MC@Play with Mika

We first fell in love with Mika when his original mega hit, "Grace Kelly," stormed the Top 40 charts, leaving us in a bubbly, pop-induced delirium that stuck with us all the way through the release of his debut album, Life in Cartoon Motion. Brimming with seven — yes, seven — singles, Mika quickly solidified his position in the royal family of pop.

Five years, a second album, and a Grammy nomination behind him, the 29-year-old Brit is back and, if you ask us, better than ever. His latest album, The Origin of Love, dropped last Tuesday, and features so much more than his unmistakably sweet croon that we've grown to adore.

It's not quite electro pop, but it features the undeniable dance beat familiar to trendy European clubs. It's not completely "2007 Mika," either, though the album's second track, "Lola," has that distinct chord progression that made him famous. "Popular" mixes up the beloved Wicked track while incorporating a sassy rap element with which Kristen Chenoweth definitely can't keep up.

It wouldn't be a Mika album without that one tune that's a little wacky, a lot creative, and definitely super catchy. That song, "Celebrate," featuring Pharrell Williams, is bouncy, smile-inducing, and reminds us of an early, more radio-friendly Daft Punk track. And when he declares in the chorus, "I want the whole world to celebrate," we, of course, believe him.

Peep our exclusive interview with the singer-songwriter above, thanks to MC's very own music editor, Sergio Kletnoy, and check out the official "Celebrate" video, too: