While Italian broadcaster Rai will announce the host city of Eurovision 2022 at the end of August, details of the show hosts are still unknown and speculation is running rampant. And now, a new name is joining the list. The British singer Mika, well known and loved by Italian audiences, is rumoured to have been in negotiations with Rai.
The rumour was reported by Twitter account Cinguetterai. The same tweet also revealed that the recently departed legend Raffaella Carrà was allegedly part of an initial plan to host Eurovision with Mika.
?ESCLUSIVA Cinguetterai?
Secondo voci vicine a Rai 1 tra i conduttori in lizza per l’#Eurovision2022, oltre ad Alessandro Cattelan, c’è anche Mika.
In uno dei vari progetti embrionali il cantautore avrebbe dovuto presentare l’#Eurovision con Raffaella Carrà.#ESCITA #Mika pic.twitter.com/odQ4F8V2dE— Cinguetterai (@Cinguetterai) August 7, 2021
Mika’s staff, however, promptly denied the rumour to Rockol.it on August 12, firmly stating that there are no negotiations underway with Rai.
“Groundless rumors,” Mika’s team declared upon being contacted by Rockol.
Mika is not a fan of Eurovision
This declaration does not come as a surprise, knowing that Mika’s relationship with Eurovision has never been idyllic.
On several occasions, the artist declined offers to take part in the competition, and he also made some unflattering statements about the quality of the songs submitted to the contest.
Being born in Beirut, in 2005 he was among the eligible representatives of Lebanon in their planned debut. In the end, Aline Lahoud was chosen instead, however Lebanese television withdrew from the contest because local law prevented the Israeli performance from being broadcast.
Back in 2015, during an interview with French radio broadcaster RTL, Mika revealed that he was approached four times by the BBC to represent the UK in the contest. He declined the offer every time.
The same thing happened with France (where the artist lived during his childhood years).
In the same interview, Mika addressed his stance stating that, “most of the songs sent to the competition are shameful, they are pure s**t!”
When the interviewer asked him to bring a good song to the contest, Mika added, “I don’t know if that’s allowed. It’s not part of the game, you have to make terrible songs.”
The contest will return to Italy after 31 years, and fans all over the world are throwing around different names for a “dream team” that could finally erase the memory of the 1991 fiasco, when presenters Gigliola Cinquetti and Toto Cutugno puzzled European audience with their chaotic approach.
In recent months, the names of Amadeus (confirmed as artistic director of Sanremo 2022), Alessandro Cattelan (who will start his contract with Rai in September) and the influencer Chiara Ferragni (who could reprise the role covered by NikkieTutorials in 2021) were all mentioned as possible hosts for the 66th edition of ESC.
Who is Mika?
Born Michael Holbrook Penniman Jr, Mika is an internationally renowned pop artist and presenter, who rose to success in 2007 with the single “Grace Kelly”, topping the charts of numerous countries.
The artist is well known in Italy, and not only for his music: he was a judge of X Factor Italy from 2013 to 2015, a role that he recently resumed in the 2020 edition. Mika was the first international mentor on the Italian edition of the show.
Between 2016 and 2017, he also hosted his own variety show called “Stasera Casa Mika” on Rai 2 for two seasons. The show won the 2017 Rose d’Or Award for Entertainment.
On top of that, Mika was a special guest at Sanremo in 2017 and 2020.
The close relationship of Mika with the world of music, X Factor Italy (which is churning out many Sanremo winners, including Måneskin) and Rai, as well as the fact that he speaks English, Italian and French, would make him a perfect candidate for the role. Sadly the artist doesn’t share our enthusiasm towards Eurovision!
However, Rai is still in the very early stages of organising Eurovision 2022, so there is still time for Mika to change his mind and give Eurovision a second chance.
Would you like to see Mika among the hosts of Eurovision 2022? Who are your ideal hosts? Let us know in the comments!
He isnt even British. Hes Lebanese lol
I like some Mika’s song but I think him as a person who’s not seeing the beautiful side of the contest is really irrelevant to host or be associated with ESC. I think he’s one of those picky self entitled artist, he collaborate with others artist before like Ariana Grande but his career didn’t soar much. I think he really have some not-so-good personality.
It’s awkward because Mika was Gjon’s coach in The Voice France in 2019. I’m not sure, I remembered Mika congratulating Gjon for his rank.
From this post on twitter, maybe he changes his mind about eurovision… ? https://twitter.com/mikasounds/status/1396440546638499843
Its horrible! Mika to be in Eurovision ?. We wanna see italian singers instead: Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, Nek, Mahmood, Il volo, francesco Gabani… Any of these better than Mika please!
We don’t need to waste our time with him.
Glad to know that Mika is still around, after charting like 15 years ago.
We don’t need people like Mika hosting Eurovision. Just a competent local. Not an international celebrity who will make it all about them.
I believe that RAI is able to find someone who holds a stronger connection to the country and is more willing to be part of the contest, also I’d prefer to have less than four hosts next year.
I’m surprised to hear about MIKA for the first time in quite a while but – given his rude comments and snobbish attitude, I’d rather not have him as a host, he doesn’t deserve it.
