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Mýa is a Actor American born on 10 october 1978 at Washington, D.C. (USA)
Mýa Marie Harrison (born October 10, 1979) (/ˈmaɪ.ə/) is an American hip hop and R&B singer, songwriter and actress. Harrison's eponymous debut album with (through) Interscope Records was released in April 1998. It sold over one million copies in the United States, producing the gold-certified top ten single "It's All About Me" featuring Sisqó.
Her second studio album, platinum-plus selling Fear of Flying was released in 2000 and became a worldwide success, with single "Case of the Ex" becoming Mýa's breakthrough hit, topping the Australian Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks.
In 2002, Harrison won a Grammy Award in the category for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for her rendition of Labelle's 1975 hit "Lady Marmalade", a cover version she recorded alongside Christina Aguilera, rapper Lil' Kim and Pink for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack (2001). She released her third studio album, Moodring, in the summer of 2003. The album produced the smash hit "My Love Is Like...Wo" and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Following a label change to Universal Motown, Mýa's oft-delayed fourth studio album, Liberation (2007), received a download-release in Japan only after her label accidentally leaked the album. With the decision to go independent and a decline in her popularity in the United States, Harrison was offered a recording contract with Manhattan Recordings (a division of Lexington Corp.), a record label based in Japan. Through that label, she recorded two exclusive albums for the Japanese music market, Sugar & Spice (2008) and, most recently, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) (2011). In between recording those two albums, she launched her own independent record label Planet 9, and competed in Dancing with the Stars – season nine; finishing in second place.
Aside from a music career, Harrison branched out into acting; making her feature-film debut in 1999's thriller In Too Deep starring LL Cool J and Omar Epps. She continued to score supporting roles in films such as Chicago (winning a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble Cast); Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004); Shall We Dance? (2004); and Cursed (2005).
She has endorsed several brands such as Coca-Cola, Gap, Iceberg, Tommy Hilfiger, and Motorola.
Harrison's contribution to music has earned her many accolades in the fields of pop and R&B music categories. In 2009, Billboard listed Mýa as one of their Hot 100 Artists of the 2000s; placing her in the 97th position.
As of October 2009, she has sold 3.2 million albums in the United States alone and 7 million albums worldwide.
"The turning point was when I saw Savion Glover in 'Tap'. I watched the videotape and studied steps on the kitchen floor."—Mýa,The Washington Post
Mýa Harrison, a native of Washington, D.C. is one of three children, born to an African-American father and Italian-American mother. Her father Sherman, a musician and singer, performed with several bands in the area; her mother Theresa worked as an accountant. She grew up in suburban Washington D.C. and Maryland with her two younger brothers Chaz and Nijel. As a child, she imitated Michael Jackson in her mother's high-heeled boots, using a spoon as a make-believe microphone. Mýa took violin lessons throughout her childhood, but dancing was her primary after-school activity. Mýa started ballet lessons in 1982 when she was only two and jazz and tap when she was four. Although she lost interest for several years, her interest waned at about age 10, but at age 12, it was rekindled. Her tap-dancing skills led to an opportunity to study with one of the best-known tap dancers in the country, Savion Glover of the Dance Theater of Harlem, when he came to Washington DC for a workshop. Glover later chose Mýa for a solo spot in a dance performance at the Kennedy Center
Mýa sometimes had to endure insensitive comments about her ethnic background, but her accomplishments as a dancer helped her make the transition into adolescence and deal with its peer pressure. As she explained in an appearance on Canada's Much Music television show in January 2001:
There was a time in my life when I wasn't popular and accepted by kids in school. I was made fun of with braces and kinky hair, and being from a multicultural family, etcetera... And it really hurts when you're that age, but later when you get something of your own or you get involved in activities like a sport, you begin to be accepted for what you do, and your personality and who you are, instead of your clothes and how you look and the name designer brands you have on.
As a popular performer, she would later draw from her experiences to speak to girls' groups as part of the Secret of Self-Esteem program for adolescents, addressing issues such as body image, peer pressure, and gender stereotypes. Learning steps from music videos landed her a stint from 1996 until 1998 as a hip-hop dancer for BET's "Teen Summit". She also began teaching a children's hip-hop and jazz dance class in Camp Springs. By age 15, Mýa's musical side took over and her professional-musician father helped her perfect her vocal abilities. When he realized that his daughter was serious about a career in music, Mýa's father began shopping around with her demo tape, eventually catching the interest of University Music president and CEO Haqq Islam. After graduating high school at 16, Mýa took a few classes at the University of Maryland, College Park, but the teenager's primary focus was on the recording studio.
1998–2001: Mýa, Fear of Flying and Lady Marmalade
After signing with Interscope, Mýa spent the next two years recording and completing her debut studio album. The album featured production and collaborations from noteworthy hit-makers such as Missy Elliott, Babyface, Diane Warren, Dru Hill, Darryl Pearson and Silkk Tha Shocker and spawned three successful singles. Her debut single, "It's All About Me" featuring fellow R&B singer Sisqó, was released on February 14, 1998. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart respectively. The single received a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 4, 1998. Her eponymous debut album was released April 21, 1998 in the United States and reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200. The album sold 1.4 million copies in the United States and received a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 1, 1998; denoting shipments to US retailers of over 1,000,000 units.
