Before the release of his third album, Mika stated in numerous interviews that it would be more simplistic and less layered than the previous one.
Mika announced the title of the album, The Origin of Love in a French interview on 17 June.
Mika stated he would include a number of French tracks on the album, and that the musical style would include elements of Daft Punk and Fleetwood Mac.
He described the album as less childlike and more serious.

The first single released from the album was "Elle me dit", Mika's first French track.
It was released online on 1 July 2011.
Mika collaborated with a number of artists on various tracks of this album, including Nick Littlemore of Empire of The Sun, Paul Steel, frYars,  Doriand, Priscilla Renea, Billboard, Hillary Lindsey, Pharrell Williams, Benny Benassi and Klas Åhlund.
Greg Wells was involved in the production of the album.
At the time he was working on his own album, MIKA also contributed his vocals to the production of The All-American Rejects' 2012 album Kids in the Street.

On 8 June 2012, the video for "Make You Happy" was released on Vimeo.
The song served as a buzz single for the album.
On 14 June 2012, "Celebrate", which features Pharrell Williams, was announced as the album's lead single.
The album was released internationally on 17 September 2012 and in the UK on 8 October 2012.

On 6 March 2013, Mika announced a new tour and that after taking some time off, he had begun writing his fourth album, as well as songs for other artists.
Mika also hinted that new material might be released towards the end of 2013.

On 23 April 2013, Mika was revealed to be the new judge on the seventh season of The X Factor Italy.
He was the first international mentor on the Italian edition of the show.
Mika returned to the panel for the eighth and ninth series of the show before leaving to focus on other projects.

Mika released a compilation album, on 18 November 2013, in Italy titled Songbook Vol.
1, including music from his three previous albums, plus new re-worked tracks.

Also in 2013, Mika and his sister Yasmine designed two watches for Swatch, in honor of the company's 30th anniversary.
The watches were unveiled in November 2013 at the Venice Biennale.

On 17 January 2014, Mika took part in the Italian television show Le Invasioni Barbariche on La7, and performed a duet with the Nobel Prize in Literature recipient Dario Fo of the song "Ho visto un Re", written by Fo and played by Enzo Jannacci.

Mika joined The Voice: la plus belle voix (the French version of the television show The Voice) as a judge/mentor in 2014.
One of his contestants, Kendji Girac, won the competition that year.
Before the release of his third album, Mika stated in numerous interviews that it would be more simplistic and less layered than the previous one. Mika announced the title of the album, The Origin of Love in a French interview on 17 June. Mika stated he would include a number of French tracks on the album, and that the musical style would include elements of Daft Punk and Fleetwood Mac. He described the album as less childlike and more serious.
The first single released from the album was "Elle me dit", Mika's first French track. It was released online on 1 July 2011. Mika collaborated with a number of artists on various tracks of this album, including Nick Littlemore of Empire of The Sun, Paul Steel, frYars,  Doriand, Priscilla Renea, Billboard, Hillary Lindsey, Pharrell Williams, Benny Benassi and Klas Åhlund. Greg Wells was involved in the production of the album. At the time he was working on his own album, MIKA also contributed his vocals to the production of The All-American Rejects' 2012 album Kids in the Street.
On 8 June 2012, the video for "Make You Happy" was released on Vimeo. The song served as a buzz single for the album. On 14 June 2012, "Celebrate", which features Pharrell Williams, was announced as the album's lead single. The album was released internationally on 17 September 2012 and in the UK on 8 October 2012.
On 6 March 2013, Mika announced a new tour and that after taking some time off, he had begun writing his fourth album, as well as songs for other artists. Mika also hinted that new material might be released towards the end of 2013.
On 23 April 2013, Mika was revealed to be the new judge on the seventh season of The X Factor Italy. He was the first international mentor on the Italian edition of the show. Mika returned to the panel for the eighth and ninth series of the show before leaving to focus on other projects.
Mika released a compilation album, on 18 November 2013, in Italy titled Songbook Vol. 1, including music from his three previous albums, plus new re-worked tracks.
Also in 2013, Mika and his sister Yasmine designed two watches for Swatch, in honor of the company's 30th anniversary. The watches were unveiled in November 2013 at the Venice Biennale.
On 17 January 2014, Mika took part in the Italian television show Le Invasioni Barbariche on La7, and performed a duet with the Nobel Prize in Literature recipient Dario Fo of the song "Ho visto un Re", written by Fo and played by Enzo Jannacci.
Mika joined The Voice: la plus belle voix (the French version of the television show The Voice) as a judge/mentor in 2014. One of his contestants, Kendji Girac, won the competition that year.
Mika (singer)