By: Vidal D’costa (A Toast) –
MIKA’s 2015 pop album No Place in Heaven is infused with the gayest of vibes and will primarily resonate with an LGBTQIA+ audience as it brilliantly captures the essence of being out and proud in the Twenty-First century while also touching upon the experiences of closeted or repressed individuals.
An instance of the same can be viewed (or rather heard) in songs such as the titular ‘No Place in Heaven’, ‘Ordinary Man’ and ‘All She Wants’, all of which feature emotionally charged, sombre yet hopeful and soulful lyrics that tell a tragic and seemingly personal tale and that allude to an individual’s journey in shedding labels, embracing their true self, overcoming heartbreak/ostracism, or coming to age in the midst of a heteronormative society or among peers who constantly pass harsh judgement and simultaneously their efforts in challenging the fixed gender norms that they are forced to adopt or adhere to in order to fit in and survive. On the other hand, it also features numbers that are literal gay anthems such as ‘Hurt’ and ‘Good Guys’ that are empowering, encourage one to adapt an open-minded attitude, and also inspire hope. The latter (‘Good Guys’) also explores a great deal of themes such as onscreen gay representation in pop culture and media and the need for self-acceptance, normalising embracing one’s sexuality sans fear, as well as creating a safe space for the community if we are all to live in a future free from homophobia. All these aforementioned themes were subtly present in MIKA’s early music such as ‘Grace Kelly’, too, so it was a nice callback while simultaneously expanding upon recurring themes.
Speaking from the perspective of an English major, I also appreciated the wordplay that’s beautifully woven into both ‘Good Guys’ and ‘Good Wife’, particularly the interchanging of certain phrases in order to touch upon themes such as masculinity, feeling closeted or left out with no sense of belonging, questioning the lack of LGBTQIA+ representation and visibility in pop culture and media, etc. This is also achieved by name-dropping several gay icons who were successful in promoting LGBTQIA+ visibility in the public eye and incorporating a quote by an author celebrated not only for his noteworthy literature but also for his ‘Wilde’ ways, culminating in the rousing chorus of ‘Good Guys’.
There is also a fine balance struck between the heavily embellished and catchy melodies (a signature of the versatile singer and songwriter) and lyrics that hold up a mirror to a bittersweet, grim reality with sensitivity, sincerity, and just a dash of sass. ‘Promisedland’ is yet another track that stood out for me, and while the album version of this song is great, for me, the ‘I Love Beirut’ rendition that pays homage to MIKA’s Lebanese roots (featuring backing vocals by Mashrou Leila) is utterly sublime and its music video is a must watch on YouTube.
‘L’amour fait ce qu’il veut’ is a standard MIKA bop, and amusingly it felt reminiscent of ‘Foux Du Fa Fa’ by Flight of the Conchords. The lyrics, though, were all French to me. However, it isn’t the track with most repeat value or even the most strikingly colourful song on this album, since that honour rightfully belongs to the peppy and feel-good ‘Talk About You’… and yes, the music video for the song is as campy, invigorating, and as silly as the song itself! Also, only MIKA could successfully rhyme ‘Rio’ with ‘Me, oh’ and I would still find it in my heart to instantly forgive him.
In a nutshell, No Place in Heaven is a gem of an album, and much like MIKA himself, it is peculiar, extra, and spectacular in all the right doses and one that promises to hit you in the feels once you begin to pay a bit more attention to the lyrics.
P.S. I could legitimately visualise some of the songs on this album even being incorporated into the soundtrack of the LGBTQIA+ friendly show Our Flag Means Death.
