Published: April 28, 2000
mya
There's
a delicate point in a young girl's life, that moment when she makes the
transition from child to woman. When flirting goes from being a giggle
Jest to an art form. When crushes on boys become love affairs with men.
When she moves out from the protective warmth of her parents and into
the cold clear air of self-reliance When she starts to spread her wings
and tentatively, cautiously, but ultimately triumphantly... soar.
Ask mya about FEAR OF FLYING and she answers,
"I've grown a lot and I wanted the second album to reflect that.
The past few years have given me time to think about what I want to do,
the decisions I make in life and where I want to be. I'm becoming more
and more of my own person and making those choices for myself. On my own."
The lush title track (produced by Knobody) gives mya a creative launching off point, because, as she notes, "it uses the
idea of being afraid to fly as a metaphor for other issues. I think that
one of the scariest things isn't failure but success. When you succeed
or attempt to become successful, you often have people trying to hold
you back, second guessing you, or sometimes trying to manipulate you into
believing that things, especially careers, are guaranteed. Well, I've
learned nothing is guaranteed and I feel the theme of the album displays
that there will always be turbulent times-good, bad, up, down. Despite
our fears or insecurities, we must make a leap on faith alone. I once
read that 10% of life includes our experience, 90% is how we deal with
them, and with that I come to the conclusion that if your heart constantly
tells you something, then you should go a head and trust those feelings.
That spirit and determination is evident on the lead
off single "Best Of Me." Co-written by mya, produced
by the sizzling hot Swizz Beatz (DMX, Ruff Ryders) and featuring Jadakiss
of The LOX, "Best Of Me"
is edgy and street savvy but underneath the syncopated beats is a message
a message mya wants to get out. "It's about setting standards
for yourself, about following them through and not allowing the temptations
of a heat of the moment situation to lure you into something you may regret
later in life.
Another single is "Takin'Me Over" which mya co-wrote with Robin Thicke and Projay.
A catchy slice of retro soul, "Takin'Me
Over" boasts a cameo from Left Eye and shows mya in a
coy playful mood. Mya dubs it her "don't
give a damn song. " "It's
all about a woman who says, 'listen, I don't care if you're looking at
me crazy. I'm feeling this, so
I'm gonna do it."
She'kspere and Kandi (No Scrubs', 'Bills, Bills, Bills')
delivers another hot track with "How
You Gonna Tell Me," co-written with mya. "I added my thoughts lyrically and conceptually,
" says mya, who co-wrote the song. "I wanted the song to be about people
preaching to me what they don't practice.
About how these specific people speak to me on the way I should
live and my response to them and their twisted lives, " mya laughs. "So there you go! "
On a more romantic empowerment note is the sexy ballad
"No Tears On My Pillow,"
which was written by mya and the song's producer Robin Thicke.
More up-tempo, but no less sexy is "Pussycats," co-written by mya and produced by Wyclef Jean and Jerry Duplesis. As one might ascertain from the title, "Pussycats"
is a frisky jam, most definitely a departure from mya's little girl image. " It's nice to work against type, to
take a little of a left turn from what people might expect of you. I felt
really good working with 'Clef because he gave me creative space. This
time around I knew what I wanted to say, how I wanted to say it, and I
feel now I have more to contribute in a variety of ways."
Mya has earned the respect of
her peers with hard work in and out of the studio. Along with her solo efforts and collaborations, mya has emerged as a powerful
and popular concert act, bringing her unique vocals and dancing skills
(mya trained as a dancer for years) to stages across the US. Following
the release of her 1998 platinum plus self-titled debut, mya hit
the road, logging miles on 98's leg of the Smoking Grooves Tour, as well
as concerts throughout the US. In
1999, mya was a featured main stage act on the Lilith Fair Tour. Even though mya had honed her stage act, being part of Lilith
was daunting. "I was really nervous,"
Mya admits. "But,
the feedback from the audiences was really good and I met a lot of great
artists from all different genres of music. The whole experience was very embracing."
Audiences have been embracing mya since her
debut. In 1998, at the tender age of 18 the Maryland native burst on the
scene with an infectious collection that delighted fans and critics alike. Mya spawned three top ten singles, "It's All About Me" (a duet with Sisqo, which also earned
a Soul Train nomination), "Movin' On" (featuring Silkk
the Shocker) and "My First Night With You." Along with those singles mya kept the
spotlight focused on her with "Ghetto
Supastar" from the
Bulworth Soundtrack. The single,
which also featured Pras and OBD, went Top Ten worldwide as did her giddy
collaboration with BLACKstreet "Take Me There," from
The Rugrats Movie Soundtrack.
Along
with making music that appeals to the streets and the suburbs, mya
has served as a print spokeswoman for Bongo jeans and has a Tommy Hilfiger
lipstick shade named after her. In
addition, mya speaks regularly about teen issues, in particular
self-esteem for young women. In that capacity, mya serves on the advisory
board of the Secret to Self Esteem program (an alliance between the Partnership
for Women's Health and Secret antiperspirant), which is dedicated to helping
girls become strong women. In
an industry which tends to chew up and spit out young female artists,
mya, with the support of her family and management team, is determined
to maintain a positive healthy image for her fans and stay true to herself
and her beliefs. "I've realized that I can be in this business,
be successful work with whom I want to, and present a sassy image but
not have to sell my soul," mya says. "I'm very aware of my fans and people in general. I understand
what they are going through, because I went through and continue to experience
a lot of the ups and downs myself."
At the end of the day, despite the fame, the tours
and the awards, mya remains a grounded, focused young woman, albeit
one who reigns as a superstar. With
an eye to start working more on production, as well as continuing to write
songs, mya is taking each day as a new adventure, growing as both
an artist and a woman. Ask her what FEAR OF FLYING represents to her and
she answers quietly, "Control. I
feel like I have a new way of expressing myself and saying what I feel
in my heart."
On
FEAR OF FLYING mya spreads her wings, aims for the clouds and glides.
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