Happy 27th Birthday, Mika!

The Lebanese-born British singer Mika turns 27 today. Known for his Freddie Mercury-esque flamboyance, Ramen Noodle tangle of hair, and multi-octave prowess, he launched onto the UK music scene in 2007 with a great deal of hype before most people had even heard him sing a note. But he made good on the advance buzz with his sweeping debut single “Grace Kelly,” which topped the UK pop charts for five weeks. I was initially a harsh skeptic of Mika, but I’ve come to appreciate the wit, unapologetic ambition, and songcraft of tunes like “Relax, Take It Easy” (which I initially dismissed as warmed-over Andy Gibb), “Happy Ending,” “Rain,” and the theme song to the movie Kick-Ass. Here’s a selection of some of his songs: