Mýa Harrison
Encyclopedia
Mýa Marie Harrison professionally referred to as Mýa, is an American singer-songwriter
, record producer
, dancer, actress, model
, activist, and philanthropist
. Born and raised in Washington D.C., Harrison's eponymous debut album
with Interscope Records
was released in April 1998, and 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
-selling Fear of Flying
, was released in 2000 and became a success worldwide, with single "Case of the Ex
" becoming Mýa's breakthrough hit, reaching number-one on the Australian Singles Chart
. A year after, Harrison won her first Grammy Award
for the worldwide number-one hit "Lady Marmalade
", a cover version
she recorded alongside Christina Aguilera
, Lil' Kim
, and Pink
for the soundtrack of the film Moulin Rouge!
(2001).
The singer's third studio album, Moodring
, was released in July 2003 and certified gold
by the RIAA
. Following several label changes, Mýa's often-delayed fourth studio album, Liberation
(2007), received a download
-release in Japan only and led to her 2008 Japan-exclusive album Sugar & Spice
.
Having expanded her career to acting and product endorsement deals, Harrison has been engaged in product endorsement deals with brands such as Coca-Cola
, Gap
, Iceberg
, Tommy Hilfiger
, and Motorola
and has had small roles in films such as Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
(2004), Shall We Dance? (2004), and Cursed (2005). In 2002, she had a supporting role in the film adaptation
of the 1975 Broadway
musical
Chicago
, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award
.
Harrison was the runner up on the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars. Billboard
named Mýa the 97th Hot 100 Artists of the 2000s.
and poet
Maya Angelou
, Mýa Marie Harrison is one of three children. Harrison was born to an African American
father and Italian American
mother. Her father Sherman, a musician and singer, performed with a number of bands in the area; her mother Theresa worked as an accountant. She grew up in nearby suburban Washington D.C. with her two younger brothers Chaz and Nijel. Mýa took violin lessons throughout her childhood, but dancing was her primary after-school activity. She took ballet lessons from the age of two and added jazz and tap dancing lessons to her schedule two years later. She entered some dance competitions with her brother as her partner, and then joined the Tappers With Attitude troop at ten-years-old. 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 D.C. for a workshop. Glover later chose Mýa for a solo spot in a dance performance at the Kennedy Center.
With an African American father and a mother of Italian descent, Mýa sometimes had to endure insensitive comments about her ethnic background. Her accomplishments as a dancer, however, helped Mýa to make the transition into adolescence and deal with the peer pressure that many teenagers experience. 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, Mýa 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.
As she continued to study dance and appeared on Teen Summit
on the Black Entertainment Television
network, Mýa changed her focus to music as she entered her teens. With the help of her father, she put together a demo tape when she was 15 and began to scout around for a record deal while she was still in high school at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland
. After an audition in the living room for University Music Entertainment president Haqq Islam, Mýa got herself a management deal which led to a recording contract with University and its major-label affiliate, Interscope Records
. Mýa finished high school when she was 16 years old and subsequently took a few classes at the University of Maryland, College Park
, but the teenager's primary focus was on the recording studio.
, Mýa spent the next two years recording and completing her debut studio album
. The album featured production and collaborations from noteworthy hitmakers such as Missy Elliott
, Babyface, Diane Warren
, Dru Hill
, Darryl Pearson and Silkk Tha Shocker
and spawned the massively successful singles "It's All About Me
", "Movin' On
", and "My First Night with You
". She released her debut single, "It's All About Me
" featuring fellow R&B singer Sisqó
on February 24, 1998, which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100
and number two 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 number twenty-nine 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 number thirty-four on the Billboard Hot 100
and number four on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart respectively. A third single, "My First Night with You
" peaked at number twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100
and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album earned Harrison 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
.
. 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 Harrison and many of the album’s songs are about female empowerment. Harrison, who did some writing on her 1998 eponymous debut album
, was heavily involved 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 number fifteen 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 Harrison’s breakthrough hit topping the Australian Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks. The song reached number two and three in the United States
and United Kingdom
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 critical and commercial success; catapulting her career into superstardom. Fear of Flying
hit nearly hard as her debut, staying on Billboard 200
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 Elliot 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 number one. 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
) this past March 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 number one in over fifteen countries including the United Kingdom
and Australia
. Lady Marmalade became Harrison's first chart-topper and third non-consecutive top ten on the Billboard 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, but only won two for Best Video from a Film
and Video of the Year
. In 2002, the quartet performed "Lady Marmalade" again at the 44th Grammy Awards and won a grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
.
In 2001, Mýa also paid a tribute to legendary music icon Janet Jackson
at MTV Icon
. She performed her own rendition of Jackson classic hit The Pleasure Principle
.
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 which she would win a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. 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 long-awaited studio album, Moodring
. The album sold more than 113,000 copies in its first week and peaked at number 3 on Billboard 200
, surpassing Mýa’s previous effort first-week sales. Originally titled Bittersweet, Moodring
display 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 styling's 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 smash hit and a summer
time anthem for women. The video showcase a more sexier
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 however 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.
, 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."
. 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 number fifty-five 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 ferosh." 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 appears on Gervais' forthcoming album "Miamication" via (Ultra Records
).
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.
in Japan.
A second single titled "Runnin' Back" featuring Iyaz
was released February 23. Her sixth studio album K.I.S.S. was released April 20, 2011 in Japan. The album debuted at number sixty-one on Japan's Billboard Top Albums Chart
and at number seventy-two on Japan's Oricon Albums Chart
with first-week sales of 1,543.
In a recent interview, Mýa announced she has a US version of K.I.S.S.
that has been done for quite some time and she has been taking a lot of meeting every single month to find out if she would like to distribute the project independently or major but her plan is to get it out before Christmas. Stating, the album is done and my fans want it. Although the US version is slightly different from the Japan version. Harrison is also working on her 8th studio album for 2012.
of AllMusic commented that Mýa has a voice that is at once "innocent and knowing", while Billboard
complimented her voice for having a "smooth, sensitive, angelic tone" to it who oozes with the confidence and stylistic flair of an artist twice her age.
Other critics often call her voice weak and thin. In reviewing for her second studio album Fear of Flying, Jon Azpiri of AllMusic commented that "she is a promising young talent, but still has yet to develop the chops necessary to rank among the best of R&B divas." Rolling Stone
stated "The signature quiver in Mýa's voice does give her some sonic identity, but otherwise this could be the music of Destiny's Child
, Aaliyah
or any of the countless interchangeable hip-hop
/R&B divas." During an interview with Billy Johnson Jr of Yahoo! Music
in 2003, Mýa stated "I like to sing loud, I like to sing soft, I just like to feel good, period. It's not that serious." She also commented on the fact there are a lot of misconceptions about singing: "I'm just happy to be here. I think being a young artist, just starting out of high school, what kids listen to is club music. We don't necessarily get too deep or sing like Aretha Franklin
. That's not even what music is truly about today. It's sad, but when I want to give a little bit of sex, being fabulous or sassy. I definitely want to be able to sing and back that up, and being a dancer first has sort of given me a complex that I have to be able to sing, period, with a band. If I break my leg, I'd like to give a show without pyrotechnics and choreography every five seconds. "
and incorporates a wide genre of music such as pop
, dance
, jazz
, soul
, hip-hop
, techno
, rock
, reggae
, and quiet storm
. In interview with People
, she revealed she draws her musical inspirations from humming a melody off the note of a whirring fan or tapping her foot to the rhythm of the bathtub dripping; stating she can hear melodies from natural sounds like birds chirping or the taxis and construction in Manhattan. Occasionally, however, Harrison wishes she could stop the music. "In the middle of a conversation, I'll start humming or moving my feet, and my friends will say, 'You can't be serious,' " she says. "It's such a reflex that I'm totally unaware I look like an idiot." Most of her songs are helmed from personal experiences in her life as well as friends' experiences.
Harrison has co-produced most of her records since 2000. She has her own recording studio and label imprint, Planet 9 and is heavily involved in the production of her music and every single process, from writing
and recording
to producing
, mixing
, and mastering
her own projects. Harrison very active in all aspects of her career from the actual production to the business. Formulating the beat
, creating the concept
, and coming up with the melodies
.
, Janet Jackson
, Michael Jackson
, Stevie Wonder
, Aretha Franklin
, Prince, Chaka Khan
, Minnie Riperton
, Patti Labelle
and Madonna
. Mýa praises Steve Wonder for his ability to hear music and play music and feel it and get other people to feel it, and Madonna for her boldness and courage. Mýa calls Minnie Riperton her favorite female singer and Prince her musical hero, stating, "He's someone who takes risks. He's an all-around entertainer, hell of a performer. He's a genius."
Mýa's dance influences include Gregory Hines
, Michael Jackson
, Janet Jackson
, Savion Glover
, Jimmy Slyde
, Electric Boogaloos
, Rock Steady Crew
, Cyd Charisse
, Gene Kelly
, Fred Astaire
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
She cites Lena Horne
and Liza Minnelli
as role models.
starring LL Cool J
and Omar Epps
. In the movie, she played a young woman named Loretta.
In late December 2002, Mýa co-starred in the broadway musical Chicago
alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones
, Richard Gere
, Queen Latifah
, and Renee Zellweger
. In the film, she portrayed a murder
ess named Mona in the Cell Block Tango dance number. The film was a box office hit grossing $306,776,732 worldwide and earned Mýa a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. In 2004, she had two small roles in the films Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
and Shall We Dance?. In the films, she played a latina
lounge singer named Lola Martinez and Vern's Fiancee. Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
tanked at the box office grossing $14,161,590 in the United States and $27,685,016 worldwide while Shall We Dance? became a box office hit grossing $57,890,460 in the United States alone and $170,128,460 worldwide.
In February 2005, Mýa had a supporting role in the Wes Craven
horror film
Cursed. The film starred Christina Ricci
, Joshua Jackson
, Judy Greer
, and Shannon Elizabeth
. In the film, Mýa played a young victim by the name of Jenny Tate. Although Cursed tanked at the box office grossing $19,297,522 in the United States and $29,621,722 worldwide, the film earned Mýa a nomination at the 2005 MTV Movie Awards for Best Frightened Performance. Her next film, the Bill Duke
-directed Cover
, Mýa portrayed an AIDS
victim named Cynda. The film opened at selective theaters and grossed $79,436 in the United States. The film dealt with the subject of men who are on the down-low in society
. In 2008, Mýa had a starring role in the direct-to-dvd romantic comedy
film Love For Sale. Mýa played a college student named Kiely in a bad relationship. The film was released to DVD
on October 21, 2008.
In January 2011, Mýa returned to the silver screen and co-starred in the romantic comedy
film The Heart Specialist alongside Wood Harris
, Zoe Saldana
, and Brian J. White
.
She plays Brian J. White
's ex-girlfriend Valerie.
The film was a sleeper at the box office grossing $1,103,037.
with Dmitry Chaplin
. The two first danced a Viennese Waltz
and a Cha-Cha-Cha
. For her Viennese Waltz, she was scored 8's from judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli but a shocking 5 from judge Len Goodman. Her Cha-Cha-Cha however was scored first place receiving 10 points. The following week, Baz Luhrman who directed "Moulin Rouge!
