Who is he? The Beirut-born Mika, 22, looks like Tom Hulce in Amadeus crossed with the Russian wunderkind pianist Evgeny Kissin, and sings like Freddie Mercury. This may sound heartless, but reading that he was a Johnny-no-friends at school came as little surprise: insanely talented children (the Bruno in Fame type) often are. Putting that behind him - or dredging it for every last drop of bile - Mika is gearing up nicely for a long and loud last laugh. His debut double-A single, Relax, Take It Easy/Billy Brown, is so confident, so brimming with hysteria-tinged joie de vivre, it's irresistible. The first song is all Scissor Sisters-inspired disco homage; the second all blowsy, Queeny burlesque. Also worth hearing is the stunning Grace Kelly, at www.myspace.com/mikamyspace . A great find.
When's the record out? September 18, on Casablanca.
Can I see him live? At Borderline, W1 (August 30).