It's been six years since the world last heard from British pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Since the release of her last album, Read My Lips, the British-born Ellis-Bextor has been keeping busy with a new baby. Now Bextor's back with a fresh aural offering, Trip The Light Fantastic. And, as happens, the 28-year old has been making the promotional rounds. She recently sat down with Gay UK to chat about the album, Madonna and her friend Mika.

Not surprisingly, journo Hassan Mirza delved into whether the curly-haired musician digs dick:

Mirza: Well as you probably know the gay media have kinda been after him - or rather, the media in general have been after him to talk about his sexuality. Do you think that’s fair to ask that? Do you think it’s right for him to say he’s not gonna talk about it?

Ellis-Bextor: I actually think he’s completely entitled to it. I know that Dan, someone I know as a gay musician, he was actually fine to talk about it, but it’s kinda beside the point. With Mika I kinda respect the fact that he doesn’t have to tell people everything. Why do we feel we have to know? I mean he’s got lyrics like ‘I tried to be like Grace Kelly, and I tried a little Freddie’. And if you want the answer, I think he’s kinda giving it to you.

Indeed.

Ellis-Bextor also tells Mirza that she hopes to perform at some gay clubs in The States. So, club promoters, you should head on over to Ellis-Bextor's website and make her wishes come true. But, you may first want to check out the video for her new single, "To Catch You", after the jump...

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Gay gossip monger Perez Hilton has been called out for calling gay celebs out of the closet - most notably Lance Bass and Neil Patrick Harris - but now he's being called out for not calling someone out: Mika.

Hilton recently introduced the sexually mum British pop star at a Time Warner Center in-store show and the boys at AfterElton wonder why he's become some chummy with someone that should, ideologically speaking, be his enemy:

Those of us who have been following Mika's Stateside invasion have noticed that Perez has been oddly prominent at the early appearances of this particular musician. Odd, in that Hilton isn't a music critic and doesn't run a music site - he's a gossip writer who has made his politics crystal clear when it comes to celebrities whose sexualities fall under public scrutiny... How interesting, then, that Hilton is now an honorary member of the PR posse of a man who flat-out refuses to discuss his sexuality publicly. Isn't Mika exactly the kind of celeb that Perez would usually attack for his coyness? Could it be that Hilton has compromised his well-documented principles for the chance to be part of an album launch and for a place in the pocket of a pop star?

Is there something rotten in the state of Gayville?

We have to say, however, that picture of Mika and Hilton's kind of cute. Mostly Mika, of course. Speaking of photos, Mika apparently showed up late to the TW gig - he got tied up at an Out shoot. Something to look forward to...

Just weeks after being accidentally outed by a radio host, Australian Idol runner up and acclaimed songster Anthony Callea has finally fessed up to being a homo.

Callea originally refused to discuss his oft-questioned sexuality, but now he tells Australia's Herald Sun:

Yes, I am gay... I have no issue with my sexuality now, but it's taken time to become confident with who I am and happy with who I am.

I'm looking forward to living a life with no barriers and not having to worry about saying the right thing.

Like so many fagalas, Callea battled his own inner demons before coming out and confessed to years of depression at the hands of his double life. And, like other pop-stars, he feared being labeled a "gay" talent: a mark many view as a celebrity stigma. Echoing Mika's recent remarks, Callea says:

I'm not ashamed of being gay, but it's not in my nature to go out and promote it
...
I want to be known as a singer and as a performer. This shouldn't change anything. I'm happy to be judged on my music, but I don't think it's right to judge people on their sexuality or their religion or their race or anything.

To that end, Callea maintains that though he's happy with his boyfriend, Paul, he's not about to dish the dirty details.

Shame. We need more smut in our lives.

Anthony Callea gay and proud [Herald Sun]

Mika may be a critical and commercial darling, but the Lebanon-born, curly haired cutie has earned at least one enemy. He tells thisislondon that he's received death threats for not discussing his famously ambiguous sexuality.