" in which Harrison sang in guest judged for Goodman. She danced a Jive
that scored 27/30. She tied first place with Aaron Carter
and Karina Smirnoff
's Quickstep
and received the encore of the week. When Goodman returned as regular judge the following week, Harrison danced a Rumba
which scored yet another 27 however she received the first ever 10's from Inaba and Tonioli but a shocking 7 from Goodman. A similar incident happened the following week when her Lambada
scored 28 being scored 10's from Inaba and Tonioli and an 8 from Goodman tying in first place with Melissa Joan Hart
and Mark Ballas
's Charleston
. That following week, Harrison and Chaplin danced an Argentine Tango
which scored yet another 27 however she did not receive 1st place and instead, future winners Donny Osmond
and Kym Johnson
did receiving the highest score of the season to date of 29 until she beat that score later on. Following that week, the two decided to dance a Jitterbug themed diner characters. Goodman remarked that "it was good, I just wanted a bit more" and scored a 24. They then danced a Mambo
against every other couple and received 9 points losing to future fourth place finalists Joanna Krupa
and Derek Hough
, both of whom were tough competition for them. The next week, the two danced a Foxtrot and a Paso Doble with Michael Irvin
, Mark Dacascos
and Aaron Carter (Decascos and Irvin whom got eliminated that week). For her Foxtrot, the two received 25 getting 9's from Tonioli and Inaba and a 7 from Goodman. Following that week, she danced a Quickstep which tied for Osmond and Johnson's Argentine Tango of 29. They then danced a 1970's-themed Samba
which she was awarded the first 30 of the season. The next week, she was asked to dance three dances (a Waltz
, a Salsa
and a Cha-Cha-Cha) only receiving 9's and 10's and receiving the second 30. For the finals week, she danced a Paso Doble and was dubbed by Carrie Ann Inaba as the "Queen of the Paso Doble" and was granted the third 30. Then she dance the Megamix dance along with Kelly Osbourne
and Donny Osmond and was granted another 30. For her final dance before the public vote, Harrison and Chaplin danced a Hairspray
-themed Freestyle
dance which was remarked by the judges that "it was good but needed more" and received a 27. The final dance was a repeat of her Jive from Week 2 and received 28 finishing in second place.
lipstick shade named after her.
In the following years to come, she continued to receive endorsements deals. In 2001, she became a spokesperson for Iceberg
jeans and featured in ad prints in magazines. Harrison signed an endorsement deal with Coca-Cola
in 2002, which included appearances on TV commercials. Her and then label mate Common
recorded a cover version
of Ed Harris' Real Compared To What. The commercial made its debut in 2003 at the American Music Awards
and featured Mýa in a 90 second commercial singing a jazzy cover version of the song alongside Chi-town
rapper Common
. In early 2003, Mýa recorded an updated version of Simon & Garfunkel classic hit Feeling Groovy for the new spring GAP
television ads. The music for the spot was produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. The new GAP
commercials were produced by longtime GAP creative agency Laird
& Partners and aired everywhere throughout March and April. In 2004, Mýa performed the original theme song, "Everything or Nothing", for the latest video game in the Bond franchise – James Bond: Everything Or Nothing. Mýa also appears in the game as the NSA agent sultry Bond girl
"Mya Starling". Mýa co-wrote and co-produced the song with Randy Bugnitz and A&M
president Ron Fair
, and three variations of the theme appeared in the game.
In 2005, Motorola
signed Mýa and eight other artists from every generation to appear in TV commercial; promoting its first iPod
music phone; the Motorola rokr. The commercial starred pop icons Madonna
and Iggy Pop
alongside with Little Richard
, Bootsy Collins
, Amerie
, Alanis Morissette
and look-a-likes of Beethoven, Jimi Hendrix
, and Notorious B.I.G.
On March 1, 2010, Escada
announced that Mýa will host the celebration to introduce Escada
's newest scent Marine Groove on March 13 in Miami Beach.The two-day event included a VIP party at South Beach
's hottest nightclub, LIV. Select guests joined Mýa for an exclusive evening of dancing and libations. On Sunday afternoon the celebration continued on the Venetian Lady Yacht in downtown Miami with a three-hour chartered yacht party.
, Mýa continues to devote her time and resources to various causes. From 1998 to 2001, she became the spokesperson for Secret to Self Esteem. In 2005, Mýa founded TMATF: The Mya Arts & Tech Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing disadvantaged youth growth and opportunity through arts & technology education, where she serves as both executive director
and teacher
. Mýa is also an advocate of breast cancer as her mother is a 12 year survivor. In 2006 & 2007 she collaborated with the Lifetime Television Network in the Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign, recording "My Bra
" a song sold on iTunes
donating 100% of proceeds to breast cancer research.
In 2007, Mýa was also the internationally featured artist in Heatherette
’s Fashion Show for Lifeball in Vienna, Austria to fight Global AIDS, hosted a fundraiser for Skool’d to aid homeless LGBT
youth, and advocated gay rights by opening the Out 100 Awards. In 2009 Mýa continued her philanthropic efforts by chairing the 2009 Operation Smile Event
, participating in the literary project, “If I’d Known Then: Women in Their 20′s and 30′s Write Letters to their Younger Selves”, by Ellen Spraggins, and accepting an honoree award for her work with the NSAL
and continued support of animal welfare. Mýa will continue her social efforts in 2010 by partnering with Cyndi Lauper
’s TRUE COLORS: Give A Damn PSA, NOH8 campaign, NSAL
2010, and assisting in various HAITI
relief efforts, among other philanthropic initiatives.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, dancer, actress, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, activist, and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. Born and raised in Washington D.C., Harrison's eponymous debut album
Mýa (album)
*AllMusicStephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic calls Mýa, "a smooth, sultry collection of well-crafted contemporary urban soul that is actually richer than the average urban record the late '90s", citing "part of its success lies with the teenage Mýa, who has a voice that is at once innocent and...
with Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
was released in April 1998, and sold over one million copies in the United States, producing the gold-certified
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
top ten single "It's All About Me
It's All About Me
It's All About Me is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features R&B singer Sisqó. The track was produced by Darryl Pearson for Harrison debut self-titled studio album. It's All About Me was written by Mark Andrew and Darryl Pearson....
" featuring Sisqó
Sisqó
Mark Durrell Andrews , known by his stage name Sisqó, is an American R&B singer and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, and also for "Thong Song", a song from his first solo LP, Unleash the Dragon, that became an international hit. - Biography :Sisqó was born Mark...
.
Her second studio album, platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
-selling Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying (album)
Fear of Flying is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 25, 2000 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during late 1999 to early 2000...
, was released in 2000 and became a success worldwide, with single "Case of the Ex
Case of the Ex
"Case of the Ex" is an R&B/Dance Pop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by Tricky Stewart for Harrison's sophomore studio album Fear of Flying. Case of The Ex was written by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Traci Hale, and Tab. The lyrics speak about an ex lover who will...
" becoming Mýa's breakthrough hit, reaching number-one on the Australian Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. A year after, Harrison won her first Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for the worldwide number-one hit "Lady Marmalade
Lady Marmalade
"Lady Marmalade" was also covered by Italian pop star Sabrina. It was released in 1987 as the album's second single by Baby Records. In some countries, including France and the Netherlands, the song was known as "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? " and was released in 1988.-Track listings:7" maxi#...
", a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
she recorded alongside Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
, and Pink
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
for the soundtrack of the film Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
(2001).
The singer's third studio album, Moodring
Moodring
Moodring is the third studio album by American recording artist Mýa, released July 22, 2003 on A&M and Interscope records. Recorded after the number one success of "Lady Marmalade" and her appearance in the box office hit Chicago, the album featured contributions from noteworthy hitmakers Ron Fair,...
, was released in July 2003 and certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. Following several label changes, Mýa's often-delayed fourth studio album, Liberation
Liberation (Mýa album)
Liberation is the fourth studio album by American singer Mýa, released by Universal Motown on 22 October 2007 in Japan as a digital download only. The album marks the singer's only release on the Motown label, which she left the year after....
(2007), received a download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
-release in Japan only and led to her 2008 Japan-exclusive album Sugar & Spice
Sugar & Spice (Mýa album)
-The Perfect Edition:-Chart:-Release history:-External links:* — official site...
.
Having expanded her career to acting and product endorsement deals, Harrison has been engaged in product endorsement deals with brands such as Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, Gap
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
, Iceberg
Iceberg (fashion house)
Iceberg is an Italian luxury fashion design house. Founded in 1962 by Silvio and Giuliana Gerani, the house produces women’s prêt-a-porter, accessories, and fragrances...
, Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.-Early life:...
, and Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
and has had small roles in films such as Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
# "Dance Like This" - Wyclef Jean featuring Claudette Ortiz # "Dirty Dancing" - The Black Eyed Peas# "Guajira " - Yerba Buena# "Can I Walk By" - Jazze Pha featuring Monica# "Satellite " - Santana featuring Jorge Moreno...
(2004), Shall We Dance? (2004), and Cursed (2005). In 2002, she had a supporting role in the film adaptation
Chicago (2002 film)
Chicago is a 2002 musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz-age Chicago....
of the 1975 Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award
Screen Actors Guild Awards
A Screen Actors Guild Award is an accolade given by the Screen Actors Guild to recognize outstanding performances by its members. The statuette given, a nude male figure holding both a mask of comedy and a mask of tragedy, is called "The Actor"...
.
Harrison was the runner up on the ninth season of Dancing with the Stars. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
named Mýa the 97th Hot 100 Artists of the 2000s.
Early life
Named after authorAuthor
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou is an American author and poet who has been called "America's most visible black female autobiographer" by scholar Joanne M. Braxton. She is best known for her series of six autobiographical volumes, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first and most highly...
, Mýa Marie Harrison is one of three children. Harrison was born to an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
father and Italian American
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
mother. Her father Sherman, a musician and singer, performed with a number of bands in the area; her mother Theresa worked as an accountant. She grew up in nearby suburban Washington D.C. with her two younger brothers Chaz and Nijel. Mýa took violin lessons throughout her childhood, but dancing was her primary after-school activity. She took ballet lessons from the age of two and added jazz and tap dancing lessons to her schedule two years later. She entered some dance competitions with her brother as her partner, and then joined the Tappers With Attitude troop at ten-years-old. Her tap dancing skills led to an opportunity to study with one of the best-known tap dancers in the country, Savion Glover
Savion Glover
Savion Glover is an American tap dancer, actor, and choreographer. As a learning prodigy, he was taught by notable dancers from previous generations. Glover is currently interested in restoring African roots to tap...
of the Dance Theater of Harlem, when he came to Washington D.C. for a workshop. Glover later chose Mýa for a solo spot in a dance performance at the Kennedy Center.