The album's second single "Movin' On", featured No Limit rapper Silkk Tha Shocker and peaked at No. 34 on the Hot 100 and No. 4 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart respectively. A third single, "My First Night with You" peaked at No. 28 on the Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album earned Mýa two Soul Train Music Award nominations for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist and Best R&B/Soul Album – Female and a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding New Artist. In addition to her solo work, Mýa was featured with Ol' Dirty Bastard on Pras' Grammy-nominated 1998 hit "Ghetto Supastar" from the Bulworth soundtrack and "Take Me There" from The Rugrats Movie soundtrack, with Blackstreet, Blinky Blink, and Mase.
Fear of Flying is a metaphor for the ups and downs of life. It's about handling things like an adult, knowing you must have faith to make anything happen.
—Mýa, Billboard
In 1999, Mýa began production on an album that would eventually become Fear of Flying. The title was partially inspired by Erica Jong 1973 novel, Fear of Flying which shared a lot of similarities toward female sexuality and development of second-wave feminism. The album featured contributions from Rodney Jerkins, Swizz Beatz, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Knobody, and Wyclef Jean. The majority of Fear of Flying was co-written and co-produced by Mýa and many of the album’s songs were about female empowerment. Mýa, who did some writing on her 1998 eponymous debut album, was heavily involved in the production of Fear of Flying, from writing and recording to producing, mixing, and mastering.
On April 25, 2000, Fear of Flying was released and debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 album chart with first week sales of 72,000 copies. Upon initial release, the album seemed to be suffering the dreaded sophomore slump. The album's first single "The Best of Me", featuring Jadakiss, under-performed on the charts, not even making it into the pop Top 40.
The album's second single, the confrontational "Case of the Ex", proved to be a different matter and was a dance-heavy jam with attitude on it. Mýa confronts her man about an old lover who will not go away. "Case of the Ex" became Mýa's breakthrough hit topping the Australian Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks.
The song reached two and three in the US and UK respectively, and in turn solidified Fear of Flying as a hit.
With the success of "Case of the Ex", Interscope re-released Fear of Flying on November 7, 2000, with a revised tracklisting featuring two new songs, including the third single "Free" (which was previously on the Bait soundtrack) and a new track titled "Again & Again". "Free" was even more pop-friendly and became quite successful on MTV's TRL and at pop radio. Fear of Flying earned Mýa a Soul Train Music Award nomination for R&B/Soul Album – Female and a UK MOBO nomination for Best Album in 2001. The album sold over a million copies in the United States and received a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America on March 28, 2001. Although Fear of Flying was received with mixed reviews, the album was a critical and commercial success; catapulting her career into superstardom. Fear of Flying hit as nearly hard as her debut, staying on the Billboard 200 chart for 52 consecutive weeks.
In 2001, Mýa lent her voice to two film soundtrack projects; Walt Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! soundtracks. On the Atlantis: The Lost Empire soundtrack, she performed and recorded the tender pop ballad "Where the Dream Takes You. The Diane Warren-penned song was featured during the closing credits of Disney's highly anticipated animated feature, and was worked at Top 40 and Adult Contemporary radio starting June 5, prior to the film's June 15 release date; then she collaborated with singers Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, and P!nk on the remake of Labelle's 1975 hit "Lady Marmalade". Lady Marmalade was produced by hip-hip producers Missy Elliott and Rockwilder and released as the first single from the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack.
The single was a worldwide success. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in its eighth week, spending five consecutive weeks at No. 1. "Lady Marmalade" became the third airplay-only track in the history of the chart to make it to the top. Since Billboard changed the eligibility rule in December 1998 to include all songs regardless of retail availability, only Aaliyah's "Try Again" (Blackground/Virgin) in June 2000 and "Angel" by Shaggy featuring Rayvon (MCA) March 2001 have made it to No. 1 without any sales points. Of the three tracks to now achieve this feat, "Marmalade" makes it to the top with the highest audience total (111 million listeners). "Angel" had 105 million in its only week at No. 1, while "Try" had 92 million in its sole week at the top.
The song reached No. 1 in over fifteen countries including the UK and Australia. Lady Marmalade became Mýa's first chart-topper and third non-consecutive top ten on the Hot 100 chart.
The foursome was invited to perform at the 2001 MTV Movie Awards; the performance was the show's biggest highlight of the night. At 2001 MTV Video Music Awards Lady Marmalade was nominated for six moonmen and won two for Best Video from a Film and Video of the Year. In March 2001, Mýa paid a tribute to legendary music icon Janet Jackson at MTV Icon. She performed her own rendition of Jackson's classic hit The Pleasure Principle.
In 2002, the quartet performed "Lady Marmalade" again at the 44th Grammy Awards and won a grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
2002–2008: Moodring, Liberation and Sugar & Spice
After the release and success of Fear of Flying, Mýa began to dabble in acting with a supporting role in the 2002 Academy Award-winning musical film, Chicago. In the following years, she continued appearing in films such as Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004), Shall We Dance? (2004), and Cursed (2005).
On July 22, 2003, after much delay, Mýa released her third studio album, Moodring. The album sold more than 113,000 copies in its first week and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, surpassing Mýa’s previous effort first-week sales. Originally titled Bittersweet, the album displays an array of different emotions exploring Mýa’s playful and sexual side. The majority of Moodring was co-written and co-produced by Mýa and was influenced by different subjects and music stylings including techno, pop rock, soul, hip-hop, R&B, quiet storm, etc. The first single, the Missy Elliott-produced "My Love Is Like...Wo" became a top twenty hit on the Hot 100 and a summer anthem for women. The video showcased a more sexy and risqué side of Mýa and became popular at MTV. The second single, the elegant-mid tempo track "Fallen" failed to duplicate the same success, but reached the top forty on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Moodring stayed on the United States chart for a mere eighteen non-consecutive weeks and went on to be certified gold, selling 589,000 copies to date.
