best-selling of that year, shifting an estimated eight million copies.
After years of media speculation around his sexuality – including this Guardian article headlined: ‘Why won’t Mika give a straight answer?‘ – Mika publicly addressed that he identifies as gay for the first time in 2012.
“You wouldn’t be able to get away with some of those comments and articles today” – Mika
“There was confusion that I was drawing: ‘What is he?'” Mika said of the era in a recent interview with iNews.
“All this questioning about sexuality, and about emotional and musical and stylistic exuberance that in today’s pop culture is celebrated.”
The BBC Sound of 2007 winner, whose real name is Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr, continued: “I think you wouldn’t be able to get away with some of those comments and articles today. I was accused of being brazen, but I think it was brazen homophobia.”
He furthermore added: “I’m 39 years old now, the world’s moved on, so I’m not afraid to say it. And it was such a waste of time.”
The former Attitude cover star is known for songs like ‘We Are Golden’ and ‘Relax, Take It Easy’.