With an African American father and a mother of Italian descent, Mýa sometimes had to endure insensitive comments about her ethnic background. Her accomplishments as a dancer, however, helped Mýa to make the transition into adolescence and deal with the peer pressure that many teenagers experience. 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, Mýa 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
Body image
Body image refers to a person's perception of the aesthetics and sexual attractiveness of their own body. The phrase body image was first coined by the Austrian neurologist and psychoanalyst Paul Schilder in his masterpiece The Image and Appearance of the Human Body...
, peer pressure
Peer pressure
Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change his or her attitudes, values, or behavior in order to conform to group norms. Social groups affected include membership groups, when the individual is "formally" a member , or a social clique...
, and gender stereotypes.
As she continued to study dance and appeared on Teen Summit
Teen Summit
Teen Summit is an American talk show/youth show that aired on BET. It dealt with the everyday issues of teens and attempted to bring them into a positive, uplifting light and motivate the teen viewers. Various hosts have appeared on the show throughout the years, including Ananda Lewis.The show...
on the Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
network, Mýa changed her focus to music as she entered her teens. With the help of her father, she put together a demo tape when she was 15 and began to scout around for a record deal while she was still in high school at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt, Maryland
Greenbelt is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. Contained within today's City of Greenbelt is the historic planned community now known locally as "Old Greenbelt" and designated as the Greenbelt Historic District...
. After an audition in the living room for University Music Entertainment president Haqq Islam, Mýa got herself a management deal which led to a recording contract with University and its major-label affiliate, Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. Mýa finished high school when she was 16 years old and subsequently took a few classes at the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, but the teenager's primary focus was on the recording studio.
1997–1999: Mýa (debut album)
After signing with InterscopeInterscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
, Mýa spent the next two years recording and completing her debut studio album
Mýa (album)
*AllMusicStephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic calls Mýa, "a smooth, sultry collection of well-crafted contemporary urban soul that is actually richer than the average urban record the late '90s", citing "part of its success lies with the teenage Mýa, who has a voice that is at once innocent and...
. The album featured production and collaborations from noteworthy hitmakers such as Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
, Babyface, Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
, Dru Hill
Dru Hill
Dru Hill is an American singing group, most popular during the late 1990s, whose repertoire included R&B, soul, and gospel music. Founded in Baltimore, Maryland, and active since 1992, Dru Hill recorded seven Top 40 hits, and is best known for the R&B #1 hits "In My Bed", "Never Make a Promise", ...
, Darryl Pearson and Silkk Tha Shocker
Silkk Tha Shocker
Vyshonn King Miller , who records under the stage name Silkk The Shocker, is an American rapper and actor. He originally went under the stage name Silkk, but later adopted The Shocker after his debut studio album in 1996 entitled, The Shocker.- Early life :Vyshonn King Miller was born on June 18,...
and spawned the massively successful singles "It's All About Me
It's All About Me
It's All About Me is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features R&B singer Sisqó. The track was produced by Darryl Pearson for Harrison debut self-titled studio album. It's All About Me was written by Mark Andrew and Darryl Pearson....
", "Movin' On
Movin' On (Mýa song)
"Movin' On" is an R&B/Hip Hop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features No Limits rapper Silkk The Shocker. The track was produced by Darryl Pearson for Harrison debut self-titled studio album...
", and "My First Night with You
My First Night with You
"My First Night with You" is a ballad by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by Daryl Simmons for Harrison debut self-titled studio album...
". She released her debut single, "It's All About Me
It's All About Me
It's All About Me is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features R&B singer Sisqó. The track was produced by Darryl Pearson for Harrison debut self-titled studio album. It's All About Me was written by Mark Andrew and Darryl Pearson....
" featuring fellow R&B singer Sisqó
Sisqó
Mark Durrell Andrews , known by his stage name Sisqó, is an American R&B singer and actor. He is best known as the lead singer of R&B group Dru Hill, and also for "Thong Song", a song from his first solo LP, Unleash the Dragon, that became an international hit. - Biography :Sisqó was born Mark...
on February 24, 1998, which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number two on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart respectively. The single received a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on June 4, 1998. Her eponymous debut album
Mýa (album)
*AllMusicStephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic calls Mýa, "a smooth, sultry collection of well-crafted contemporary urban soul that is actually richer than the average urban record the late '90s", citing "part of its success lies with the teenage Mýa, who has a voice that is at once innocent and...
was released April 21, 1998 in the United States and reached number twenty-nine on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. The album sold 1.4 million copies in the United States and received a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on October 1, 1998; denoting shipments to US retailers of over 1,000,000 units.
The album's second single "Movin' On
Movin' On (Mýa song)
"Movin' On" is an R&B/Hip Hop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features No Limits rapper Silkk The Shocker. The track was produced by Darryl Pearson for Harrison debut self-titled studio album...
", featured No Limit
No Limit Records
No Limit Records was an American hip-hop record label that was founded in 1990 by hip-hop artist, Percy "Master P" Miller. It was distributed by Priority Records.-No Limit Early years:...
rapper Silkk Tha Shocker
Silkk Tha Shocker
Vyshonn King Miller , who records under the stage name Silkk The Shocker, is an American rapper and actor. He originally went under the stage name Silkk, but later adopted The Shocker after his debut studio album in 1996 entitled, The Shocker.- Early life :Vyshonn King Miller was born on June 18,...
and peaked at number thirty-four on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number four on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart respectively. A third single, "My First Night with You
My First Night with You
"My First Night with You" is a ballad by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by Daryl Simmons for Harrison debut self-titled studio album...
" peaked at number twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album earned Harrison two Soul Train Music Award nominations for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist
Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist
The Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist has been given out every year since the first annual Soul Train Music Awards in 1987.-External links:**...
and Best R&B/Soul Album - Female
Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Album, Female
The Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul Album - Female...
and a NAACP Image Award
NAACP Image Award
An NAACP Image Award is an accolade presented by the American National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to honor outstanding people of color in film, television, music, and literature....
nomination for Outstanding New Artist
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist
The NAACP Image Award winners for Outstanding New Artist:...
.
In addition to her solo work, Mýa was featured with Ol' Dirty Bastard
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Russell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB...
on Pras
Pras
Prakazrel Samuel Michel, known as Pras, is a Grammy Award-winning Haitian-American rapper, actor, film producer, and member of the hip hop trio The Fugees.-Early life:...
' Grammy-nominated 1998 hit "Ghetto Supastar
Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)
"Ghetto Supastar " is a Hip-Hop song by American rapper Pras, featuring rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard and recording artist Mýa. The track was produced by Wyclef Jean and Jerry 'Wonda" Duplessis for Pras' debut solo studio album, Ghetto Supastar. It also features on the soundtrack for the motion picture...
" from the Bulworth
Bulworth
Bulworth is a 1998 American film co-written, co-produced and directed by the film's star, Warren Beatty. It was loosely based on the life of Beatty's friend, Tennessee political figure John Jay Hooker. It co-stars Halle Berry, Oliver Platt, Don Cheadle, Paul Sorvino, Jack Warden, and Isaiah...
soundtrack and "Take Me There
Take Me There (Blackstreet song)
"Take Me There" is a Pop/R&B song by American quartet Blackstreet and Mýa and features Bad Boy rappers Ma$e and Blinky Blink. The track was produced by Teddy Riley for the soundtrack for the motion picture film The Rugrats Movie and featured on Blackstreet's fourth studio album Finally...
" from The Rugrats Movie
The Rugrats Movie
The Rugrats Movie is a 1998 American animated film, produced by Klasky Csupo and Nickelodeon Movies. The film was distributed by Paramount Pictures and first released in theaters in the United States on November 20, 1998....
soundtrack, with Blackstreet
Blackstreet
Blackstreet is an American R&B group founded in 1991 by Thomas Taliaferro and Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing known for his work as a member of Guy. Chauncey Hannibal and Levi Little were signed under production and management contracts with Thomas Taliaferro and were merged into what...
, Blinky Blink
Blinky Blink
Blinky Blink is a rapper and member of the New York based hip hop collective Harlem World .-Career:Blinky Blink has been a prominent part of the Harlem hip hop scene since 1998 and can most often be found doing cameo appearances on songs by Bad Boy Entertainment artists and his fellow Harlem World...
, and Mase
Mase
Mason Durell Betha , better known by stage name Mase who was previously known as Murda Ma$e, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor and inspirational speaker...
.
2000–2001: Fear of Flying
In 1999, Harrison began production on an album that would eventually become Fear of FlyingFear of Flying (album)
Fear of Flying is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 25, 2000 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during late 1999 to early 2000...
. The title was partially inspired by Erica Jong
Erica Jong
Erica Jong is an American author and teacher best known for her fiction and poetry.-Career:A 1963 graduate of Barnard College, and with an M.A...
1973 novel, Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying (novel)
Fear of Flying is a 1973 novel by Erica Jong, which became famously controversial for its attitudes towards female sexuality, and figured in the development of second-wave feminism....
which shared a lot of similarities toward female sexuality and development of second-wave feminism
Second-wave feminism
The Feminist Movement, or the Women's Liberation Movement in the United States refers to a period of feminist activity which began during the early 1960s and lasted through the early 1990s....
. The album featured contributions from Rodney Jerkins
Rodney Jerkins
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
, Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Knobody
Knobody
Jerome Foster, better known as Knobody, is an American music producer and A&R. Knobody has produced records across different genres including soul, R&B, hip hop and rock for several multi-platinum artists including Jay-Z, Ne-Yo, Akon, The Game, Big Pun, Mýa and R.E.M....
, and Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
. The majority of Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying (album)
Fear of Flying is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 25, 2000 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during late 1999 to early 2000...
was co-written and co-produced by Harrison and many of the album’s songs are about female empowerment. Harrison, who did some writing on her 1998 eponymous debut album
Mýa (album)
*AllMusicStephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic calls Mýa, "a smooth, sultry collection of well-crafted contemporary urban soul that is actually richer than the average urban record the late '90s", citing "part of its success lies with the teenage Mýa, who has a voice that is at once innocent and...
, was heavily involved production of Fear of Flying, from writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
and recording
Recording
Recording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
to producing
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, and mastering. On April 25, 2000, Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying (album)
Fear of Flying is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 25, 2000 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during late 1999 to early 2000...
was released and debuted at number fifteen on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart with first week sales of 72,000 copies. Upon initial release, the album seemed to be suffering the dreaded sophomore slump
Sophomore slump
A sophomore slump or sophomore jinx refers to an instance in which a second, or sophomore, effort fails to live up to the standards of the first effort...
. The album’s first single "The Best of Me
The Best of Me (Mýa song)
"The Best of Me" is an R&B-hip hop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features rapper Jadakiss. The track was produced by Swizz Beatz for Harrison's second studio album Fear of Flying...
", featuring Jadakiss
Jadakiss
Jason Phillips , better known as Jadakiss, is an American rapper. He is a member of the group The LOX. Jadakiss is one of the three owners of the imprint known as D-Block. In early 2007, Jadakiss signed to Roc-a-Fella Records / Def Jam Records.-Early life:By the age of 16, Jadakiss was a freestyle...
, 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
Case of the Ex
"Case of the Ex" is an R&B/Dance Pop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by Tricky Stewart for Harrison's sophomore studio album Fear of Flying. Case of The Ex was written by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Traci Hale, and Tab. The lyrics speak about an ex lover who will...