Mýa was working on her fourth studio album on and off since 2004; she signed a six figure contract with Ford Modeling Agency in 2005. Originally conceived as a project called Control Freak, the album's first version was actually scheduled for a mid-2005 release and involving main production by Scott Storch, Dr. Dre, Lil Jon, Rockwilder and songwriter Sean Garrett. Although she intended to release a dance track called "Let It Go" at a particular time, the singer eventually decided to leave her management and A&M Records in fall 2005 before signing a new contract with Universal Motown. Mýa began consulting a few other producers to collaborate on the album, renamed Liberation, and in mid-2006, a buzz track entitled "Ayo!" was released onto the internet. Due to time-consuming "litigations, court, transitioning from label to label, teaching kids [at the Mya Art & Tech Foundation] and building a [recording] studio" however, the song was never picked up as a single and the album's release was pushed back again. In March 2007, the album's actual lead single "Lock U Down", a Scott Storch-produced collaboration with Lil Wayne, was sent to radio. After its commercial failure, a second single entitled "Ridin'" was released, but as the song saw minor success on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart only, Liberation was delayed once more and eventually bumped from the U.S. schedule. As a result, the album was never released physically anywhere but in Japan.
In 2008, Mýa parted ways with Motown. Having worked on new material since mid-2007, she contracted with Japanese R&B label Manhattan Records (a division of Lexington Group, not to be confused with the American adult contemporary label of the same name) to release new material. Her fifth studio album Sugar & Spice received a Japan-wide release in December 2008. Composed of production by less known producers, the album produced a new version of her single "Fallen", a cover of Diana King's hit "Shy Guy", as well as the first and final single "Paradise".
2009–2013: Beauty & the Streets and K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple)
Almost a year later, Mýa re-released her Japan-only album Sugar & Spice. The newer version of the album, entitled Sugar & Spice: The Perfect Edition, was released on August 5, 2009, containing new remixes and a new song titled "Wish You Were Here" featuring Malaysian artist Che'Nelle. During her downtime Mýa started her own independent label, entitled Planet 9 and inked a deal with J. Prince's Young Empire Music Group. She released her first mixtape called Beauty & The Streets Vol.1 on September 29, 2009. The mixtape's first single, "Show Me Somethin'" featured Houston-based rapper Bun B and was sent to iTunes in August. The mixtape entered at No. 55 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Mýa was invited to be a featured guest vocalist on We Are the World 25 for Haiti. In 2010, Variety reported Mýa currently has already completed 10 tracks for her next studio effort with producer Junior Sanchez. No release date has been set yet but think an electro-dance-rock vibe. Mýa says, "Working with Junior Sanchez is an incredibly creative experience – he and his team are true musicians, and we have been having so much fun in the studio – the sound is brand new and completely fresh." The songstress was also gearing up for the launch of a brand new single "Love Is the Answer", with Cedric Gervais. Originally, the track was scheduled for release late 2010 but however pushed back into next year. The song appeared on Gervais' album "Miamication" via (Ultra Records).
In early 2011, E! Online gave an exclusive first-listen preview of "Love Is the Answer".
The track was released February 8 worldwide via iTunes.
She released a new track called "Fabulous Life" in Japan on January 19. It was the first single from her second studio album titled K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) in Japan.
A second single titled "Runnin' Back" featuring Iyaz was released February 23. Her sixth studio album K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) was released April 20, 2011 in Japan. The album debuted at No. 71 on Japan's Billboard Top Albums Chart and at No. 72 on Japan's Oricon Albums Chart with first-week sales of 1,543.
In an interview, Mýa announced she had a US version of K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) that had been done for quite some time and she had been taking a lot of meeting every single month to find out if she would like to distribute the project independently or major. Either way, her plan was to get it out before Christmas stating the album is done and my fans want it. Although the US version was slightly different from the Japan version. K.I.S.S. U.S./Canada Deluxe Edition was released December 20, 2011 via iTunes.
Its first U.S. digital single was an up-tempo track called "Earthquake" featuring Miami native rapper Trina. The single was released December 6, 2011 via iTunes. The album's second U.S. digital single was the House/Techno – club rave inspired song "Somebody Come Get This Bitch" released December 13, 2011 via (iTunes). The project's next three U.S. digitally released singles were "Mr. Incredible", "Mess Up My Hair", and "Evolve". Harrison began working on her 8th studio album for 2012.
In an interview with Billboard.com's The Juice, Harrison said she'll release her next album "when it's ready and supported properly" and is open to working with a major label again, "if a comfortable situation presents itself". Her priority is serving her fans worldwide now, versus the one-off, independent situation that she have been doing but still going to put out her mixtapes. She still may do projects in Japan, but her focal point and priority is to bring it back home. K.I.S.S. U.S./Canada Edition debuted at No. 74 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for the week of February 11, 2012.
2014–15: EP Series and Planet 9
Starting in 2014, Harrison has released a series of EPs on her independent label Planet 9. Beginning on February 14, 2014, Mýa released a four-track Valentine's Day EP entitled With Love, to commemorate the release of her debut single "It's All About Me" and 16th Anniversary in the entertainment industry via iTunes.
In between time, Mýa co-starred in the Syfy original TV movie Bermuda Tentacles starring Linda Hamilton, which debuted on April 12 at 9 p.m. ET. Approximately, two months later, Mýa released a new EP entitled Sweet XVI on April 21, 2014 via iTunes, to commemorate the release of her debut studio album Mýa.
