CRITIC'S CHOICE
POP
Mika, a 23-year-old singer-songwriter who was born in Beirut and is based in London, breathes refreshing Life into pop music on his animated debut. With a rangy voice and flamboyant flair that recall Queen's Freddie Mercury, an unabashedly pop sensibility reminiscent of Wham!-era George Michael and a zest for cheeky, kitschy fun à la the Scissor Sisters, Mika is the perfect antidote to all those brooding hipster dudes who are too cool to be this catchy. The CD kicks off with the poperatic pomp of his glorious U.K. hit "Grace Kelly," on which Mika flaunts his self-taught skills on the keys. Just as good is "Love Today," an upbeat, uptempo anthem on which Mika soars sky-high with his falsetto, lifting you up right along with him.
DOWNLOAD THIS: "Grace Kelly"