" 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
Case of the Ex
"Case of the Ex" is an R&B/Dance Pop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by Tricky Stewart for Harrison's sophomore studio album Fear of Flying. Case of The Ex was written by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Traci Hale, and Tab. The lyrics speak about an ex lover who will...
" became Harrison’s breakthrough hit topping the Australian Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks. The song reached number two and three in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
respectively and in turn solidified Fear of Flying as a hit. With the success of "Case of the Ex
Case of the Ex
"Case of the Ex" is an R&B/Dance Pop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by Tricky Stewart for Harrison's sophomore studio album Fear of Flying. Case of The Ex was written by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, Traci Hale, and Tab. The lyrics speak about an ex lover who will...
", Interscope
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
re-released Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying (album)
Fear of Flying is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 25, 2000 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during late 1999 to early 2000...
on November 7, 2000 with a revised tracklisting featuring two new songs, including the third single "Free
Free (Mýa song)
"Free" is a Dance Pop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the re-release of Harrison sophomore studio album Fear of Flying...
" (which was previously on the Bait soundtrack
Bait (soundtrack)
Bait is the soundtrack to the 2000 action-comedy film, Bait. It was released on September 12, 2000 by Warner Bros. Records and featured a blend of hip hop and R&B music...
) and a new track titled Again & Again. "Free
Free (Mýa song)
"Free" is a Dance Pop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for the re-release of Harrison sophomore studio album Fear of Flying...
" was even more pop-friendly and became quite successful on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
’s TRL
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
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
Mobo
Mobo can refer to:*Shorthand for the motherboard in computers and other electronic equipment*Shorthand for a mobile [network] operator or MNO *Shorthand for a mobile bohemian, a person who embraces mobile technology...
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
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
on March 28, 2001. Although Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying (album)
Fear of Flying is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 25, 2000 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during late 1999 to early 2000...
was received with mixed reviews, the album was critical and commercial success; catapulting her career into superstardom. Fear of Flying
Fear of Flying (album)
Fear of Flying is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 25, 2000 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during late 1999 to early 2000...
hit nearly hard as her debut, staying on Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
for 52 consecutive weeks.
In 2001, Mýa lent her voice to two film soundtrack projects; Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
's Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2001 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Written by Tab Murphy, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, and produced by Don Hahn, it is the first science fiction film in the Disney animated features canon and the 41st overall. The film...
and Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
's Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
soundtracks. On the Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Atlantis: The Lost Empire is a 2001 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Written by Tab Murphy, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, and produced by Don Hahn, it is the first science fiction film in the Disney animated features canon and the 41st overall. The film...
soundtrack, she performed and recorded the tender pop ballad "Where the Dream Takes You
Where the Dream Takes You
Where the Dream Takes You is a tender pop ballad recorded and performed by American recording artist Mýa. The track was produced by acclaimed composer James Newton Howard for Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire soundtrack...
. The Diane Warren
Diane Warren
Diane Eve Warren , is a US songwriter. Her songs have received six Academy Award nominations, five Golden Globe nominations, including one win and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001...
-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
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
, Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
, and P!nk
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
on the remake of Labelle
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
's 1975 hit "Lady Marmalade
Lady Marmalade
"Lady Marmalade" was also covered by Italian pop star Sabrina. It was released in 1987 as the album's second single by Baby Records. In some countries, including France and the Netherlands, the song was known as "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? " and was released in 1988.-Track listings:7" maxi#...
". Lady Marmalade was produced by hip-hip producers Missy Elliot and Rockwilder
Rockwilder
Rockwilder is an American hip hop and R&B record producer, rapper, and R&B Singer. A long term friend of Def Jam rapper Redman, Rockwilder got his start producing for East Coast Hip Hop artists in the mid 1990s. In 1999 Rockwilder produced Method Man & Redman's hit single "Da Rockwilder"...
and released as the first single from the Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
soundtrack. The single was a worldwide success. It topped the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in its eighth week; spending five consecutive weeks at number one. Lady Marmalade became the third airplay-only track in the history of the chart to make it to the top. Since Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
changed the eligibility rule in December 1998 to include all songs regardless of retail availability, only Aaliyah
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
's "Try Again
Try Again
"Try Again" is a Grammy nominated single by American recording artist Aaliyah. The song was written by Static Major and Timothy Mosley, and produced by Timbaland, for the soundtrack of the film Romeo Must Die . It was released on May 22, 2000 as the lead single of the soundtrack. The dance-pop and...
" (Blackground
Blackground Records
Blackground Records is an American record label owned by entertainment attorney and artist manager Barry Hankerson and his son Jomo Hankerson.-History:...
/Virgin
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
) in June 2000 and "Angel
Angel (Shaggy song)
"Angel" is a 2001 number one hit song by reggae artist Shaggy featuring Rayvon. It was the follow-up to Shaggy's U.S. number-one hit "It Wasn't Me". "Angel" reached number one in the U.S...
" by Shaggy
Shaggy (musician)
Orville Richard Burrell , better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper. He is perhaps best known for his 1995 single "Boombastic" and 2000 single "It Wasn't Me"...
featuring Rayvon (MCA
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
) this past March 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 number one in over fifteen countries including the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Lady Marmalade became Harrison's first chart-topper and third non-consecutive top ten on the Billboard 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
2001 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2001 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 6, 2001, honoring the best music videos from June 10, 2000, to June 8, 2001. The show was hosted by Jamie Foxx at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City...
Lady Marmalade was nominated for six moonmen, but only won two for Best Video from a Film
MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film was first awarded in 1987, recognizing the best videos whose songs were a part of a movie soundtrack or featured in a film. As time went on, though, music videos taken from movie soundtracks became more rare, and so the last of this award was...
and Video of the Year
MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
The MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year is the main award handed out at the yearly MTV Video Music Awards. It was first awarded in , when The Cars won it, and has been given out since. Eminem has been the most nominated solo artist, male solo artist, and act in this category, having been...
. In 2002, the quartet performed "Lady Marmalade" again at the 44th Grammy Awards and won a grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
The Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality pop songs on which singers collaborate...
.
In 2001, Mýa also paid a tribute to legendary music icon Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
at MTV Icon
MTV Icon
MTV Icon was a series of annual television specials produced by MTV between 2001 and 2004, each paying homage to a musical artist or band selected as a cultural icon, in a format similar to the network's annual Video Music Awards and Movie Awards events...
. She performed her own rendition of Jackson classic hit The Pleasure Principle
The Pleasure Principle (song)
"The Pleasure Principle" is the sixth single from Janet Jackson's third studio album, Control . The photo for the single cover was shot by famed fashion photographer David LaChapelle.-Song information:...
.
2002–2003: Moodring
Chicago (2002 film)
Chicago is a 2002 musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz-age Chicago....
, in which she would win a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. In the following years, she continued appearing in films such as Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
# "Dance Like This" - Wyclef Jean featuring Claudette Ortiz # "Dirty Dancing" - The Black Eyed Peas# "Guajira " - Yerba Buena# "Can I Walk By" - Jazze Pha featuring Monica# "Satellite " - Santana featuring Jorge Moreno...
(2004), Shall We Dance? (2004), and Cursed (2005).
On July 22, 2003, after much delay, Mýa released her third long-awaited studio album, Moodring
Moodring
Moodring is the third studio album by American recording artist Mýa, released July 22, 2003 on A&M and Interscope records. Recorded after the number one success of "Lady Marmalade" and her appearance in the box office hit Chicago, the album featured contributions from noteworthy hitmakers Ron Fair,...
. The album sold more than 113,000 copies in its first week and peaked at number 3 on Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, surpassing Mýa’s previous effort first-week sales. Originally titled Bittersweet, Moodring
Moodring
Moodring is the third studio album by American recording artist Mýa, released July 22, 2003 on A&M and Interscope records. Recorded after the number one success of "Lady Marmalade" and her appearance in the box office hit Chicago, the album featured contributions from noteworthy hitmakers Ron Fair,...
display an array of different emotions exploring Mýa’s playful and sexual side. The majority of Moodring
Moodring
Moodring is the third studio album by American recording artist Mýa, released July 22, 2003 on A&M and Interscope records. Recorded after the number one success of "Lady Marmalade" and her appearance in the box office hit Chicago, the album featured contributions from noteworthy hitmakers Ron Fair,...
was co-written and co-produced by Mýa and was influenced by different subjects and music styling's including techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, r&b, quiet storm
Quiet storm
Quiet storm is a late-night radio format, featuring soulful slow jams, pioneered in the mid-1970s by then-station-intern Melvin Lindsey at WHUR-FM, in Washington, D.C. Smokey Robinson's like-titled hit single, released in 1975 as the title track to his third solo album, lent its name to the format...
, etc.
The first single, the Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
-produced "My Love Is Like...Wo
My Love Is Like...Wo
"My Love Is Like...Wo" is a song by American recording artist Mýa from her third studio album, Moodring . Written and produced by Missy Elliott and brothers Charles and Kenneth Bereal, it was released as the album's lead single in June 2003....
" became a smash hit and a summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
time anthem for women. The video showcase a more sexier
Physical attractiveness
Physical attractiveness refers to a person's physical traits which are perceived to be aesthetically pleasing or beautiful. The term often implies sexual attractiveness or desirability, but can also be distinct from the two; for example, humans may regard the young as attractive for various...
and risqué side of Mýa and became popular at MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. The second single, the elegant-mid tempo track "Fallen" failed to duplicate the same success but however reached the top forty on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart. Moodring
Moodring
Moodring is the third studio album by American recording artist Mýa, released July 22, 2003 on A&M and Interscope records. Recorded after the number one success of "Lady Marmalade" and her appearance in the box office hit Chicago, the album featured contributions from noteworthy hitmakers Ron Fair,...
stayed on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
chart for a mere eighteen non-consecutive weeks and went on to be certified gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, selling 589,000 copies to date.
2004–2008: Liberation and Sugar & Spice
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 StorchScott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
, Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
, Lil Jon
Lil Jon
Jonathan Mortimer Smith , better known by his stage name Lil Jon, is an American rapper, music producer, entrepreneur, and occasional disc jockey who was a member of the group Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz. Lil Jon formed the group in 1997, and the group released several albums between then and 2004...
, Rockwilder
Rockwilder
Rockwilder is an American hip hop and R&B record producer, rapper, and R&B Singer. A long term friend of Def Jam rapper Redman, Rockwilder got his start producing for East Coast Hip Hop artists in the mid 1990s. In 1999 Rockwilder produced Method Man & Redman's hit single "Da Rockwilder"...
and songwriter Sean Garrett
Sean Garrett
Garrett Hamler, better known by his stage name Sean Garrett is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He has produced fifteen number one singles in only seven years of producing music. That number puts him in fifth place on the Billboard list of producers with the most number...
. 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
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
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
Liberation (Mýa album)
Liberation is the fourth studio album by American singer Mýa, released by Universal Motown on 22 October 2007 in Japan as a digital download only. The album marks the singer's only release on the Motown label, which she left the year after....