In the near future, Mýa's label imprint Planet 9 will manufacture a physical CD combining both EPs and bonus tracks for her fans, classifying this as her eighth studio album, exclusively available on her website www.myamya.com and all future tour stops. Mýa is currently working on her ninth studio album.
The following year on February 14, 2015, Harrison released a new EP entitled Love Elevation Suite. It is her sixth independent project and second Valentine's Day EP. On October 10, 2015, Harrison is set to release "Welcome to My World", the first single from her upcoming eighth indie project titled Planet 9.
Source : Wikidata
Mýa
Birth name Mýa Marie Harrison
Nationality USA
Birth 10 october 1978 (46 years) at Washington, D.C. (USA)
Nationality USA
Birth 10 october 1978 (46 years) at Washington, D.C. (USA)
Mýa Marie Harrison (born October 10, 1979) (/ˈmaɪ.ə/) is an American hip hop and R&B singer, songwriter and actress. Harrison's eponymous debut album with (through) Interscope Records was released in April 1998. It sold over one million copies in the United States, producing the gold-certified top ten single "It's All About Me" featuring Sisqó.
Her second studio album, platinum-plus selling Fear of Flying was released in 2000 and became a worldwide success, with single "Case of the Ex" becoming Mýa's breakthrough hit, topping the Australian Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks.
In 2002, Harrison won a Grammy Award in the category for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for her rendition of Labelle's 1975 hit "Lady Marmalade", a cover version she recorded alongside Christina Aguilera, rapper Lil' Kim and Pink for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack (2001). She released her third studio album, Moodring, in the summer of 2003. The album produced the smash hit "My Love Is Like...Wo" and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Following a label change to Universal Motown, Mýa's oft-delayed fourth studio album, Liberation (2007), received a download-release in Japan only after her label accidentally leaked the album. With the decision to go independent and a decline in her popularity in the United States, Harrison was offered a recording contract with Manhattan Recordings (a division of Lexington Corp.), a record label based in Japan. Through that label, she recorded two exclusive albums for the Japanese music market, Sugar & Spice (2008) and, most recently, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) (2011). In between recording those two albums, she launched her own independent record label Planet 9, and competed in Dancing with the Stars – season nine; finishing in second place.
Aside from a music career, Harrison branched out into acting; making her feature-film debut in 1999's thriller In Too Deep starring LL Cool J and Omar Epps. She continued to score supporting roles in films such as Chicago (winning a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble Cast); Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004); Shall We Dance? (2004); and Cursed (2005).
She has endorsed several brands such as Coca-Cola, Gap, Iceberg, Tommy Hilfiger, and Motorola.
Harrison's contribution to music has earned her many accolades in the fields of pop and R&B music categories. In 2009, Billboard listed Mýa as one of their Hot 100 Artists of the 2000s; placing her in the 97th position.
As of October 2009, she has sold 3.2 million albums in the United States alone and 7 million albums worldwide.
Biography
Early life and career beginnings"The turning point was when I saw Savion Glover in 'Tap'. I watched the videotape and studied steps on the kitchen floor."—Mýa,The Washington Post
Mýa Harrison, a native of Washington, D.C. is one of three children, born to an African-American father and Italian-American mother. Her father Sherman, a musician and singer, performed with several bands in the area; her mother Theresa worked as an accountant. She grew up in suburban Washington D.C. and Maryland with her two younger brothers Chaz and Nijel. As a child, she imitated Michael Jackson in her mother's high-heeled boots, using a spoon as a make-believe microphone. Mýa took violin lessons throughout her childhood, but dancing was her primary after-school activity. Mýa started ballet lessons in 1982 when she was only two and jazz and tap when she was four. Although she lost interest for several years, her interest waned at about age 10, but at age 12, it was rekindled. Her tap-dancing skills led to an opportunity to study with one of the best-known tap dancers in the country, Savion Glover of the Dance Theater of Harlem, when he came to Washington DC for a workshop. Glover later chose Mýa for a solo spot in a dance performance at the Kennedy Center
Mýa sometimes had to endure insensitive comments about her ethnic background, but her accomplishments as a dancer helped her make the transition into adolescence and deal with its peer pressure. As she explained in an appearance on Canada's Much Music television show in January 2001:
There was a time in my life when I wasn't popular and accepted by kids in school. I was made fun of with braces and kinky hair, and being from a multicultural family, etcetera... And it really hurts when you're that age, but later when you get something of your own or you get involved in activities like a sport, you begin to be accepted for what you do, and your personality and who you are, instead of your clothes and how you look and the name designer brands you have on.
As a popular performer, she would later draw from her experiences to speak to girls' groups as part of the Secret of Self-Esteem program for adolescents, addressing issues such as body image, peer pressure, and gender stereotypes. Learning steps from music videos landed her a stint from 1996 until 1998 as a hip-hop dancer for BET's "Teen Summit". She also began teaching a children's hip-hop and jazz dance class in Camp Springs. By age 15, Mýa's musical side took over and her professional-musician father helped her perfect her vocal abilities. When he realized that his daughter was serious about a career in music, Mýa's father began shopping around with her demo tape, eventually catching the interest of University Music president and CEO Haqq Islam. After graduating high school at 16, Mýa took a few classes at the University of Maryland, College Park, but the teenager's primary focus was on the recording studio.
