Overrated | The Voice France / MIKA & OC

4.3 - Live 1. Work to do

We're in the studio. A very, very messy studio. There's sheet music, drawings and photos everywhere, just lying around, and tables are filled with empty carton cups of coffee. And Mika, looking, as always, perfect, seems to absolutely mismatch this place.

- I honestly tried to clean it up, - Penniman confesses, as he brushes off papers from a couch and invites me to sit, - As you see, I failed, so sorry for the mess.

- You should have seen my room, - I reply plopping on the couch and massaging my swollen knee, - In fact, I feel like home here!

- Well, good for you, 'cause it's staying like this till the album is finished! - he responds, instantly copying my playful mood.

It takes some time for Mika to find a key to the recording boot, the one with the piano. We start with a usual warming-up. He tells me to sing something else before going to the Changer:

- It's our first official lesson, so I need to know your limits, - he says, - What's the song you feel the most comfortable performing?

I suggest his own Rain.

- Yeah, that would be good, - Mika nods.

I sing it as I always do, kind of enjoyng that almost sciency look on Mika's face, as he carefully examines every note I produce. At the end, he says that I have a very wide vocal range, and I hit high notes quite easily (Of course I do, with a coach like him!), but lower octaves are still hard to reach, and the breathing technique is not perfect.

- We'll conquer them, - he says, - But we need more time than we've got right now. So for the first show we'll have something in what you're surely the best - emotions. You won't get very low as well. We're just keeping you in the team, ok?

Mika stands up, digs in some papers and hands me the lyrics of Changer. The he gets back to piano.

- Let's start.

And we start. I tried singing it before, I even listened to myself, but my ear is not as trained on these things as Mika's. And of course, he does hear some mistakes, as I can clearly see, but he makes me sing to the end, then, he sighs:

- Oh, sweet Alice, we've got a lot, lot work to do! Here, - he picks up a pencil from the floor and gives it to me, - Now one more time, and this time I stop and you mark the troubled spot in your lyrics.

Sounds logical to me, so I do what he says. When the song is over, Mika points at my paper, which is now grey from all the marks I've made.

- See yourself. I wanted you to know exactly what's on the way, - he glances at his watch, then at me, again, - How much time have you got today?

- All day. I'm officially on sick leave now.

- Good.

So we spend several hours correcting me, mistake by mistake.

Do you remember when you were a kid and you had just started to learn writing? When teachers made you write one letter over and over again until it looks right? Well, that's how I feel now. Never thought it would be so exhausting. Yet, it's really enjoyable! There's nothing I won't do to see that satisfied grin on Mika's face.

- And someone here once said I'm unworkable, - I can't resist remarking between our furious attacks on the song. Mika laughs.

- And I said I won't be able to handle you. Well, I'm glad I was wrong, - he seems as proud of himself as I am.

And we keep going on and on. I've lost count of hours and minutes we've spent. For the first time I feel like I'm doing the right thing, like I'm in the right place.

So if I had any doubts before, now it's clear for me - music is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

However, all good things come to an end.

- Tired? - Mika asks after we're done working on another part. I want to lie and keep this going some more, but I can't. Mika will manage to read me like a book.

- Yes, - I sigh.

- Want to finish now?

- But we haven't even begun the bridge!

- Ok, let's do the bridge and you go home. For the first time it will be enough, plus you're still sick.

But karma always makes everything as it wishes. We get interrupted by We Are Golden. For a moment my tired mind freaks out - like, "here's one Mika at the piano, and there's another Mika in my pocket, what?!" Then I realise that it's my phone. Mika nods and hooks his thumb towards the door, and I exit the boot to answer the call.

It's Emily.

- So that's how our poor victim is suffering! - she exclaims joyfully, - Escaping from us all and partying on your own!

I try to come up with something to reply, as Mika strictly prohibited to tell anyone about our meetings, but Emily does everything by herself:

- It's a boy, huh? That's what it is?

- Yeah-yeah, - I confirm, and it's enough for her. She continues:

- Anyway, party-time must be shared, you know! Especially since we didn't go anywhere yesterday. We in our usual place, and we're waiting for you. No excuses!

- We?

- Team Mika and Florent. Jenifer's said they may come over too. We're terribly missing your pretty beaten up face! So hurry up!

Emily accept no rejections, as always. I promise her to be there soon and hang up.

- So your destiny pulls you to the other place again? - Mika asks when I get back to him. I shrug:

- Yep. Can't resist its power.

Mika stands up to follow me to the door.

- Want some advice? - he says, - Stop letting events decide for you, take control of your life, you know. You've made a decision once, when you come on the show, and look where you are now!

- You're so keen on giving me advice, - I grin, as he leads me out of the studio. Mika mimics my shrugging:

- It's not my fault that you wake my inner guru every time! By the way, talking about decisions. Here's your task for tomorrow - think about Changer, what will be your attitude towards the song. Will it sound aggressive, depressive, dramatic - you decide and tell me, ok?

- Ok, - I agree. Mika finds a back door and lets me out. He looks around attentively.

- All clear, - he gives me a final hug, - See you tomorrow, at 12!