, 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
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and the album's release was pushed back again. In March 2007, the album's actual lead single "Lock U Down
Lock U Down
"Lock U Down" is an R&B/Hip-Hop song by American singer-songwriter Mýa and features rapper Lil Wayne. The track was produced by Scott Storch for Harrison fourth studio album Liberation. Lock U Down was written by Dwayne Carter, Mýa, and Scott Storch....
", a Scott Storch
Scott Storch
Scott Storch is an American record producer. He produces a variety of music, particularly hip hop, reggaeton, and R&B. His label, Storch Music Company responsible for signing Brooke Hogan and Nox...
-produced collaboration with Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...
, was sent to radio. After its commercial failure, a second single entitled "Ridin'
Ridin'
"Ridin" is the second single from Chamillionaire's album, The Sound of Revenge, and features a guest rap by Krayzie Bone. Its title is often incorrectly assumed to be "Ridin' Dirty" due to the chorus...
" was released, but as the song saw minor success on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
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
Manhattan Records
Manhattan Records is a United States record label, owned by EMI and operates as a subsidiary of The Blue Note Label Group.-Company history:Manhattan Records was formed in 1984 by Bruce Lundvall, and was later renamed EMI Manhattan Records after absorbing EMI America Records imprint...
) to release new material. Her fifth studio album Sugar & Spice
Sugar & Spice (Mýa album)
-The Perfect Edition:-Chart:-Release history:-External links:* — official site...
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
Diana King
Diana King is a reggae fusion singer-songwriter who specifically performed a mixture and fusion of R&B, reggae, pop and dancehall...
's hit "Shy Guy
Shy Guy (song)
"Shy Guy" is a song by Diana King from the Bad Boys soundtrack and also her debut album Tougher Than Love. It reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S....
," as well as the first and final single "Paradise."
2009–2010: Sugar & Spice:The Perfect Edition & Beauty & the Streets Vol.1
Almost a year later, Mýa re-released her Japan-only album Sugar & SpiceSugar & Spice (Mýa album)
-The Perfect Edition:-Chart:-Release history:-External links:* — official site...
. The newer version of the album, entitled Sugar & Spice: The Perfect Edition
Sugar & Spice (Mýa album)
-The Perfect Edition:-Chart:-Release history:-External links:* — official site...
, was released on August 5, 2009 containing new remixes and a new song titled "Wish You Were Here" featuring Malaysian artist Che'Nelle
Che'Nelle
Cheryline Lim known by her stage name Che'Nelle, is an Australian recording artist. in 2005 she was signed to Virgin Records America, an imprint of EMI.-1983-2005: Early life:...
. 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
Mixtape
A Mix Tape or Mixed Tape is a compilation of songs recorded in a specific order, traditionally onto an audio Compact Cassette.A Mix Tape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a...
called Beauty & The Streets Vol.1
Beauty & The Streets Vol.1
Beauty & the Streets Vol. 1 is the first of two mixtapes by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released September 29, 2009 on her own independent label, Planet 9 and J. Prince's Young Empire Music Group...
on September 29, 2009. The mixtape’s first single, Show Me Somethin' featured Houston-based rapper Bun B
Bun B
Bernard Freeman better known by his stage name Bun B, is an American rapper and was one half of the southern hip hop duo UGK . He is also a guest lecturer at Rice University located in Houston, Texas...
and was sent to iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
in August. The mixtape entered at number fifty-five 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
We Are the World 25 for Haiti
"We Are the World 25 for Haiti" is a charity single recorded by the supergroup Artists for Haiti in 2010. It is a remake of the 1985 hit song "We Are the World", which was written by American musicians Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and was recorded by USA for Africa to benefit famine relief in...
. In 2010, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
reported Mýa currently has already completed 10 tracks for her next studio effort with producer Junior Sanchez
Junior Sanchez
Junior Sanchez is a record producer, DJ, artist, and remixer. His remixing and production skills are in demand by artists, including Madonna, Gorrilaz, Daft Punk, Placebo, Shakira, Les Rythmes Digitales, and Róisín Murphy. Junior Sanchez has produced albums and tracks for Katy Perry, Ima Robot,...
. No release date has been set yet but think an electro-dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
-rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
vibe. Mýa says, "Working with Junior Sanchez
Junior Sanchez
Junior Sanchez is a record producer, DJ, artist, and remixer. His remixing and production skills are in demand by artists, including Madonna, Gorrilaz, Daft Punk, Placebo, Shakira, Les Rythmes Digitales, and Róisín Murphy. Junior Sanchez has produced albums and tracks for Katy Perry, Ima Robot,...
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 ferosh." The songstress was also gearing up for the launch of a brand new single "Love Is the Answer
Love Is the Answer (Mýa song)
"Love Is the Answer" is a house dance song by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by international DJ & record producer Cedric Gervais for the NOH8 campaign and will be featured on Cedric Gervais' forthcoming studio album Miamication...
," with Cedric Gervais. Originally, the track was scheduled for release late 2010 but however pushed back into next year. The song appears on Gervais' forthcoming album "Miamication" via (Ultra Records
Ultra Records
Ultra Records is an American independent electronic dance music record label. Ultra was formed in New York City in 1995 by former Polygram and Virgin Records executive Patrick Moxey, who is still currently the owner...
).
2011–present: Love Is the Answer & K.I.S.S.
In early 2011, E! OnlineE!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
gave an exclusive first-listen preview of "Love Is the Answer
Love Is the Answer (Mýa song)
"Love Is the Answer" is a house dance song by American singer-songwriter Mýa. The track was produced by international DJ & record producer Cedric Gervais for the NOH8 campaign and will be featured on Cedric Gervais' forthcoming studio album Miamication...
". The track was released February 8 worldwide via iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. 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.
K.I.S.S. (Mýa album)
K.I.S.S. is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Mýa. It is her second studio album to be released by Manhattan Recordings in Japan on April 20, 2011...
in Japan.
A second single titled "Runnin' Back" featuring Iyaz
Iyaz
Keidran Jones , better known by his stage name Iyaz, is a singer signed with the record label Beluga Heights Records from the British Virgin Islands. His debut single "Replay", was released in 2009 and reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, number-one in the UK, Australia and the top ten...
was released February 23. Her sixth studio album K.I.S.S. was released April 20, 2011 in Japan. The album debuted at number sixty-one on Japan's Billboard Top Albums Chart
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
and at number seventy-two on Japan's Oricon Albums Chart
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
with first-week sales of 1,543.
In a recent interview, Mýa announced she has a US version of K.I.S.S.
K.I.S.S. (Mýa album)
K.I.S.S. is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Mýa. It is her second studio album to be released by Manhattan Recordings in Japan on April 20, 2011...
that has been done for quite some time and she has been taking a lot of meeting every single month to find out if she would like to distribute the project independently or major but her plan is to get it out before Christmas. Stating, the album is done and my fans want it. Although the US version is slightly different from the Japan version. Harrison is also working on her 8th studio album for 2012.
Voice
Harrison is a lyric mezzo-soprano with a four-octave range. Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of AllMusic commented that Mýa has a voice that is at once "innocent and knowing", while Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
complimented her voice for having a "smooth, sensitive, angelic tone" to it who oozes with the confidence and stylistic flair of an artist twice her age.
Other critics often call her voice weak and thin. In reviewing for her second studio album Fear of Flying, Jon Azpiri of AllMusic commented that "she is a promising young talent, but still has yet to develop the chops necessary to rank among the best of R&B divas." Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
stated "The signature quiver in Mýa's voice does give her some sonic identity, but otherwise this could be the music of Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, Aaliyah
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
or any of the countless interchangeable hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
/R&B divas." During an interview with Billy Johnson Jr of Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music, owned by Yahoo!, is the provider of a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming...
in 2003, Mýa stated "I like to sing loud, I like to sing soft, I just like to feel good, period. It's not that serious." She also commented on the fact there are a lot of misconceptions about singing: "I'm just happy to be here. I think being a young artist, just starting out of high school, what kids listen to is club music. We don't necessarily get too deep or sing like Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
. That's not even what music is truly about today. It's sad, but when I want to give a little bit of sex, being fabulous or sassy. I definitely want to be able to sing and back that up, and being a dancer first has sort of given me a complex that I have to be able to sing, period, with a band. If I break my leg, I'd like to give a show without pyrotechnics and choreography every five seconds. "
Songwriting and producing
Since the beginning of her career, Mýa has always been artistically involved in her career. Harrison writes the majority of her own material for her studio albums. In an interview she stated, she writes 99.9% of her albums and when songs are submitted to her, if she feels the song is something that feels like something she can perform well and hits close to home, then she feels comfortable doing it. She is known for writing sexually driven lyrics and female empowerment compositions with a bit of an edge to them through her love for free spirited word playWord play
Word play or wordplay is a literary technique in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement...
and incorporates a wide genre of music such as pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
, rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, and quiet storm
Quiet storm
Quiet storm is a late-night radio format, featuring soulful slow jams, pioneered in the mid-1970s by then-station-intern Melvin Lindsey at WHUR-FM, in Washington, D.C. Smokey Robinson's like-titled hit single, released in 1975 as the title track to his third solo album, lent its name to the format...
. In interview with People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
, she revealed she draws her musical inspirations from humming a melody off the note of a whirring fan or tapping her foot to the rhythm of the bathtub dripping; stating she can hear melodies from natural sounds like birds chirping or the taxis and construction in Manhattan. Occasionally, however, Harrison wishes she could stop the music. "In the middle of a conversation, I'll start humming or moving my feet, and my friends will say, 'You can't be serious,' " she says. "It's such a reflex that I'm totally unaware I look like an idiot." Most of her songs are helmed from personal experiences in her life as well as friends' experiences.
Harrison has co-produced most of her records since 2000. She has her own recording studio and label imprint, Planet 9 and is heavily involved in the production of her music and every single process, from writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
and recording
Recording
Recording is the process of capturing data or translating information to a recording format stored on some storage medium, which is often referred to as a record or, if an auditory medium, a recording....
to producing
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, mixing
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, and mastering
Audio mastering
Mastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
her own projects. Harrison very active in all aspects of her career from the actual production to the business. Formulating the beat
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
, creating the concept
Concept
The word concept is used in ordinary language as well as in almost all academic disciplines. Particularly in philosophy, psychology and cognitive sciences the term is much used and much discussed. WordNet defines concept: "conception, construct ". However, the meaning of the term concept is much...
, and coming up with the melodies
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
.
Influences
Mýa's musical influences include Sade AduSade Adu
Helen Folasade Adu OBE , is a British singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer. She first achieved success in the 1980s as the frontwoman and lead vocalist of the Brit and Grammy Award winning English group Sade.-Biography:Sade was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria...
, Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Prince, Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
, Minnie Riperton
Minnie Riperton
Minnie Julia Riperton was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single "Lovin' You". She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in the summer of 1979. They had two children - music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedienne Maya...
, Patti Labelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Mýa praises Steve Wonder for his ability to hear music and play music and feel it and get other people to feel it, and Madonna for her boldness and courage. Mýa calls Minnie Riperton her favorite female singer and Prince her musical hero, stating, "He's someone who takes risks. He's an all-around entertainer, hell of a performer. He's a genius."