1998–2001: Mýa, Fear of Flying and Lady Marmalade
After signing with Interscope, Mýa spent the next two years recording and completing her debut studio album. The album featured production and collaborations from noteworthy hit-makers such as Missy Elliott, Babyface, Diane Warren, Dru Hill, Darryl Pearson and Silkk Tha Shocker and spawned three successful singles. Her debut single, "It's All About Me" featuring fellow R&B singer Sisqó, was released on February 14, 1998. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart respectively. The single received a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 4, 1998. Her eponymous debut album was released April 21, 1998 in the United States and reached No. 29 on the Billboard 200. The album sold 1.4 million copies in the United States and received a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 1, 1998; denoting shipments to US retailers of over 1,000,000 units.
The album's second single "Movin' On", featured No Limit rapper Silkk Tha Shocker and peaked at No. 34 on the Hot 100 and No. 4 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart respectively. A third single, "My First Night with You" peaked at No. 28 on the Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album earned Mýa two Soul Train Music Award nominations for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist and Best R&B/Soul Album – Female and a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding New Artist. In addition to her solo work, Mýa was featured with Ol' Dirty Bastard on Pras' Grammy-nominated 1998 hit "Ghetto Supastar" from the Bulworth soundtrack and "Take Me There" from The Rugrats Movie soundtrack, with Blackstreet, Blinky Blink, and Mase.
Fear of Flying is a metaphor for the ups and downs of life. It's about handling things like an adult, knowing you must have faith to make anything happen.
—Mýa, Billboard
In 1999, Mýa began production on an album that would eventually become Fear of Flying. The title was partially inspired by Erica Jong 1973 novel, Fear of Flying which shared a lot of similarities toward female sexuality and development of second-wave feminism. The album featured contributions from Rodney Jerkins, Swizz Beatz, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Knobody, and Wyclef Jean. The majority of Fear of Flying was co-written and co-produced by Mýa and many of the album’s songs were about female empowerment. Mýa, who did some writing on her 1998 eponymous debut album, was heavily involved in the production of Fear of Flying, from writing and recording to producing, mixing, and mastering.
On April 25, 2000, Fear of Flying was released and debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 album chart with first week sales of 72,000 copies. Upon initial release, the album seemed to be suffering the dreaded sophomore slump. The album's first single "The Best of Me", featuring Jadakiss, under-performed on the charts, not even making it into the pop Top 40.
The album's second single, the confrontational "Case of the Ex", proved to be a different matter and was a dance-heavy jam with attitude on it. Mýa confronts her man about an old lover who will not go away. "Case of the Ex" became Mýa's breakthrough hit topping the Australian Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks.
The song reached two and three in the US and UK respectively, and in turn solidified Fear of Flying as a hit.
With the success of "Case of the Ex", Interscope re-released Fear of Flying on November 7, 2000, with a revised tracklisting featuring two new songs, including the third single "Free" (which was previously on the Bait soundtrack) and a new track titled "Again & Again". "Free" was even more pop-friendly and became quite successful on MTV's TRL and at pop radio. Fear of Flying earned Mýa a Soul Train Music Award nomination for R&B/Soul Album – Female and a UK MOBO nomination for Best Album in 2001. The album sold over a million copies in the United States and received a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America on March 28, 2001. Although Fear of Flying was received with mixed reviews, the album was a critical and commercial success; catapulting her career into superstardom. Fear of Flying hit as nearly hard as her debut, staying on the Billboard 200 chart for 52 consecutive weeks.
In 2001, Mýa lent her voice to two film soundtrack projects; Walt Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge! soundtracks. On the Atlantis: The Lost Empire soundtrack, she performed and recorded the tender pop ballad "Where the Dream Takes You. The Diane Warren-penned song was featured during the closing credits of Disney's highly anticipated animated feature, and was worked at Top 40 and Adult Contemporary radio starting June 5, prior to the film's June 15 release date; then she collaborated with singers Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, and P!nk on the remake of Labelle's 1975 hit "Lady Marmalade". Lady Marmalade was produced by hip-hip producers Missy Elliott and Rockwilder and released as the first single from the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack.
The single was a worldwide success. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in its eighth week, spending five consecutive weeks at No. 1. "Lady Marmalade" became the third airplay-only track in the history of the chart to make it to the top. Since Billboard changed the eligibility rule in December 1998 to include all songs regardless of retail availability, only Aaliyah's "Try Again" (Blackground/Virgin) in June 2000 and "Angel" by Shaggy featuring Rayvon (MCA) March 2001 have made it to No. 1 without any sales points. Of the three tracks to now achieve this feat, "Marmalade" makes it to the top with the highest audience total (111 million listeners). "Angel" had 105 million in its only week at No. 1, while "Try" had 92 million in its sole week at the top.
The song reached No. 1 in over fifteen countries including the UK and Australia. Lady Marmalade became Mýa's first chart-topper and third non-consecutive top ten on the Hot 100 chart.
The foursome was invited to perform at the 2001 MTV Movie Awards; the performance was the show's biggest highlight of the night. At 2001 MTV Video Music Awards Lady Marmalade was nominated for six moonmen and won two for Best Video from a Film and Video of the Year. In March 2001, Mýa paid a tribute to legendary music icon Janet Jackson at MTV Icon. She performed her own rendition of Jackson's classic hit The Pleasure Principle.
In 2002, the quartet performed "Lady Marmalade" again at the 44th Grammy Awards and won a grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.
