It's All About Me

'It's All About Me' is a song by American singer Mýa. It served as her debut single from her self-titled debut studio album and recorded as a duet with R&B singer Sisqó. A psychedelic R&B slow jam, "It's All About Me" was written and composed by Sisqó and Darryl Pearson, while the latter served as producer. It interpolates the composition "Moments in Love" by Art of Noise.

Following its release, "It's All About Me" received generally mixed to positive reviews from contemporary music critics, whom compared Harrison to her contemporary peers Brandy and Monica. A commercial success, "It's All About Me" became a top ten hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the week of May 16, 1998 where it peaked and spent three consecutive weeks at number six. It fared better on the Hot R&B Singles chart, where it reached number two. Internationally, the single was a modest success; it reached the top 20 in New Zealand and top 40 in Canada.

The song's accompanying music video was filmed by director G. Thomas Ferguson and University Music CEO Haqq Islam. Given her artistic background, Harrison choreographed the dance routines and designed her own outfit - a red Chinese traditional wedding dress. The music video featured Harrison performing a strip tease and fencing with Sisqó after they meet following a concert from Sisqó's group, Dru Hill (Harrison, Sisqó, and Dru Hill were all label mates at the time on University Music).

Background

Through his work with Dru Hill, Darryl Pearson was introduced to Mya through their label CEO A. Haqq Islam and subsequently the pair began working on music together.
According to producer Darryl Pearson, "It's All About Me" initially didn't start out as a duet between Mya and Sisqo. Pearson explained, "Sisqo and I wrote "It's All About Me." Sisqo wrote the lyrics and I did the music, expounding, "I got Sisqo to write "It's All About Me," and he didn’t know." However, Pearson acknowledges for intentional purposes, "I left him in the second verse." As a suggestion to the label, Pearson advised, "let’s leave Sisqo on there and make it a duet." In an interview with ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, Harrison described the concept behind "It’s All About Me": "It's not a conceited thing. Basically, I'm speaking for people who are in relationships but aren't getting their fifty percent. The song is about taking control. Personally, I'm not trying to get into relationships right now. But when I do, it's fifty-fifty."

Composition

Recorded in 1997, "It's All About Me" was written by Sisqo and produced by Darryl Pearson at Silent Sound Studio in Atlanta, Georgia. On top of, writing and production duties, the pair handled and were responsible for the vocal arrangements as well. While additional contribution was provided by mixing engineer Thom Kidd at Studio 56 in Los Angeles, California.

A psychedelic R&B slow jam with a runtime of four minutes and twenty-six seconds, "It's All About Me" contains a replayed sample from composition Moments in Love by Art of Noise. In a retrospective review of parent album ''Mýa'', Vibe's Preezy Brown commented on Sisqo's and Mya chemistry, calling it "undeniable" and noted the collaboration became a signature selection within her discography.

Critical reception

''Billboard''s Larry Flick gave "It's All About Me" a favorable review, writing,
"Although It's All About Me can be too repetitive and thus unnecessarily tiring at times, it does have an interesting, catchy rhythm that's hard to miss. Undoubtedly, R&B listeners will find this highly appealing. The vocals have a great range, as well as a smooth, angelic tone. It's worth giving it a try." Writing for ''Spin'' magazine, Charles Aaron described "It's All About Me" as a "G-rated version of Lil' Kims pussy-power politics." ''Music Week'' called "It's All About Me," a catchy R&B outing."

Accolades

Chart performance

In the United States, It's All About Me debuted at number eighty-two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for the issue dated week of March 14, 1998. It ascended from 82-62 in its second week for the issue dated week of March 21, 1998. The song reached its peak at number six for issue dated week of May 16, 1998. From the issue dated weeks of May 16–30, 1998; it spent 3 consecutive weeks at number six. It spent a total of 20 consecutive weeks on the chart. The single became Harrison's first U.S. Top Ten hit (solo) on the chart and certified gold by Recording Industry Association of America on June 4, 1998 selling 800,000 copies. It became a top five hit on ''Billboard''s component Hot R&B Singles chart. It debuted at number sixty-one for the issue dated week of March 14, 1998. It rose from 61-31 in its second week for the issue dated week of March 21, 1998. "It's All About Me" entered the coveted top ten at number eight for issue dated week of April 18, 1998. It reached its peak at number two the issue dated week of May 9, 1998. The song spent a total of 27 consecutive weeks on the chart. It's All About Me remains Harrison's biggest and highest charting single to date on the Hot R&B Singles chart.

In Canada, the song reached its peak at number thirty-nine for the issue dated week of April 25, 1998. It spent a total of 6 consecutive weeks on the chart. It also debuted at number twenty-seven during the week of June 21, 1998 in New Zealand. It reached its peak at number thirteen during the week of July 19, 1998. It spent a total of 15 consecutive weeks on the chart.

Music videos

A music video for "It's All About Me" was directed by G. Thomas Ferguson and Haqq Islam. It begins with Sisqó pulling Mya from a cheering crowd. He is seen taking her into a white hallway where she sings and dances while wearing red Chinese clothing. In an interview with ''MTV News'', Mýa talked about the concept behind the video: "Sisqó pulls me out of the crowd because I guess I look uninterested, and that's not common, y'know to have people uninterested in such big stars. So, he pulls me out thinking he's gonna make me his lady of the night." "Through the dance and the whole video," she continued, "I tease him and say, 'No, I'm not that kind of girl and if you wanna be with me, you have to make it all about me.'"

In honor of her twenty-fifth anniversary, Mya released "It's All About Me (25th Anniversary Remix)," a heel choreographed music video version. Directed and choreographed by Brian Friedman, it features the singer dancing solo in heels with a mixture of desire and self-assurance. Speaking on their collaboration, Mya shared with ''Rated R&B'': "It was a complete full circle moment working with the incredibly dynamic Brian Friedman. We share a history of unforgettable moments, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for our 25th anniversary collaboration." Equally, excited about their collaboration as well, Friedman commented, "I was thrilled to hear from Mýa after so many years and without hesitation jumped on board for this special project."

Track listing

All tracks written by Sisqó and Darryl Pearson.

Notes
* denotes co-producer(s)
* denotes remix producer(s)
Sample credits
* "It's All About Me" contains an interpolation of "Moments in Love" by Art of Noise.

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Mya''.

Recording

* Recorded at Silent Sound Studios (Atlanta, Georgia)
* Mixed at Studio 56 (Los Angeles, California)

Personnel

*Darryl "DAY" Pearson – production, vocal arrangements
* Sisqo – vocal arrangements
*Mike Alvord – recording engineer
*Kevin Lively – recording engineer assistance
*Tom Kidd – mixing

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

See also

* List of Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles in 1998

References

External links

MyaMya.com
— official site

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1998 songs
1998 debut singles
Mýa songs
Sisqó songs
Interscope Records singles
Songs written by Darryl Pearson (musician)
Songs written by Sisqó
Male–female vocal duets