Mýa's dance influences include Gregory Hines
Gregory Hines
Gregory Oliver Hines was an American actor, singer, dancer and choreographer.-Early years:Born in New York City, Hines and his older brother Maurice started dancing at an early age, studying with choreographer Henry LeTang...
, Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, Savion Glover
Savion Glover
Savion Glover is an American tap dancer, actor, and choreographer. As a learning prodigy, he was taught by notable dancers from previous generations. Glover is currently interested in restoring African roots to tap...
, Jimmy Slyde
Jimmy Slyde
Jimmy Slyde known as the King of Slides, was a world-renowned tap dancer, especially famous for his innovative tap style mixed with jazz....
, Electric Boogaloos
Electric Boogaloos
The Electric Boogaloos are a street dance crew responsible for the spread of popping and electric boogaloo. They were founded by Boogaloo Sam in Fresno, California in 1977. Their original name was the Electric Boogaloo Lockers but "Lockers" was dropped the following year....
, Rock Steady Crew
Rock Steady Crew
Rock Steady Crew is a b-boying crew and hip hop group that was established in the Bronx, New York City in 1977. The group was initially formed by b-boys named Jimmy D and Jojo. In subsequent years, Rock Steady Crew became a franchise name for groups in other locations. The Manhattan branch was...
, Cyd Charisse
Cyd Charisse
Cyd Charisse was an American actress and dancer.After recovering from polio as a child, and studying ballet, Charisse entered films in the 1940s...
, Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
, Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
She cites Lena Horne
Lena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
and Liza Minnelli
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
as role models.
Acting career
Mýa made her acting debut in the 1999 thriller In Too DeepIn Too Deep (1999 film)
In Too Deep is a 1999 thriller film written by Michael Henry Brown and Paul Aaron, and directed by Michael Rymer and starring Omar Epps, LL Cool J, Stanley Tucci with Pam Grier and Nia Long.-Synopsis:...
starring LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...
and Omar Epps
Omar Epps
Omar Hashim Epps is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and record producer. His film roles include Major League II, Juice, Higher Learning, Scream 2, The Wood, In Too Deep, and Love and Basketball. Epps' television work includes the role of Dr. Dennis Gant on the US medical drama series ER,...
. In the movie, she played a young woman named Loretta.
In late December 2002, Mýa co-starred in the broadway musical Chicago
Chicago (2002 film)
Chicago is a 2002 musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz-age Chicago....
alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
, Richard Gere
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...
, Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
, and Renee Zellweger
Renée Zellweger
Renée Kathleen Zellweger is an American actress and producer. Zellweger first gained widespread attention for her role in the film Jerry Maguire , and subsequently received two nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her roles as Bridget Jones in the comedy Bridget Jones's Diary ...
. In the film, she portrayed a murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ess named Mona in the Cell Block Tango dance number. The film was a box office hit grossing $306,776,732 worldwide and earned Mýa a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. In 2004, she had two small roles in the films Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
# "Dance Like This" - Wyclef Jean featuring Claudette Ortiz # "Dirty Dancing" - The Black Eyed Peas# "Guajira " - Yerba Buena# "Can I Walk By" - Jazze Pha featuring Monica# "Satellite " - Santana featuring Jorge Moreno...
and Shall We Dance?. In the films, she played a latina
Latina
Latina is the feminine form of the term Latino.Latina may also refer to:*Province of Latina, a province in Latium , Italy**Latina, Lazio, the capital of the province of Latina**Latina Nuclear Power Plant*Latina , a district of Madrid...
lounge singer named Lola Martinez and Vern's Fiancee. Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
# "Dance Like This" - Wyclef Jean featuring Claudette Ortiz # "Dirty Dancing" - The Black Eyed Peas# "Guajira " - Yerba Buena# "Can I Walk By" - Jazze Pha featuring Monica# "Satellite " - Santana featuring Jorge Moreno...
tanked at the box office grossing $14,161,590 in the United States and $27,685,016 worldwide while Shall We Dance? became a box office hit grossing $57,890,460 in the United States alone and $170,128,460 worldwide.
In February 2005, Mýa had a supporting role in the Wes Craven
Wes Craven
Wesley Earl "Wes" Craven is an American actor, film director, writer, producer, perhaps best known as the director of many horror films, particularly slasher films, including the famed A Nightmare on Elm Street and Wes Craven's New Nightmare, featuring the iconic Freddy Krueger character, the...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Cursed. The film starred Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
, Joshua Jackson
Joshua Jackson
Joshua Carter Jackson is a Canadian American actor. He has appeared in primetime television and in over 32 film roles. He is best known for playing Charlie Conway in The Mighty Ducks film series, Pacey Witter in the television series Dawson's Creek and Peter Bishop in the television series...
, Judy Greer
Judy Greer
Judy Greer is an American actress, known for portraying a string of supporting female characters, including Kitty Sanchez on the Fox series Arrested Development and Cheryl on the animated comedy series Archer...
, and Shannon Elizabeth
Shannon Elizabeth
Shannon Elizabeth is an American actress and former fashion model. Elizabeth is well known for her roles in comedy films such as Scary Movie, American Pie, and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. She is also well known for her work in horror films such as Thirteen Ghosts, Cursed, and Night of the Demons...
. In the film, Mýa played a young victim by the name of Jenny Tate. Although Cursed tanked at the box office grossing $19,297,522 in the United States and $29,621,722 worldwide, the film earned Mýa a nomination at the 2005 MTV Movie Awards for Best Frightened Performance. Her next film, the Bill Duke
Bill Duke
William Henry "Bill" Duke, Jr. is an American actor and film director with over 30 years of experience. Known for his physically imposing frame, Duke's work frequently dwells within the action/crime and drama genres but also includes comedy.-Early life:Duke was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, the...
-directed Cover
Cover (film)
Cover is a drama thriller film starring Aunjanue Ellis, Razaaq Adoti, Vivica A. Fox, and Leon. The film was produced and directed by Bill Duke and open at selective theaters on February 22, 2008.-Plot synopsis:...
, Mýa portrayed an AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
victim named Cynda. The film opened at selective theaters and grossed $79,436 in the United States. The film dealt with the subject of men who are on the down-low in society
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
. In 2008, Mýa had a starring role in the direct-to-dvd romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film Love For Sale. Mýa played a college student named Kiely in a bad relationship. The film was released to DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on October 21, 2008.
In January 2011, Mýa returned to the silver screen and co-starred in the romantic comedy
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
film The Heart Specialist alongside Wood Harris
Wood Harris
Sherwin David "Wood" Harris is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as drug kingpin Avon Barksdale on the HBO television drama The Wire, and as high-school football player Julius Campbell in the 2000 motion picture Remember the Titans.-Life and career:Harris was born in...
, Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana , sometimes stylized Zoë Saldaña, is an American actress. She had her breakthrough role in the 2000 film Center Stage and later gained prominence for her roles as Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Uhura in the 2009 film Star Trek, and a starring role...
, and Brian J. White
Brian J. White
Brian Joseph White is an American actor, dancer, football player, lacrosse player, stock broker and youth activist.-Personal life:...
.
She plays Brian J. White
Brian J. White
Brian Joseph White is an American actor, dancer, football player, lacrosse player, stock broker and youth activist.-Personal life:...
's ex-girlfriend Valerie.
The film was a sleeper at the box office grossing $1,103,037.
Dancing With the Stars
Harrison announced she would participate in Dancing with the Stars ninth seasonDancing with the Stars (U.S. season 9)
Dancing with the Stars returned for a ninth season on September 21, 2009, on a three-night premiere. Executive producer Conrad Green confirmed to Entertainment Tonight that the 9th season would start off with 16 celebrities, with 3 double-eliminations halfway through the season...
with Dmitry Chaplin
Dmitry Chaplin
Dmitry Chaplin is an Russian dancer and an Emmy Nominated choreographer, best known for being a Top 10 finalist on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance . He was famous for constantly performing shirtless, with one solo routine having him rip off his shirt.-Biography:Chaplin was born in...
. The two first danced a Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz
Viennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called...
and a Cha-Cha-Cha
Cha-cha-cha (dance)
The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953...
. For her Viennese Waltz, she was scored 8's from judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli but a shocking 5 from judge Len Goodman. Her Cha-Cha-Cha however was scored first place receiving 10 points. The following week, Baz Luhrman who directed "Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge!
Moulin Rouge! is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical film directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Following the Red Curtain Cinema principles, the film is based on the Orphean myth, La Traviata, and La Bohème...
" in which Harrison sang in guest judged for Goodman. She danced a Jive
Jive (dance)
In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance...
that scored 27/30. She tied first place with Aaron Carter
Aaron Carter
Aaron Charles Carter is an American singer. He came to fame as a pop and hip hop singer in the late 1990s, establishing himself as a star among pre-teen and teenage audiences during the early-first decade of the 21st century....
and Karina Smirnoff
Karina Smirnoff
Karina Smirnoff is a Ukrainian professional ballroom dancer. She is best known for her appearances on Dancing with the Stars, where she held a runner-up title, a semi-final title, and several quarter-final titles...
's Quickstep
Quickstep
The quickstep is a light-hearted member of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events...
and received the encore of the week. When Goodman returned as regular judge the following week, Harrison danced a Rumba
Rumba
Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no...
which scored yet another 27 however she received the first ever 10's from Inaba and Tonioli but a shocking 7 from Goodman. A similar incident happened the following week when her Lambada
Lambada
Lambada is a dance from Pará, Brazil. The dance became internationally popular in the 1980s, especially in Latin America and Caribbean countries...
scored 28 being scored 10's from Inaba and Tonioli and an 8 from Goodman tying in first place with Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Hart
Melissa Joan Catherine Hart is an American actress, writer, television director, television producer, singer and businesswoman...
and Mark Ballas
Mark Ballas
Mark Alexander Ballas Jr. is an American dancer.Ballas is a professional ballroom dancer on the ABC program Dancing with the Stars. He began competing on the show in the fall of 2007. He was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Choreography in 2011...
's Charleston
Charleston (dance)
The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. The rhythm was popularized in mainstream dance music in the United States by a 1923 tune called "The Charleston" by composer/pianist James P. Johnson which originated in the Broadway show Runnin' Wild and became one...