2002–2008: Moodring, Liberation and Sugar & Spice
After the release and success of Fear of Flying, Mýa began to dabble in acting with a supporting role in the 2002 Academy Award-winning musical film, Chicago. In the following years, she continued appearing in films such as Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004), Shall We Dance? (2004), and Cursed (2005).
On July 22, 2003, after much delay, Mýa released her third studio album, Moodring. The album sold more than 113,000 copies in its first week and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, surpassing Mýa’s previous effort first-week sales. Originally titled Bittersweet, the album displays an array of different emotions exploring Mýa’s playful and sexual side. The majority of Moodring was co-written and co-produced by Mýa and was influenced by different subjects and music stylings including techno, pop rock, soul, hip-hop, R&B, quiet storm, etc. The first single, the Missy Elliott-produced "My Love Is Like...Wo" became a top twenty hit on the Hot 100 and a summer anthem for women. The video showcased a more sexy and risqué side of Mýa and became popular at MTV. The second single, the elegant-mid tempo track "Fallen" failed to duplicate the same success, but reached the top forty on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Moodring stayed on the United States chart for a mere eighteen non-consecutive weeks and went on to be certified gold, selling 589,000 copies to date.
Mýa was working on her fourth studio album on and off since 2004; she signed a six figure contract with Ford Modeling Agency in 2005. Originally conceived as a project called Control Freak, the album's first version was actually scheduled for a mid-2005 release and involving main production by Scott Storch, Dr. Dre, Lil Jon, Rockwilder and songwriter Sean Garrett. Although she intended to release a dance track called "Let It Go" at a particular time, the singer eventually decided to leave her management and A&M Records in fall 2005 before signing a new contract with Universal Motown. Mýa began consulting a few other producers to collaborate on the album, renamed Liberation, and in mid-2006, a buzz track entitled "Ayo!" was released onto the internet. Due to time-consuming "litigations, court, transitioning from label to label, teaching kids [at the Mya Art & Tech Foundation] and building a [recording] studio" however, the song was never picked up as a single and the album's release was pushed back again. In March 2007, the album's actual lead single "Lock U Down", a Scott Storch-produced collaboration with Lil Wayne, was sent to radio. After its commercial failure, a second single entitled "Ridin'" was released, but as the song saw minor success on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart only, Liberation was delayed once more and eventually bumped from the U.S. schedule. As a result, the album was never released physically anywhere but in Japan.
In 2008, Mýa parted ways with Motown. Having worked on new material since mid-2007, she contracted with Japanese R&B label Manhattan Records (a division of Lexington Group, not to be confused with the American adult contemporary label of the same name) to release new material. Her fifth studio album Sugar & Spice received a Japan-wide release in December 2008. Composed of production by less known producers, the album produced a new version of her single "Fallen", a cover of Diana King's hit "Shy Guy", as well as the first and final single "Paradise".
2009–2013: Beauty & the Streets and K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple)
Almost a year later, Mýa re-released her Japan-only album Sugar & Spice. The newer version of the album, entitled Sugar & Spice: The Perfect Edition, was released on August 5, 2009, containing new remixes and a new song titled "Wish You Were Here" featuring Malaysian artist Che'Nelle. During her downtime Mýa started her own independent label, entitled Planet 9 and inked a deal with J. Prince's Young Empire Music Group. She released her first mixtape called Beauty & The Streets Vol.1 on September 29, 2009. The mixtape's first single, "Show Me Somethin'" featured Houston-based rapper Bun B and was sent to iTunes in August. The mixtape entered at No. 55 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart. Mýa was invited to be a featured guest vocalist on We Are the World 25 for Haiti. In 2010, Variety reported Mýa currently has already completed 10 tracks for her next studio effort with producer Junior Sanchez. No release date has been set yet but think an electro-dance-rock vibe. Mýa says, "Working with Junior Sanchez is an incredibly creative experience – he and his team are true musicians, and we have been having so much fun in the studio – the sound is brand new and completely fresh." The songstress was also gearing up for the launch of a brand new single "Love Is the Answer", with Cedric Gervais. Originally, the track was scheduled for release late 2010 but however pushed back into next year. The song appeared on Gervais' album "Miamication" via (Ultra Records).
In early 2011, E! Online gave an exclusive first-listen preview of "Love Is the Answer".
The track was released February 8 worldwide via iTunes.
She released a new track called "Fabulous Life" in Japan on January 19. It was the first single from her second studio album titled K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) in Japan.
A second single titled "Runnin' Back" featuring Iyaz was released February 23. Her sixth studio album K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) was released April 20, 2011 in Japan. The album debuted at No. 71 on Japan's Billboard Top Albums Chart and at No. 72 on Japan's Oricon Albums Chart with first-week sales of 1,543.
In an interview, Mýa announced she had a US version of K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) that had been done for quite some time and she had been taking a lot of meeting every single month to find out if she would like to distribute the project independently or major. Either way, her plan was to get it out before Christmas stating the album is done and my fans want it. Although the US version was slightly different from the Japan version. K.I.S.S. U.S./Canada Deluxe Edition was released December 20, 2011 via iTunes.
Its first U.S. digital single was an up-tempo track called "Earthquake" featuring Miami native rapper Trina. The single was released December 6, 2011 via iTunes. The album's second U.S. digital single was the House/Techno – club rave inspired song "Somebody Come Get This Bitch" released December 13, 2011 via (iTunes). The project's next three U.S. digitally released singles were "Mr. Incredible", "Mess Up My Hair", and "Evolve". Harrison began working on her 8th studio album for 2012.
