- Mýa (album)
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Mýa 
Studio album by Mýa Released April 21, 1998
(see release history)Recorded 1997-1998
Silent Sound Studios
(Atlanta, Georgia)Genre R&B/Soul/Urban/Hip hop Length 57:24 Label Interscope Producer Darryl "Day" Pearson
Daryl Simmons
Nokio the N-TityMýa chronology Mýa
(1998)Fear of Flying
(2000)Alternative Cover 
European CoverSingles from Mýa - "It's All About Me"
Released: February 24, 1998 - "Movin' On"
Released: July 14, 1998 - "My First Night with You"
Released: April 13, 1999
Mýa is the self-titled debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Mýa, released April 21, 1998 on Interscope Records. Recording sessions for the album took place from 1997 to 1998 at Silent Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia and at The Record Plant in Los Angeles, California. Production was primarily handled by Darryl "Day" Pearson with additional production from Daryl Simmons and Nokio the N-Tity and features collaborations with Sisqó, Missy Elliott, and Silkk The Shocker.
Mýa spawned three singles including; the Top 5 Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs hits "It's All About Me" featuring Sisqo and "Movin' On" featuring No Limit Records rapper Silkk The Shocker, and the Diane Warren-penned ballad "My First Night with You".
Mýa debuted at number seventy-seven on Billboard 200 chart on May 9, 1998 and later peaked at number twenty-nine on September 5, 1998. With help of its three singles, it spent 53 non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and earned a platinum certification from Recording Industry Association of America within the next six months on October 1, 1998. The album received critical acclaim from music critics and garnered several accolades, including a NAACP Image Award nomination and two Soul Train Music Award nominations.
Contents
Background
Harrison is an accomplished dancer who has trained with Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, and the Dance Theater of Harlem. She also held a dancing gig on BET's Teen Summit. At the age of 15, Mýa shifted her focus to music and although she was best known as a dancer, she was also musically inclined, learning how to sing and play the violin as a child. When her father—a professional musician—learned that his daughter could sing and was serious about a musical career; they begin to shop around the demo tapes, earning the attention of University Music Entertainment president/CEO Haaq Islam. Impressed with Harrison's audition, he signed her to Interscope Records.[1][2]
Recording & Compositions
Islam called Mýa, his Diana Ross commenting she has a vocal ability that can be heard in a room full of singers; her flow is tantamount to a rapper. Mýa and Interscope spent the next two years working on her debut album, hiring an impressive list of collaborators, including Darryl Pearson, Babyface, Diane Warren, Raphael Brown, Wyclef Jean, Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, and Sisqó and Noko from Dru Hill.[1] Mýa says that her album speaks mostly to men and that many of the songs offer variety of "messages". Harrison who co-wrote many of the songs on the album, including "If You Died I Wouldn't Cry Cause You Never Loved Me Anyway", where she puts a voice to the gut-wrenching pain some woman feel at the end of a relationship. In the song, Harrison sings of wanting a man to "die" because "he never loved her anyway." She says the song is about saying things in anger, but being able to learn from mistakes. Another ballad, "My First Night with You", is about a non-sexual experience with a man, written by Babyface and produced by Daryl Simmons. Harrison said "Simmons allowed her to do her own thing and put her own spin on the song". "Bye Bye", which features Missy Elliott was written by Harrison and Daryl Pearson. Other songs included on the album were the dance-oriented "We're Goin Make Ya Dance and "What Cha Say", a song Harrison wrote all by herself.[2]
Islam says Mýa's songwriting is consistent with the label's philosophy. "We want artistry and strong songs with good messages that appeal to the heart, soul and imagination". Revealing, Mýa's album takes us to another level; my label always want to present something positive and edgy, to reflect young people today. Harrison adds that the album is "lady-like" and done in a "tasteful" way, leaving some things to the imagination; rather than trying to sound vulgar or explicit.[2]
Reception
Commercial performance
Mýa debuted at number seventy-seven on the Billboard 200 album chart on May 9, 1998. The album later peaked at number twenty-nine on the Billboard 200 album chart and Billboard's Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart at number thirteen on September 5, 1998 due to consistent sales. The album was certified platinum by RIAA on October 1, 1998 and remained on Billboard 200 album chart for 53 non-consecutive weeks. Mýa has sold over 1.4 million copies in the United States alone, according to Nielsen Soundscan.[3] The album was the 87th best-selling album of 1998 and the following year the 200th best-selling album. Outside the United States, the album failed to chart internationally.
