Mika recalls being told his music was ‘a little too gay’ by industry figures

Mika has spoken out his experience as a gay pop star in the early years of his career in the late 2000s.

In an interview with The i, the ‘Grace Kelly’ singer spoke of the pressures he faced to come out at the peak of his success in 2007, and the scrutiny he endured because of his suspected sexuality.

In particular the artist spoke of hearing US music industry figures saying “We’d love to play this song, but it’s just a little too gay”.

“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,” Mika said. “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 singer came out as gay in 2012, having previously stated that he avoided labels when it came to his sexuality. In an interview at that time with Instinct magazine, he commented: “If you ask me, ‘Am I gay?’, I say yeah. Are these songs about my relationship with a man? I say yeah.

“And it’s only through my music that I’ve found the strength to come to terms with my sexuality beyond the context of just my lyrics. This is my real life.”

Speaking to The i in promotion of his new Claudia Winkleman-fronted reality show The Piano, Mika was pensive about the state of the music industry at the time of his debut. “The industry was not one of the most kind or conducive places for making you at ease with your own identity or sexuality back then.

“My response was to assume the stage, find ways to tell my story, and find places that would be willing to hear it,” he continued. “It was not to compete, but to find my own space within which I could grow”.

Since the days of his early success, the artist has largely retreated from public life in the UK, focussing his efforts more so on working in France and Italy.