In an interview with Billboard.com's The Juice, Harrison said she'll release her next album "when it's ready and supported properly" and is open to working with a major label again, "if a comfortable situation presents itself". Her priority is serving her fans worldwide now, versus the one-off, independent situation that she have been doing but still going to put out her mixtapes. She still may do projects in Japan, but her focal point and priority is to bring it back home. K.I.S.S. U.S./Canada Edition debuted at No. 74 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for the week of February 11, 2012.
2014–15: EP Series and Planet 9
Starting in 2014, Harrison has released a series of EPs on her independent label Planet 9. Beginning on February 14, 2014, Mýa released a four-track Valentine's Day EP entitled With Love, to commemorate the release of her debut single "It's All About Me" and 16th Anniversary in the entertainment industry via iTunes.
In between time, Mýa co-starred in the Syfy original TV movie Bermuda Tentacles starring Linda Hamilton, which debuted on April 12 at 9 p.m. ET. Approximately, two months later, Mýa released a new EP entitled Sweet XVI on April 21, 2014 via iTunes, to commemorate the release of her debut studio album Mýa.
In the near future, Mýa's label imprint Planet 9 will manufacture a physical CD combining both EPs and bonus tracks for her fans, classifying this as her eighth studio album, exclusively available on her website www.myamya.com and all future tour stops. Mýa is currently working on her ninth studio album.
The following year on February 14, 2015, Harrison released a new EP entitled Love Elevation Suite. It is her sixth independent project and second Valentine's Day EP. On October 10, 2015, Harrison is set to release "Welcome to My World", the first single from her upcoming eighth indie project titled Planet 9.
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Filmography of Mýa (11 films)
Actress
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The Penthouse (2010)
, 1h26Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Films about sexuality, Erotic films
Actors Rider Strong, April Scott, James DeBello, Kaley Cuoco, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Jon Abrahams
Roles Mitra
Rating35%
The winner of a reality television show invites his two best friends to share the Los Angeles penthouse he won for coming in first place, and quickly finds out why living with your pals is not always the best idea. Realising that a bachelor pad is no fun when you are flying solo, Tyler (Large) invites Kieran (Strong) and another friend to come partake in the debauchery. A struggling writer who is reluctant to commit to his longtime girlfriend, Kieran quickly takes Tyler up on the offer, and before long life is one non-stop party. The strains in Tyler and Kieran's friendship start to show, however, when Tyler's flirtatious younger sister arrives for a visit, and puts the moves on Kieran.
Love for Sale (2008)
, 1h46Directed by Russ Parr
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Actors Jackie Long, Jason Weaver, Mýa, Melyssa Ford, Clifton Powell, Essence Atkins
Roles Keiley
Rating52%
A hapless delivery man learns why sometimes too much of a bad thing can be detrimental to your personal well being after getting caught up with an older woman who sends his life spinning out of control. Trey (Jackie Long) may be working hard, though he just can't seem to catch a break. He's got no money for school, and his recent attempt to win over the girl of his dreams (Mýa) resulted in nothing less than complete and total embarrassment. But while a seductive cougar (Melyssa Ford) may be more than happy to pay for Trey's "personal delivery services," his ideal situation is about to backfire in a way that the roving Romeo could have never seen coming.
Cover (2007)
, 1h38Directed by Bill Duke
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Themes Films about sexuality, Bisexuality-related films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Aunjanue Ellis, Razaaq Adoti, Vivica A. Fox, Leon Robinson, Louis Gossett Jr., Paula Jai Parker
Roles Cynda
Rating53%
The Heart Specialist (2006)
, 1h39Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romance
Actors Wood Harris, Zoe Saldana, Brian J. White, Mýa, Scott Paulin, Kenneth Choi
Roles Valerie
Rating43%
A modern comedy about the everyday perils of first year medical residents at a shabby south Florida hospital. Wood Harris is the Chief Resident, who teaches the trainees how to save lives and not take themselves too seriously, all the while hiding a chilling secret of his own.
Cursed (2005)
, 1h37Directed by Wes Craven
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Horror comedy, Horror
Themes L'adolescence, Films about animals, Films about education, Films about children, Films about magic and magicians, Films about sexuality, LGBT-related films, Wolves in film, Werewolves in film, Comedy horror films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère, Films about school violence, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson, Jesse Eisenberg, Judy Greer, Mýa, Michael Rosenbaum
Roles Jenny
Rating51%
The film begins in Hollywood Los Angeles, when two friends, Jenny Tate and Becky Morton, are at a pier and decide to get their fortune told by Zela, asking about a boy. Zela foretells that they will suffer a horrible fate, but they don't believe her and walk away laughing. A little while later, Becky realizes Jenny has disappeared and can't find her on the pier.
Shall We Dance? (2004)
, 1h46Directed by Peter Chelsom
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Musical theatre, Romantic comedy, Romance
Themes Dance films, Films about sexuality, Sports films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related films, LGBT-related film
Actors Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Lisa Ann Walter, Richard Jenkins
Roles Vern's Fiancée
Rating62%
John Clark (Richard Gere) is a lawyer with a charming wife (Beverly, played by Susan Sarandon) and loving family, who nevertheless feels that something is missing as he makes his way every day through the city. Each evening on his commute home through Chicago, John sees a beautiful woman staring with a lost expression through the window of a dance studio. Haunted by her gaze, John impulsively jumps off the train one night, and signs up for ballroom dancing lessons, hoping to meet her.