Critical
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic 
linkBillboard (favorable) link Stephen 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 knowing and many of the songs on the record are loosely about a teenager becoming a woman, which is a subject Mýa can convincingly sell, but overall it's a thoroughly promising debut."[4]
Young artist Mýa scores on her debut album by addressing issues of concern to women without spewing cuss words. Boosted by the strong presence of Sisqo of the group Dru Hill, the artist's first single, "It's All About Me" though reminiscent of Destiny's Child's "No, No, No" is a catchy, infectious tune that carries a lot of weight. What's also positive about Mýa is that her songwriting skills are being displayed early in her career. Other noteworthy tracks include "Whatcha Say," "Bye Bye," "My First Night With You," "Movin' On", and "We're Gonna Make Ya Dance."[5]
Singles
- The first single from the album "It's All About Me", peaked at number six on Billboard Hot 100 and number two on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The single was a commercial success due to heavy rotation video airplay on MTV and became Mýa's first top ten hit (solo). It was a moderate success internationally, peaking in the top twenty in New Zealand and top forty in Canada.
- The second single "Movin' On" peaked at number thirty-four on Billboard Hot 100 and number four on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The single was a moderate success and became Mýa's second top forty hit (solo). It was a moderate success internationally, peaking in the top twenty in New Zealand.
- The third and final single "My First Night With You" peaked at number twenty-eight on Billboard Hot 100 and number twenty-eight on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The single was a moderate success and became Mýa's third top forty hit (solo).
Tracklisting
No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length 1. "What Cha Say" Mýa Harrison, Darryl "DAY" Pearson Darryl "DAY" Pearson 3:55 2. "Movin' On" Harrison, Pearson, Mark Andrews Darryl "DAY" Pearson 4:29 3. "Baby It's Yours" Alex "CAT" Cantrall, Myron Davis Alex "CAT" Cantrall 4:29 4. "Keep On Lovin' Me" Pearson, Andrews, Larry "Jazz" Anthony, N.Neka Darryl "DAY" Pearson 3:46 5. "It's All About Me" (featuring Sisqó) Pearson, Andrews Darryl "DAY" Pearson 4:26 6. "If You Died I Wouldn't Cry Cause You Never Loved Me Anyway" James "Woody" Green, R.Brown, Tamir Ruffin Nokio the N-Tity 5:02 7. "We're Gonna Make Ya Dance" Harrison, Pearson, Ruffin Darryl "DAY" Pearson 4:23 8. "If You Were Mine" Cantrall, Davis Alex "CAT" Cantrall 4:17 9. "Bye Bye" (featuring Missy Elliot) Harrison, Pearson, Melissa Elliott Darryl "DAY" Pearson 4:05 10. "Anytime You Want Me" Cantrall, Joey Priolo, Carl Carr Alex "CAT" Cantrall 3:40 11. "Don't Be Afraid" Cantrall, Priolo Alex "CAT" Cantrall 4:46 12. "My First Night with You" Kenneth Edmonds, Diane Warren Daryl Simmons 5:38 13. "Movin' On [Remix]" (featuring Silkk the Shocker) Harrison, Pearson, Andrews, Vyshonn Miller Darryl "DAY" Pearson 4:30 Charts and certifications
Chart (1998) Peak
positionCertification Sales Billboard 200 29[1] Platinum[6] 1,400,000 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 13[1] Year-end charts
Year Chart Rank 1998 Billboard 200[7] 87 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[8] 43 1999 Billboard 200[9] 200 Tour
Main article: Lilith FairNominations
Year Ceremony Award Result 1999 Soul Train Music Awards Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist Nominated Best R&B/Soul Album - Female Nominated Lady of Soul Best R&B/Soul Song Of The Year, Movin' On Nominated NAACP Image Awards Outstanding New Artist Nominated Personnel
Musicians
- Babyface - Songwriter
- Diane Warren - Songwriter
- Dru Hill - Vocal (bckgr)
- Joey P. - Guitar (Acoustic), Strings, Guitar (Bass), Guitar (Electric)
- Randy Bowland - Guitar
- Ronnie Garrett - Bass
Production
- A. Haqq Islam - Executive Producer
- Daven Baptiste - Artwork, Design
- Darryl Pearson - Producer, Vocal Arrangement
- Daryl Simmons - Drum Programming, Keyboard Programming
- Eldren Hughes - Artwork, Design
- Fred - Mixing Assistant
- Gordon Rice - Engineer
- Ivy Skoff - Production Coordination
- Jason Webb - Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
- Kevin Lively - Assistant Engineer
- Silkk the Shocker - Performer
Release history
Region Date Format Label Canada[10] April 21, 1998 Cassette, CD Universal Music Group United States[11] Fontana Records, Interscope Records Germany[12] April 28, 1998 Interscope Records Japan[13] June 24, 1998 Universal Music Japan United Kingdom[14] September 14, 2000 Polydor Records References
- ^ a b c d "Mýa's Biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mya-p291307/biography. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
- ^ a b c "'Messages' Mark Mya's Debut". Google Books. http://books.google.com/books?id=rg4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA21&dq=Mya+billboard&hl=en&ei=i5J-TY6OF46ssAPguN2HBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Mya%20billboard&f=false. Retrieved 2011-03-14.
