Mika and Holly Johnson’s Attitude cover shoot in eight striking photos

Ahead of the release of his new album Hyperlove, pop icon Mika covers the January/February issue of Attitude magazine alongside Frankie Goes to Hollywood legend Holly Johnson.

Known for chart-topping pop and fearless queer expression, the Beirut-born singer tells Attitude: “To say that Welcome to the Pleasuredome was an important album to me would be such a huge understatement. It changed my life – and it changed how so many people think about pop.”

The cover shoot and interview took place on World AIDS Day 2025, marking a poignant moment to reflect on Johnson’s legacy as one of the first musicians to publicly disclose his HIV status, and on the shadow AIDS cast over a generation of gay men.

Mika and Johnson share a laugh during the shoot, the energy of decades of queer pop history radiating through the frame. Mika wears a suit designed by himself for Atelier Mika, paired with Christian Louboutin shoes, while Johnson opts for a sharp Ilaria Lepore shirt and his own bracelet.

In other frames, Mika experiments with bold tailoring: a Comme Des Garçons shirt, jacket and tie with Classical Gem Hunter rings, Saint Laurent shirt and trousers with Atelier Mika blazer, and Walter Van Beirendonck separates. Johnson matches with Rick Owens overshirt and a Gucci shirt, blazer and tie, as well as statement pieces by Kyle Ho.

A more intimate pose captures the depth of their conversation, reflecting on censorship, grief, and survival in a music industry that hasn’t always been kind to LGBTQ+ artists.

Johnson recalls the BBC’s 1984 ban of ‘Relax’: “It wasn’t a worthy, right-on gayness. It was an in-your-face, fuck-you-if-you-don’t-like-it gayness.”

Mika opens up about homophobia in the music industry: “‘That shit’s too gay… there’s just no point working this at radio or promoting it in America.’ I never got work in America. Ever.”

Elsewhere, the discussion turns to loss. Johnson on losing his partner of 41 years: “I just had to carry on… it was a great distraction.” Mika reflects on channeling the loss of his mother into Hyperlove, which he describes as “alt weirdo psychedelic pop.”

Enjoy more exclusive shots from this unforgettable cover shoot below.

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