. That following week, Harrison and Chaplin danced an Argentine Tango
Argentine Tango
Argentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments including the bandoneon. Originated at the ending of the 19th century in the suburbs of...
which scored yet another 27 however she did not receive 1st place and instead, future winners Donny Osmond
Donny Osmond
Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond is an American singer, musician, actor, dancer, radio personality, and former teen idol. Osmond has also been a talk and game show host, record producer and author. In the mid 1960s, he and four of his elder brothers gained fame as the Osmond Brothers on the long...
and Kym Johnson
Kym Johnson
Kym Johnson is an Australian former professional ballroom dancer, model, and television celebrity. She lives in Sydney NSW, Australia but is currently based in America for Dancing with the Stars.-Dance biography:...
did receiving the highest score of the season to date of 29 until she beat that score later on. Following that week, the two decided to dance a Jitterbug themed diner characters. Goodman remarked that "it was good, I just wanted a bit more" and scored a 24. They then danced a Mambo
Mambo (dance)
Mambo .In the late 1940s, Perez Prado came up with the dance for the mambo music and became the first person to market his music as "mambo". After Havana, Prado moved his music to Mexico, where his music and the dance was adopted. The original mambo dance was characterized by freedom and...
against every other couple and received 9 points losing to future fourth place finalists Joanna Krupa
Joanna Krupa
Joanna Krupa is a Polish-American model and actress. Krupa was born in Warsaw, Poland. She has a younger sister, Marta Krupa, also a model. Joanna Krupa moved to India, Delhi, Illinois, with her family at the age of five...
and Derek Hough
Derek Hough
Derek Hough is an American dancer, choreographer, musician and actor. A world champion in Latin American Dance, Hough has appeared since September 2007 on the hit U.S...
, both of whom were tough competition for them. The next week, the two danced a Foxtrot and a Paso Doble with Michael Irvin
Michael Irvin
Michael Jerome Irvin is a former American football player for the Dallas Cowboys, and actor. He is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. Irvin was self-nicknamed "The Playmaker" due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his...
, Mark Dacascos
Mark Dacascos
Mark Alan Dacascos is an American actor and martial artist. He won numerous karate and various styles of kung fu championships between the ages of 7 and 18....
and Aaron Carter (Decascos and Irvin whom got eliminated that week). For her Foxtrot, the two received 25 getting 9's from Tonioli and Inaba and a 7 from Goodman. Following that week, she danced a Quickstep which tied for Osmond and Johnson's Argentine Tango of 29. They then danced a 1970's-themed Samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
which she was awarded the first 30 of the season. The next week, she was asked to dance three dances (a Waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
, a Salsa
Salsa (dance)
Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
and a Cha-Cha-Cha) only receiving 9's and 10's and receiving the second 30. For the finals week, she danced a Paso Doble and was dubbed by Carrie Ann Inaba as the "Queen of the Paso Doble" and was granted the third 30. Then she dance the Megamix dance along with Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne is an English media personality, television personality, host, judge, fashion designer, singer, and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne...
and Donny Osmond and was granted another 30. For her final dance before the public vote, Harrison and Chaplin danced a Hairspray
Hairspray (2007 film)
Hairspray is a 2007 musical film produced by Kolaja Productions and distributed by New Line Cinema. It was released in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on July 20, 2007. The film is an adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John...
-themed Freestyle
Street dance
Street dance, more formally known as vernacular dance, is an umbrella term used to describe dance styles that evolved outside of dance studios in any available open space such as streets, dance parties, block parties, parks, school yards, raves, and nightclubs, etc...
dance which was remarked by the judges that "it was good but needed more" and received a 27. The final dance was a repeat of her Jive from Week 2 and received 28 finishing in second place.
Performances
| Week # | Dance/Song | Judges' score | Result | ||
| Inaba | Goodman | Tonioli | |||
| 1 | Viennese Waltz Viennese Waltz Viennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called... /"Vision of Love Vision of Love "Vision of Love" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It served as Carey's debut single, the first from her self-titled debut album. Written by Carey and Ben Margulies, "Vision of Love" was released on May 15, 1990 by Columbia Records. After being featured on Carey's demo tape for... " Cha-Cha-Cha Relay/""Centerfold Centerfold (song) Centerfold is a single released by The J. Geils Band from their album Freeze Frame. The song is about a man who is shocked to discover that his high school crush appeared in a centerfold spread for a men's magazine... " |
8 Awarded |
5 10 |
8 Points |
Safe |
| 2 | Jive Jive (dance) In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance... /"Would You...? Would You...? "Would You...?" is an electronic/house song by the British band Touch and Go. It was released as a single in October 1998.The track is marked by its distinctive sampling of a woman's voice saying "I've noticed you around / I find you very attractive / Would you go to bed with me?". It reached the... " |
9 | *9 | 9 | Safe |
| 3 | Rumba Rumba Rumba is a family of percussive rhythms, song and dance that originated in Cuba as a combination of the musical traditions of Africans brought to Cuba as slaves and Spanish colonizers. The name derives from the Cuban Spanish word rumbo which means "party" or "spree". It is secular, with no... /"Underneath Your Clothes Underneath Your Clothes "Underneath Your Clothes" is a power ballad by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira - the second English language single released from Laundry Service . It is a love song with lyrics by Shakira and music by her and Lester Mendez and tells the story of the unconditional love that a woman has for her... " |
10 | 7 | 10 | Safe |
| 4 | Lambada Lambada Lambada is a dance from Pará, Brazil. The dance became internationally popular in the 1980s, especially in Latin America and Caribbean countries... /"Ain't It Funny Ain't It Funny "Ain't It Funny" is a song recorded by American recording artist Jennifer Lopez. The song was written by Lopez and Cory Rooney, and produced by Rooney and Dan Shea for Lopez's second studio album, J.Lo... " |
10 | 8 | 10 | Safe |
| 5 | Argentine Tango Argentine Tango Argentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments including the bandoneon. Originated at the ending of the 19th century in the suburbs of... /"They They (song) "They" is the first single released by Jem from her debut album Finally Woken. It includes a sample of the Swingle Singers' 1963 adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach's Prelude in F minor from Book II of Well-Tempered Clavier from their album Jazz Sebastian Bach.The song became her most popular... " |
9 | 9 | 9 | Safe |
| 6 | Jitterbug/"C'mon Everybody C'mon Everybody "C'mon Everybody" is a 1958 song by Eddie Cochran and Jerry Capehart, originally released as a B-side. In 1959 it peaked in the UK at No. 6 in the singles chart, and, thirty years later, in 1988, the track was re-issued there and became a No. 14 hit. In the United States the song got to No. 35 on... " Mambo Marathon/"Ran Kan Kan" |
8 Awarded |
7 9 |
9 Points |
Safe |
| 7 | Foxtrot/"Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" is a 1944 Louis Jordan song, released as the B-side of single with "G.I. Jive". "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" reached #1 on the US folk/country charts. The Louis Jordan recording also peaked at number two for three weeks on the pop chart and peaked at... " Team Paso Doble/ "I Hate Myself for Loving You I Hate Myself for Loving You "I Hate Myself for Loving You" is a 1988 song from Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and the first single from the album Up Your Alley. The song reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, Jett's third single to reach the Top 10, but her first since "Crimson and Clover" in 1982... " |
9 8 |
7 8 |
9 8 |
Safe |
| 8 | Quickstep Quickstep The quickstep is a light-hearted member of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events... /"Baby Wants a Diamond Ring" Samba Samba Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival... /"Bad Girls Bad Girls (song) "Bad Girls" is a 1979 single released by American singer Donna Summer, co-written by Summer and the Brooklyn Dreams. The inspiration for her to write the song came after one of her assistants was offended by a police officer who thought she was a street prostitute.A rough version of the song had... " |
9 10 |
10 10 |
10 10 |
Safe |
| 9 | Waltz Waltz The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim... /"Amore e Musica" Salsa Salsa (dance) Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle... /"La Isla Bonita La Isla Bonita "La Isla Bonita" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fifth and final single from her third studio album, True Blue, on February 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Originally written as a lament, the song was first offered to Michael Jackson before Madonna accepted it... " Cha-Cha-Cha Cha-cha-cha (dance) The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953... /"Fire Burning Fire Burning "Fire Burning" is a dance pop song by reggae musician Sean Kingston. It is released as the lead single from his second studio album Tomorrow. The song displays a little more synth-dance sound than his previous recordings, with influences of dance music and electropop. Unlike many of his previous... " |
9 10 9 |
9 10 10 |
10 10 10 |
Safe |
| 10 | Paso Doble/"We Will Rock You We Will Rock You "We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004, and the RIAA placed it at #146 on its list of Songs of the Century... " Megamix/"You and Me"/ "Whenever, Wherever Whenever, Wherever "Whenever, Wherever" is a Latin pop song written by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira, Gloria Estefan, and Tim Mitchell for Shakira's first English language album, Laundry Service. The track was produced by Shakira, and recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami as well as Compass Point Studios in... " / "Maniac Maniac (song) "Maniac" is a synthpop song performed by Michael Sembello. The song was used in the 1983 film Flashdance and was inspired by the 1980 horror film Maniac.The film Maniac was about a serial killer who stalks his victims in New York City... " Freestyle/"You Can't Stop the Beat" Jive Jive (dance) In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance... /"Would You...? Would You...? "Would You...?" is an electronic/house song by the British band Touch and Go. It was released as a single in October 1998.The track is marked by its distinctive sampling of a woman's voice saying "I've noticed you around / I find you very attractive / Would you go to bed with me?". It reached the... " |
10 Awarded 9 Awarded |
10 30 9 28 |
10 Points 9 Points |
RUNNERS UP |
- Baz Lurhman was a guest judge for Week 2
Endorsements
At the age of 18, Harrison served as an ad print spokeswoman for Bongo Jeans and had a Tommy HilfigerTommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.-Early life:...
lipstick shade named after her.
In the following years to come, she continued to receive endorsements deals. In 2001, she became a spokesperson for Iceberg
Iceberg (fashion house)
Iceberg is an Italian luxury fashion design house. Founded in 1962 by Silvio and Giuliana Gerani, the house produces women’s prêt-a-porter, accessories, and fragrances...
jeans and featured in ad prints in magazines. Harrison signed an endorsement deal with Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
in 2002, which included appearances on TV commercials. Her and then label mate Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
recorded a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Ed Harris' Real Compared To What. The commercial made its debut in 2003 at the American Music Awards
American Music Awards
-Conception:The AMAs were created by Dick Clark in 1973 to compete with the Grammys after the move of that year's show to Nashville, Tennessee led to CBS picking up the Grammy telecasts after its first two in 1971 and 1972 were broadcast on ABC...
and featured Mýa in a 90 second commercial singing a jazzy cover version of the song alongside Chi-town
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
rapper Common
Common (rapper)
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
. In early 2003, Mýa recorded an updated version of Simon & Garfunkel classic hit Feeling Groovy for the new spring GAP
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
television ads. The music for the spot was produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. The new GAP
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
commercials were produced by longtime GAP creative agency Laird
Laird
A Laird is a member of the gentry and is a heritable title in Scotland. In the non-peerage table of precedence, a Laird ranks below a Baron and above an Esquire.-Etymology:...
& Partners and aired everywhere throughout March and April. In 2004, Mýa performed the original theme song, "Everything or Nothing", for the latest video game in the Bond franchise – James Bond: Everything Or Nothing. Mýa also appears in the game as the NSA agent sultry Bond girl
Bond girl
A Bond girl is a character or actress portraying a love interest, of James Bond in a film, novel, or video game. They occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as "Pussy Galore", "Plenty O'Toole", "Xenia Onatopp", or "Holly Goodhead"...
