Mika has been making headlines of a sort recently with his confirmation that he is gay. Despite the obvious personal milestone of admitting as much in public for the first time, the news was widely greeted with a shrug. Camp, flamboyant and previously coy on his sexuality, it was to nobody's surprise that Mika came out. The only surprise was that he hadn't already.

It is 2012. We've had the Olympics in London and done a good job, a Brit has won the Tour de France and one has (just) won the US Open tennis. These are changed times. The revelation that a pop idol is gay or straight or anything in-between is met, mostly, with refreshing indifference. What matters to audiences is Mika's undisputed knack for churning out incredibly catchy uplifting modern pop.

Part-disco diva, part-Freddie Mercury, Mika's theatricality has been part of his shtick from the very first moment, announcing himself in 2007 with the smash-hit No 1 single Grace Kelly, taken from his five-times platinum debut album, Life in Cartoon Motion. Five years on and Mika is an established star, known and loved for his songwriting ability, extraordinary vocal skills and for wearing his big gay heart on his sleeve. And he's announced he'll be taking his new album on the road later this year [you can have a listen right here: www.bit.ly/MIKA-Sampler - Ed].

The short tour kicks off at London's Roundhouse on 13th December before heading up the M6 (take the M6 Toll, Mika - worth the extra fiver) for a Ritz gig on 14th, closing out the short run in Glasgow on 16th December 2013. We have Roundhouse tickets on sale now, priced £25. The remaining two dates will be available from 9am on Friday 14th September.

Mika's third studio album, The Origin of Love, will be released around the world on 17th September with the exception of in the UK, which sees the new record issued on 8th October 2012.