Born Mica Penniman, the 23-year singing sensation has been conspicuously mum about his bedroom antics, insisting that the dirty details of his dirty deeds have no place in his public profile:

I never talk about anything to do with my sexuality, I don't think I need to. People ask me all the time... In order to survive I've shut up different parts of my life, and that's one of them, especially this early in my career, I don't really feel that it's necessary to know in terms of my music... Some people make records that are defined by their sexuality, but mine really are not. It does play a lot with campness. It has a theatricality to it. Why not? It's pop music.

Such furtiveness come as no surprise. Elton John - the famed faggot to whom Mika's been compared - didn't come out until decades in his storied career. Despite such precedent, one irate (and potentially militant?) fan's taking issue with what Mika thinks should be a non-issue:

I get hate messages all the time, a death threat... It was over whether I am gay or not. He wasn't happy that I won't talk about my personal life like that. Sometimes I think that I have made it, other times it is a bit worrying.

Honey, if you're receiving death threats, you know you've made it.

Mika may not remark on his sexuality, but he's not about to judge: "If you're 14-years-old and you're gay, well, just do whatever you want." Unless, of course, it involves sending hateful messages. That ain't fresh.

• This fan gets all sorts of worked up over Cazwell's "All over Your Face". Needless to say, it's NSFW. Also, you may need to create an account, but it takes five seconds and is totally free.

• Arjan's had a little sit down with Mika to chat about Life in Cartoon Motion. The location's not where you think, but Mika's response to the gay question is: "I don’t really discuss that. I don’t feel I really need to. My music speaks for itself. I have total freedom with what I do musically and the way that I live my life. And I feel really comfortable with that." Total freedom or total publicist-endorsed freedom? It doesn't matter, we can read between the lines.

• These Liberian girls aim to keep peace.

• Sure, gays can be religious, but they're far too Satanic to qualify as "biblically Christian".

• Tony Blair is "proud" England has legal civil partnerships.

• UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon unharmed after Baghdad rocket attack.

• Some destructive homophobes turned their ire to fire when they vandalized and torched Denton, Texas' ingeniously named - and only - gay bar, Mable Peabody’s Beauty Parlor and Chain­saw Repair. Of the arson, owner Kelly Sanders mused, "I think I lost my identity along with my business". No you didn't, silly. Your name's Kelly Sanders and we've no doubt you'll rise from the ashes.

We went mad when Norwegian pop-tart Annie released Anniemal back in 2005. How could we not - it's a superb album. But, as happens, we listened to it a bit too much and grew tired of her bubbly exuberance. Thus, we put it back on the shelf and let it chill for a while. But, we're feeling pretty poppy this Monday morn', so we thought we'd dust her off a bit by posting the video for her single, "Heartbeat" - no relation to The Knife or Jose Gonzalez's version.

Also, you kids may be interested to know Annie just signed an international deal with Island Records - the same company that distributes Mika's album - and will be releasing another album later in the year.

Keep track of all new developments at Annie's website.

To say that there’s buzz around Lebanon-born, London-based popster, Mika (born Mica Penniman) would be an understatement. Given the avalanche of praise, accolades and testimonials, one would think the release of his full-length debut, Life in Cartoon Motion, will change the course of music history forever, creating an aural aftershock heard all over the world. And, in some respects you’d be right: Mika’s album will most likely continue to be one of the most talked about albums of the year. And rightfully so. Whether it's history in the making - that remains to be seen.

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We wish we could say we're tired of British-songster Mika's single "Grace Kelly" from his forthcoming album, Life in Cartoon Motion, but we're not. In fact, we love it more with each listen. If you haven't heard it, we think you'll love it. If you have heard it, we think you'll love him performing on Late Night with Jools Holland. Why? Because we know you better than you know yourself.

Get pumped, because the album drops February 7th and we have a feeling it's going to be inescapable.