Grace Kelly is a song by the British pop singer Mika, released in 2007. It also appeared at the same time on his album Life in Cartoon Motion. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 3 and one week later it jumped to No. 1, where it remained for five weeks. It ended 2007 as the year's third biggest-selling single in the UK.It also went to #1 on the Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Norway and Turkey singles charts.

The song is titled after the Academy Award winning film and stage actress Grace Kelly who went on to become Princes Grace of Monaco. The lyric "So I tried a little Freddie" is a reference to Queen'sFreddie Mercury, to whose singing voice Mika's has been compared.

The song was designed to be a mocking satire of musicians who try to reinvent themselves to be popular. Mika wrote the song after feeling frustrated with record company executives who wanted him to change his sound to fit the common pop mould - to be "more like Craig David". After one such interview, Mika wrote the song saying "I can be any colour you want, what the hell do you want me to be, should I look older, should I bend over just to be put on your shelf. What is it that you want? You don't know what you want so I can be every color of the rainbow.' And at the end I was like, 'all you think about is money, so "kerching"! - take that.' And that was the song."

A fun piece for audience and singers alike, with some vocal and rhythmic challenges, as well as occasional divisi parts, thrown in for good measure.

Composed by Mikael Carlsson, lyrics by Sir William Shakespeare. Composition year: 2015. Secular.

An expressive three movement work for SATB choir with divisi and piano accompaniment exploring Shakespeare text s with a nocturnal setting. Beautiful harmony and forward movement leads the way of 'Over Hill, Over Dale' ('Midsummer Night's Dream'), ominous piano glissandi and misterioso chords dominate 'Heavily, Heavily' ('Much Ado About Nothing') and shimmering light and a dazzling ending with the effect of whistling and sea waves makes the final 'Night of Our Solemnities' ('Midsummer Night's Dream) particularly memorable.


1. Over Hill, Over Dale (Midsummer Night's Dream)

Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough brier,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough flood, thorough fire.
I do wander everywhere
Swifter than the moon?s sphere.
And I serve the fairy queen
To dew her orbs upon the green.
The cowslips tall her pensioners be.
In their gold coats spots you see.
Those be rubies, fairy favors.
In those freckles live their savors.
I must go seek some dewdrops here
And hang a pearl in every cowslip?s ear.
Farewell, thou lob of spirits. I?ll be gone.
Our queen and all our elves come here anon.

2. Heavily, Heavily (Much Ado About Nothing)

Pardon, goddess of the night,
Those that slew thy virgin knight,
For the which with songs of woe
Round about her tomb they go.
Midnight, assist our moan.
Help us to sigh and groan
Heavily, heavily.
Graves, yawn and yield your dead,
Till death be utterèd,
Heavily, heavily.

3. Night of Our Solemnities (Midsummer Night's Dream)

Four days will quickly steep themselves in night.
Four nights will quickly dream away the time.
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New bent in heaven, shall behold the night
Of our solemnities.

Choral score including piano part. 28 pages.
Total duration: 15:30.
Movement 1: 4:30
Movement 2: 5:00
Movement 3: 6:00

Suitable for concert programs concerning themes such as Shakespeare, night, evening, love, sorrow, evening, forgiving.

Discover more music by Mikael Carlsson at http://www.mikaelcarlsson.com