- ^ "MISSING MYA". Billboard. http://www.billboard.com/news/ask-billboard-1882073.story#/news/ask-billboard-1882073.story. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ^ "((( Mya > Overview )))". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r347785. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ^ "R&b: Mya". AllBusiness. http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4631369-1.html. Retrieved 2011-07-02.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum Database". RIAA.com. Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&title=&artist=Mya&perPage=50. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
- ^ "1998 Top Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4633615-1.html. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
- ^ "1998 Top R&b Albums". Billboard. http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4633632-1.html. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
- ^ "1999 Top 200 Albums". Billboard. http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4608256-1.html. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
- ^ "Mya: Mya: Amazon.ca: Music". Amazon.ca. http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0000061QF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ^ "Amazon.com: Mya: Mya: Music: Reviews, Prices & more". Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000061QF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ^ "MYA - MYA - CD - musicline.de". Musicline.de. http://www.musicline.de/de/product/606949016623///2365906. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ^ "UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL". universal-music.co.jp. http://www.universal-music.co.jp/u-pop/artist/mya/mya_disco/uicy6336.html. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
- ^ "Mya: Mya: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon.co.uk. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0000061QF. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
The MYA cd was a wonderful cd!
External links
- MyaMya.com — official site
Studio albums Mýa (1998) · Fear of Flying (2000) · Moodring (2003) · Liberation (2007) · Sugar & Spice (2008) · K.I.S.S. (2011)Mixtape Beauty & the Streets Vol. 1 (2009)Compilation album Tours Smokin' Groove Tour (1998) · Lilith Fair (1999) · MTV European Tour (2000) · House of Blues Tour (2001) · House of Blues Tour (2003) · Seagrams Live Tour (2007)Filmography In Too Deep (1999) · Chicago (2002) · Volcano High (2000) · Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) · Shall We Dance? (2004) · Cursed (2005) · Swap Meet (2006) · The Heart Specialist (2006) · The Metrosexual (2007) · Cover (2008) · Love for Sale (2008) · The Penthouse (2010)Related topics Mýa Fear of Flying Moodring "My Love Is Like...Wo" (2003) · "Fallen" (2003)Liberation Sugar & Spice "Paradise" (2008) · "Wish You Were Here" (2009)Beauty & The Streets Vol.1 "Show Me Somethin'" (2009) · "Black Out" (2009)K.I.S.S. "Fabulous Life" (2011) · "Runnin' Back" (2011)Promotional Soundtracks "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" (1998) · "Take Me There" (1998) · "The Best of Me Pt.2" (2000) · "Where the Dream Takes You" (2001) · "Lady Marmalade" (2001)Collaborations "Somebody Like Me" (1999) · "Girls Dem Sugar" (2000) · "Sugar Daddy" (2005) · "No Matter What They Say" (2006) · "I Will Give It All to You" (2007) · "Tired" (2008) · "Alive" (2010) · "Love Is the Answer" (2011)Categories:- 1998 albums
- Mýa albums
- Debut albums
- Interscope Records albums
- "It's All About Me"
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