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
, 1h26Directed by Guy Ferland
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Musical theatre, Musical, Romance
Themes Dance films, Seafaring films, Transport films, Musical films
Actors Romola Garai, Diego Luna, Sela Ward, John Slattery, Mika Sue Boorem, Jonathan Jackson
Roles Lola Martinez
Rating59%
In 1958, Katey Miller (Romola Garai), her parents (Sela Ward and John Slattery), and her younger sister Susie (Mika Boorem) arrive in Cuba during the Cuban revolution. A self-described bookworm, Katey is not very happy about having to move to a different country during her senior year of high school, as she had been planning to attend Radcliffe College, although the rest of her family seem extremely pleased to be in Cuba. Meeting several other rich American teenagers down by the pool, including James Phelps (Jonathan Jackson), the son of her father's boss, Katey becomes disgusted when one of the teenagers insults a local waiter when he accidentally knocks over some of their drinks. Katey attempts to talk to the waiter—Javier (Diego Luna), who works at the hotel to support his family—because she feels awful about what had occurred but he is not interested.
Chicago (2002)
, 1h53Directed by Rob Marshall
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Musical theatre, Action, Musical, Crime
Themes Dance films, Films about music and musicians, Prison films, Films about sexuality, Théâtre, Erotic films, Sexploitation films, Musical films, Women in prison films, Films about capital punishment, Films based on plays, Films based on musicals
Actors Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Christine Baranski
Roles Mona
Rating71%
In 1927, Roxie Hart sees star Velma Kelly perform ("All That Jazz") at a Chicago theater. Wanting stardom for herself, she begins an affair with Fred Casely, who claims to know the manager. After the show, Velma is arrested for killing her husband Charlie and sister Veronica, who were in bed together. A month later, Casely admits to Roxie that he has no showbiz connections and just wanted her body. Enraged, she shoots him dead. She convinces her husband Amos to take the blame, telling him she killed a burglar in self-defense. As Amos confesses to the detective, Roxie fantasizes that she is singing a song devoted to her husband ("Funny Honey"). However, when the detective brings up evidence that Roxie and Casely were having an affair, Amos recants; Roxie furiously admits what really happened and is arrested. Ambitious District Attorney Harrison announces he will seek the death penalty.
Volcano High (2001)
, 2hDirected by Kim Tae-gyun
Origin Coree du sud
Genres Martial arts, Fantastic, Comedy, Action, Martial arts
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films
Actors Sin Min-ah, Jang Hyuk, Kim Su-ro, Kwon Sang-woo, Gong Hyo-jin, Method Man
Roles Yu Cha-i (MTV English Dub) (voice)
Rating60%
Kim Gyeong-Su, jeune étudiant bêta et indiscipliné, est renvoyé pour la 9e fois de son lycée pour avoir usé de ses pouvoirs paranormaux contre un professeur. Décidé à ne plus les utiliser, il se retrouve à « Volcano High School », le lycée de la dernière chance où beaucoup d’élèves possèdent les mêmes facultés extra-sensorielles. À son arrivée, il découvre une ambiance chaotique, des guerres de gangs entre élèves, voire entre profs, et se veut résolument neutre. L'origine de ces conflits provient d’une rumeur persistante sur le fait qu’un élève ou un prof surdoué pourrait déchiffrer un manuscrit mystérieux et serait doté de pouvoirs infinis. Pris à partie par certains élèves, et malgré tout son bon vouloir, Gyeong-Su se voit contraint d’affronter ses ennemis.
In Too Deep (1999)
, 1h35Directed by Michael Rymer
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Films about music and musicians, Hip hop films, Gangster films
Actors Omar Epps, LL Cool J, Stanley Tucci, Pam Grier, Philip Akin, Hill Harper
Roles Loretta
Rating62%
Undercover cop Jeffrey Cole (Omar Epps) is a recent graduate of the Cincinnati police academy who dreams of working undercover. Cole manages to get an undercover assignment the day of graduation and earns the praise of his superiors. Good at earning the trust of small-time drug dealer, Cole is given the task of taking down state-wide crack dealer Dwayne Gittens (LL Cool J), an underworld boss so powerful that his nickname is "God". Gittens is known as a family man and a man of the people, contributing to his community and helping those in need. However, there is another side to him, a ruthless leader of a criminal empire who will torture or kill anyone without question. Gittens controls eighty percent of the drug traffic in Cincinnati, Ohio, controls many of his opponents through bribery or intimidation, and appears to be untouchable. Building up his skills and credentials as an effective undercover officer, Cole earns the praise and adoration from his superiors, and he is eventually assigned to undercover work in the case against Gittens.
Dangerous Minds (1995)
, 1h39Directed by John N. Smith
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Biography, Crime
Themes Films about education, Films about music and musicians, Hip hop films, Gangster films
Actors Michelle Pfeiffer, George Dzundza, Robin Bartlett, Courtney B. Vance, Beatrice Winde, John Neville
Roles Loretta
Rating65%
LouAnne (Michelle Pfeiffer), a discharged U.S. Marine, applies for a teaching job in High School, and is surprised and pleased to be offered the position with immediate effect. Showing up the next day to begin teaching, however, she finds herself confronted with a classroom of tough, sullen teenagers, all from lower-class and underprivileged backgrounds, involved in gang warfare and drug pushing, flatly refusing to engage with anything. They immediately coin the nickname "White Bread" for LouAnne, due to her race and apparent lack of authority, to which LouAnne responds by returning the next day in a leather jacket and teaching them karate. The students show some interest in such activities, but immediately revert to their former behavior when LouAnne tries to teach the curriculum.