Edit: I’m all in for the drama, but let’s be real, we shouldn’t focus on people who don’t appreciate the contest when there’s many more people keen in getting involved (either participating or hosting) in it.
I would love Giorgia Todrani and Laura Pausini as hosts because… why not?
Either that or one of them represent Italy next year! 😀 Or at least come back to Sanremo again! 😀
I think Alessandro Cattelan and Chiara Ferragni could be presenters
If he doesn’t like it, than why would he host it? If he’s Brit, why would he host it since it takes place in Italy?
He has been working on Italian television for almost a decade now. Here in Italy he’s basically considered a local by now.
With his rude comments about Eurovision, he doesn’t deserve to host
great, now get back to the supreme show of quality and authenticity, x factor -.-
I love MIKA. I hate his opinion on the contest. Maybe he’s actually watched since he made those comments in 2015 and his opinion has changed. I still wouldn’t want him as presenter, though.
Just convince Monica Belluci. It would be such an iconic step for the ESC 2022.
Imagine if Gigliola Cinquetti and Toto Cutugno hosted the contest again.
Hope they have learned more English then! And learned to look into the camera. And realise the show isn’t about them, especially Toto..
Nobody asked for his opinion
I’m genuinely wondering why these irrelevant has-beens hate on the only show that has the potential to bring them into the mainstream again. also it’s just baseless bs, we watch this show year in and year out, every country tries and there’s at least 10-15 great songs every time.
hypocrisy and western privilege, ridiculing countries with tiny populations who are pressured to annually make an English language international hit. he couldn’t chart in Ireland if he tried, please
Mika’s music has never been good enough for Eurovision. He is a hack.
No, he’s not.
He hasn’t had a hit in Australia for a long time. Not that he probably cares.
British!? I always though he was French.
He’s Lebanese
He left Lebanon when he was one.
I haven’t met any personally, but isn’t Danny Thomas one?
Blanche Devereaux!
Lebanese. Lebanese. LEE-BA-NEESE
Mika was born in Beirut from an american-born lebanese mother and an american father. His family left Lebanon when he was one due to civil war and they first settled in Paris. When he was 9 his family moved to London. In interview he said his first language is french but his dad always talked to him in english, and his mother used both french and english to interact with couple’s children. He does not speak arabic and holds dual citizenship, american and british.
Talking s**t about the contest and then hosting the same one would be a shame and I see no reason for him to be picked whatsoever… I am sure Italy can do much better!
Italy is a big country and I’m sure they have their own talent they’d want to hire for this job.
I don’t know who this person is nor do I know any of his songs??
He had several hits 10-15 years ago, but I hadn’t heard of him since :/
I’m sure Italy has actual Italian people within the confines of such a big country that could more than be good enough to host ESC. It would also help if they are actually a fan or interested or know about the Eurovision Song Contest.
Mika is just….nah. He hasn’t had an international hit in years, in fact, a lot of the participating songs in this years contest are vastly superior to some of his music.
It’s gonna be Gigliola Cinquetti and Toto Cutugno
I am not sure if they can speak English but i want Amadeus and Fiorello to host to show… Amadeus , Fiorello and plus, a woman presenter. Maybe Chiara Ferragni
It would be great to see one of my favourite singers involved in ESC in any way, especially since he has that quirky creative aura perfect for it. His latest album was so good and underrated! But he is not interested so don’t force him..
The general fanbase doesn’t want him
So? Do the fans dictate the contest now? That is a decision up to RAI and the producers, like everything else. Not the fans..
I like many of his songs. Or should I rather write likeD? With such a snobbish attitude, he doesn’t deserve to host ESC
I guess that I’m in the minority since I wanted him to host it… 🙁
I don’t want anyone hosting Eurovision who doesn’t actually like the contest
Terry Wogan hosting in 1998 was a mistake
He had like only one good song in his whole career. One Hit Wonder. So stay away from Eurovision, please!
this is not true… Grace Kelly, Relax, Take it Easy, Lollipop… all hits… + his new album was great…
Relax was Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Relax, Take it Easy is one song! 🙂
Don’t be bitter because he doesn’t like the contest. He’s been insanely successful in several european countries and languages.
Yeah, but that was like 8-10 years ago…
he has had more than one hit song lol. popular with ariana grande, relax take it easy, grace kelly , big girl, we are golden, tomorrow and other songs of his have charted very well especially across europe
Why do we waste our time and energy on artists who don’t appreciate the contest when there are many others who are keen to get involved with it?
Fact!
Drama
Why do we breathlessly report every rumour like this? Wiwibloggs and the Eurovision community would be best to just plain ignore him.
Agreed. The other week it was Jessie J in what was a story which was completely fabricated if you look at what has subsequent been reported about the poor woman.
Why would Italy let a Brit host the contest?
Because the Brit has a career in Italy and lives there? And because he can speak three languages?
There not selling points
UK Eurovision fans haven’t forgotton Mika’s attacks. He wouldn’t last 30 seconds in the contest with that attitude. As Sobral proved, it’s better to keep your true feelings secret until after you’ve won.