"Mya Starling". Mýa co-wrote and co-produced the song with Randy Bugnitz and A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
president Ron Fair
Ron Fair
Ron Fair is a veteran A&R executive, record producer arranger, recording engineer and songwriter. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several artists, but he is best known as a "guru/mentor", guiding the careers of unknown artists...
, and three variations of the theme appeared in the game.
In 2005, Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
signed Mýa and eight other artists from every generation to appear in TV commercial; promoting its first iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
music phone; the Motorola rokr. The commercial starred pop icons Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
and Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
alongside with Little Richard
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
, Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
, Amerie
Amerie
Amerie Mi Marie Rogers , known professionally as Amerie or Ameriie, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She debuted in 2002 with the album All I Have, primarily co-written and produced by Rich Harrison, and was well-received in the urban market...
, Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
and look-a-likes of Beethoven, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, and Notorious B.I.G.
On March 1, 2010, Escada
Escada
Escada is an international luxury fashion group in women's designer clothing. The company has a presence in about 60 different countries. Its main sales markets are North America, western and eastern Europe and Asia. It filed bankruptcy in August 2009, and was acquired by Megha Mittal, in November...
announced that Mýa will host the celebration to introduce Escada
Escada
Escada is an international luxury fashion group in women's designer clothing. The company has a presence in about 60 different countries. Its main sales markets are North America, western and eastern Europe and Asia. It filed bankruptcy in August 2009, and was acquired by Megha Mittal, in November...
's newest scent Marine Groove on March 13 in Miami Beach.The two-day event included a VIP party at South Beach
South Beach
South Beach, also nicknamed SoBe, is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. It is the area south of Indian Creek and encompasses roughly the southernmost 23 blocks of the main barrier island that separates the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay.This area was the first...
's hottest nightclub, LIV. Select guests joined Mýa for an exclusive evening of dancing and libations. On Sunday afternoon the celebration continued on the Venetian Lady Yacht in downtown Miami with a three-hour chartered yacht party.
Philanthropy
As a philanthropistPhilanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, Mýa continues to devote her time and resources to various causes. From 1998 to 2001, she became the spokesperson for Secret to Self Esteem. In 2005, Mýa founded TMATF: The Mya Arts & Tech Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing disadvantaged youth growth and opportunity through arts & technology education, where she serves as both executive director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
and teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. Mýa is also an advocate of breast cancer as her mother is a 12 year survivor. In 2006 & 2007 she collaborated with the Lifetime Television Network in the Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign, recording "My Bra
My Bra
"My Bra" is a mid-tempo song performed by American recording artist Mýa. The track was produced by James Poyser for the Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign and featured on The Matters of Life & Dating soundtrack...
" a song sold on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
donating 100% of proceeds to breast cancer research.
In 2007, Mýa was also the internationally featured artist in Heatherette
Heatherette
Heatherette is a fashion company and design house run by and former Club Kid Richie Rich, located in New York City. Heatherette came out with a bang in 1999 when they began collaborating on t-shirts and leather goods as a hobby on their living room floor...
’s Fashion Show for Lifeball in Vienna, Austria to fight Global AIDS, hosted a fundraiser for Skool’d to aid homeless LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
youth, and advocated gay rights by opening the Out 100 Awards. In 2009 Mýa continued her philanthropic efforts by chairing the 2009 Operation Smile Event
Operation Smile
Operation Smile is a not-for-profit medical service organization based in Norfolk, Virginia , founded in 1982. A secular NGO, the children's medical charity provides cleft lip and palate repair surgeries to children worldwide, assists countries in reaching self-sufficiency with these surgeries, and...
, participating in the literary project, “If I’d Known Then: Women in Their 20′s and 30′s Write Letters to their Younger Selves”, by Ellen Spraggins, and accepting an honoree award for her work with the NSAL
North Shore Animal League America
North Shore Animal League America, headquartered in Port Washington, New York, is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization in the world. Since 1944, The League’s mission has been saving the lives of pets through adoption, rescue, spay/neuter and advocacy initiatives...
and continued support of animal welfare. Mýa will continue her social efforts in 2010 by partnering with Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
’s TRUE COLORS: Give A Damn PSA, NOH8 campaign, NSAL
North Shore Animal League America
North Shore Animal League America, headquartered in Port Washington, New York, is the largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization in the world. Since 1944, The League’s mission has been saving the lives of pets through adoption, rescue, spay/neuter and advocacy initiatives...
2010, and assisting in various HAITI
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
relief efforts, among other philanthropic initiatives.
Discography
- MýaMýa (album)*AllMusicStephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic calls Mýa, "a smooth, sultry collection of well-crafted contemporary urban soul that is actually richer than the average urban record the late '90s", citing "part of its success lies with the teenage Mýa, who has a voice that is at once innocent and...
(1998) - Fear of FlyingFear of Flying (album)Fear of Flying is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 25, 2000 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during late 1999 to early 2000...
(2000) - MoodringMoodringMoodring is the third studio album by American recording artist Mýa, released July 22, 2003 on A&M and Interscope records. Recorded after the number one success of "Lady Marmalade" and her appearance in the box office hit Chicago, the album featured contributions from noteworthy hitmakers Ron Fair,...
(2003) - LiberationLiberation (Mýa album)Liberation is the fourth studio album by American singer Mýa, released by Universal Motown on 22 October 2007 in Japan as a digital download only. The album marks the singer's only release on the Motown label, which she left the year after....
(2007) - Sugar & SpiceSugar & Spice (Mýa album)-The Perfect Edition:-Chart:-Release history:-External links:* — official site...
(2008) - K.I.S.S.K.I.S.S. (Mýa album)K.I.S.S. is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Mýa. It is her second studio album to be released by Manhattan Recordings in Japan on April 20, 2011...
(2011)
Tours
- 1998: Smokin' Groove Tour
- 1999: Lilith FairLilith FairLilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
- 2000: MTV European Tour
- 2001: House of Blues TourHouse of Blues TourHouse of Blues Tour is a sponsored tour headlined by R&B singer Mýa. It is a nine-day city tour that took place March 21, 2001 until April 1, 2001 in the United States in support of her second album Fear of Flying.-Tour dates:...
- 2003: House of Blues TourHouse of Blues Tour (Mýa 2003 Tour)House of Blues Tour is a concert tour headlined by R&B singer Mýa. The tour featured performances from R&B newcomer Javier. It is a twenty-three day city tour that took place October 11, 2003 until November 10, 2003 in the United States in support of her third album Moodring.-Setlist:#"Case of the...
- 2007: Seagrams Live TourSeagrams Live TourSeagrams Live Tour is a promotional concert tour headlined by R&B singer Mýa and rap duo Clipse. The tour featured performances from newcomer Jovan Dais...
- 2007: BET Black College Tour
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | In Too Deep In Too Deep (1999 film) In Too Deep is a 1999 thriller film written by Michael Henry Brown and Paul Aaron, and directed by Michael Rymer and starring Omar Epps, LL Cool J, Stanley Tucci with Pam Grier and Nia Long.-Synopsis:... |
Loretta | |
| 2002 | Chicago Chicago (2002 film) Chicago is a 2002 musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz-age Chicago.... |
Mona | Cell Block Tango Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated–Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast The Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast is an annual award given by the Phoenix Film Critics Society.-2000s:*2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring... Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast Nominated–Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast |
| 2004 | Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights # "Dance Like This" - Wyclef Jean featuring Claudette Ortiz # "Dirty Dancing" - The Black Eyed Peas# "Guajira " - Yerba Buena# "Can I Walk By" - Jazze Pha featuring Monica# "Satellite " - Santana featuring Jorge Moreno... |
Lola Martinez | |
| Shall We Dance? | Vern's Fiancee | ||
| 2005 | Cursed | Jenny Tate | Nominated–MTV Movie Award for Best Frightened Performance MTV Movie Award for Best Frightened Performance This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners for Best Frightened Performance. The award was firstgiven out in 2005 and then 2006. In 2010 this award was renamed Best Scared-As-S**t Performance.-References:... |
| 2006 | Swap Meet | Katrina | |
| 2007 | The Metrosexual | Jessica | |
| 2009 | Bottleworld | Bree | |
| 2011 | Sunset Strip (Documentary) | Herself | |
| The Heart Specialist | Valerie | ||
| Television Films | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | Volcano High | Yu Cha-i | MTV English Dub |
| 2006 | Yo Gabba Gabba | Herself | TV Movie |
| Straight-to-DVD | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | Cover Cover (film) Cover is a drama thriller film starring Aunjanue Ellis, Razaaq Adoti, Vivica A. Fox, and Leon. The film was produced and directed by Bill Duke and open at selective theaters on February 22, 2008.-Plot synopsis:... |
Cynda | |
| Love For Sale | Kiely | Leading actress | |
| 2010 | The Penthouse The Penthouse (2010 film) The Penthouse is a sexual comedy film starring Rider Strong, Corey Large, April Scott, James DeBello, Kaley Cuoco, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Jon Abrahams, and Mýa... |
Mitra | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Sister, Sister Sister, Sister (TV series) Sister, Sister is an American television sitcom about identical twin girls Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell , who were separated and adopted at birth, when one day they come face-to-face after 14 years apart.... |
Herself | FreakNik Episode #115 |
| 2002 | Haunted Haunted (TV series) Haunted is an American television program first aired in September 2002 on UPN. The program, which was filmed in Vancouver, was canceled in November 2002 due to low ratings. As a result, only seven of the completed episodes were aired. However, all eleven filmed episodes have subsequently been... |
Voodoo Priestess | Abby Seaon 1 Episode#4 |
| 2003 | Punk'd Punk'd Punk'd is an American hidden camera/practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003 and was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, produced and hosted by Ashton Kutcher. It bore a resemblance to both the classic hidden camera show Candid Camera and to TV's Bloopers... |
Herself | Season 2 Episode#3 |
| 2004 | 1-800-Missing | Kira | Pop Star Season 2 Episode#10 |
| 2005 | NCIS NCIS (TV series) NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S... |
Samantha 'Jade' King | Pop Life Season 2 Episode#16 |
| 2006 | Love Monkey Love Monkey Love Monkey is a television series created by Michael Rauch and based on a book of the same name, by Kyle Smith. It starred Tom Cavanagh as a 30-something, single, record executive who navigated the tumultuous and highly amusing waters of work and dating in New York City.Its first episode aired on... |
Herself | Coming Out (uncredited) Season 1 Episode#8 |
| 2007 | Yo Gabba Gabba | Herself | Friends Season 1 Episode#7 |
| 2008 | Secret Talents of the Stars Secret Talents of the Stars Secret Talents of the Stars was an extremely short-lived CBS reality/game show, where celebrities competed against each other in a tournament-like format in areas that differed from their normal professions, like singing, dancing, and acrobatics. Viewers were to vote on the most talented celebrity... |
Herself/contestant | Pilot Season 1 Episode#1 |
| 2009 | Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries... |
Herself/contestant | 2nd Place |
| 2011 | WWE Raw WWE RAW WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States... |
Herself | Sang 'Happy Birthday' to Dwayne Johnson, 2 May episode |