Lebanese-British pop star Mika has been selected as one of the co-hosts of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy which will take place on May 10th, 12th, and 14th.
The 38-year-old singer is well-known and well-loved for his singles “Grace Kelly” and “Relax, Take It Easy,” among others, and many of his songs and albums reached the top 10.
He has also acted as a judge and instructor in The Voice France and The X-Factor Italy
Mika has never hesitated to publicly declare his great love for his birth country. That was particularly evident during the Lebanese Revolution and in the aftermath of the Beirut port explosion.
He actively contributed to supporting the surviving victims of Beirut Blast, giving a special concert called “I Love Beirut” through which he raised $1.7 million for the Lebanese Red Cross and Save The Children Lebanon.
The event hosted French actress Fanny Ardant, a performance by the singer Louane, and the Lebanese band Mashrou Leila.
He later detailed in a post on his Instagram how the funds were distributed by the two Lebanese organizations and how and whom the donations helped.
To commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Beirut Blast, he presented a new performance of his song Heroes, inspired by the A.E. Housman poem, and in which he sings in tribute to the Beirut Blast victims.
On January 2021, Mika was touched to receive the Lebanese National Order of Merit – Silver Palm. “This reciprocal love, so unexpected and so poignant, makes me happy and very proud of my heritage, especially in these difficult times for Lebanon,” he posted about it on his Instagram.
Mika will co-host the 66th edition of the Eurovision song contest with Grammy-winning singer Laura Pausini, and Alessandro Cattelan, an Italian television presenter, and voice-over artist.
Eurovision is an annual song contest where singers from European countries and non-European countries (like Australia) participate.
Each country is represented by a singer or a band performing on stage. Consequently, whoever gets the most votes from the judges and the audience wins.
