''Mya'' (stylized as ''Mýa'') is the debut studio album by American singer
Mya. It was released by University Music Entertainment and
Interscope Records on April 21, 1998, in the United States. The recording of the
contemporary R&B album was overseen by University Records
CEO A. Haqq Islam after he signed the singer when she was at the age of 15. The production on ''Mya'' was primarily handled by
Swing Mob member
Darryl Pearson with additional contributions from
Daryl Simmons, Alex "Cat" Cantrall, Joey Priolo, and
Nokio the N-Tity. Guest appearances include
Dru Hill frontman
Sisqó, and rappers
Silkk the Shocker
Vyshonn King Miller (born June 18, 1975), better known by his stage name Silkk the Shocker (formerly Silkk), is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. The brother of Master P, Miller signed with his record label No Limit Records, an im ...
and
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971), also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her musical career as a member of the Contemporary R&B, R&B girl group 4 All the Sistas Arou ...
.
The album received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented Mya's vocals and songwriting abilities, as well as the album's well-crafted appeal. ''Mya'' peaked at number 29 on the US
''Billboard'' 200 and was certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), selling over 1.6 million copies in the United States. The album spawned three singles; "
It's All About Me" (featuring Sisqó), "
Movin' On" (featuring Silkk the Shocker), and the
Diane Warren/
Babyface-penned ballad "
My First Night with You". In the midst of the album's success, Mya earned several accolades, including an
NAACP Image Award
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
nomination and two
Soul Train Music Award nominations.
In April 2023, to commemorate the album's twenty-fifth anniversary,
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...
released a digital deluxe 25th anniversary edition featuring six songs previously unavailable on DSPs.
Background
As a child, Mya was an accomplished, gifted dancer who had trained with
Savion Glover,
Gregory Hines, and the
Dance Theater of Harlem. Mya's parents first took noticed of their daughter's skills when she was five years old. By then, she had developed a gift for mimicking complicated dance steps and creating complex sounds and rhythms with her feet. However, by the time she was eight, Mya was burned out. She had quit
tap dance, at least partly out of frustration because she was more advanced than the available instruction could accommodate. Three years later, her passion returned when she first saw tap dancer and choreographer
Savion Glover—known as the creator of the
Broadway musical ''
Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk''—who proved to be an immediate inspiration. "He was my age, and he was featured around all these masters", Mya recalls. "And he was so natural with it." She soon joined a youth
dance group called Tappers with Attitude (T.W.A.), the first place her aggressive style would be encouraged.
Mya first auditioned for Glover when she was 11 and again at 12, but did not pass muster. "The year after, I was ready", she said. Using her photographic memory, she had studied documentary footage of such masters as Gregory Hines, the
Nicholas Brothers,
Buster Brown,
Honi Coles, and
Sammy Davis Jr. Mya ended up doing a number of residencies with Glover, who gave her a solo spot in a
Kennedy Center performance when she was 14. At that point, Mya had not even told her parents she wanted to sing. "It was something I held to myself, that no one could take away from me", Mya explained. "I didn't want to be pressured or forced into lessons all over again in another area, as with the dance. I wanted to develop this on my own, at my own pace." Eventually, Mya developed enough courage to sing for some dance class pals, who encouraged her to break the silence at home. "I finally told my mom, and when she told my dad—he's a singer—he said, 'Mýa can't sing! I don't believe you!' During her early-to-mid-teen years, she taught dance to kids and held a dancing gig on
BET's ''
Teen Summit'' as well.
At the age of 15, Mya shifted her focus solely on 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 began to shop around demo tapes, eventually earning the attention of University Music Entertainment president and CEO Haaq Islam. According to Mya, "her father sent demo tapes out to a few record companies, but they all said 'She's not ready.' "Some early demos were recorded in a basement studio for $20, followed by the major expenditure of $1,000 for a single. "It was difficult", Mya explained. "We didn't have that kind of money." Impressed with Mya's audition, Islam signed her to
Interscope Records.
Development and recording

Islam often referred to Mya as "his
Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
", commenting that "she has a vocal ability that can be heard in a room full of singers; her flow is tantamount to a rapper."
After her living-room audition, there were meetings and discussions about what direction to follow, what image to pursue and what goals to set.
Under Islam's guidance, Islam sought to mold Mya after American pop singers such as
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
and
Janet Jackson. He explained that his label "were going after the Madonna/Janet Jackson spot, dance and pop", while also targeting the teenage cotillion of fellow teen R&B singers
Brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...
,
Aaliyah, and
Monica.
According to Islam, his idea was to put together an album "that spoke to the hurt, pains, needs and desires of today's youth—falling in love, being in love, discovering love, falling out of love, not having love, being hurt. We knew if we did that accurately, young women and people of all ages and genders would identify with it."
Recorded in New York, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, Mya and
Interscope spent the next two years working on her debut album.
Due to his rising connections within the industry, Islam was able to hire an elite team of collaborators, including
Dru Hill, another act, rapper
Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, and musicians such as
Darryl Pearson,
Diane Warren and
Babyface.
Commenting on the album's nature, Mya elaborated that it "speaks mostly to men and that many of the songs offer variety of messages."
She also noted that album is "lady-like" and done in a "tasteful" way, leaving some things to the imagination; rather than trying to sound vulgar or explicit.
The singer 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, Mýa sings of wanting a man to "die" because "he never loved her anyway." She said, "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.
"Bye Bye", which features Elliott was written by Mýa and Pearson. Other songs included on the album were the dance-oriented "We're Goin Make Ya Dance and "What Cha Say", a song Mya wrote by herself.
Music and lyrics
An
R&B album, ''Mya'' comprises 12 tracks and encompasses smooth R&B
ballads, strong
hip hop raps and
funky danceable tunes.
A
coming-of-age record characterized as "sleek" and "funky" about relationships; its subjects ranges from self centeredness, hate, happiness, self-acceptance, and love while exploring scenarios of being young, throwing parties, getting hurting for the first time, and hating someone for leaving because it hurts so much.
In essence, the album's focal point is about taking control, saying goodbyes and moving on when you're done.
''Mya'' opens with the "upbeat" opening track "What Cha Say," a self-penned song built around a deep, rubbery
baseline.
It is followed by the "wildy contagious,
funk-fortified jeep jam" and album's second single "
Movin' On," a song where Mya informs her man that she knows he is cheating and is "movin' on" to bigger and better things.
Next up, the "cuddly"
ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...
and album's third track "Baby It's Yours." Glistened with an
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
and a slow
programmed drumbeat, the ballad is in reminiscent of the earlier music of
Janet Jackson.
Produced by key collaborator
Darryl Pearson, "Keep On Lovin' Me" serves as the album's fourth track and
samples Love Unlimited Orchestra's "I Did It For Love."
Written by
Dru Hill frontman
Sisqo, "
It's All About Me" is the album's first single and "centerpiece." It is a "seductive"
psychedelic R&B slow jam,
rhythm-driven duet in which Mya plays a dominant, confident sex object. She informs a lover it's up to him to please her and asks the question many women won't ask, "Are you gonna get it up?" Joined by Sisqo, he
croons on the bridges and
ad-libs on the verses, his vocal performance is compared to the vocal work of
Jodeci's
K-Ci Hailey.
A
signature song within her
discography, the duet and their chemistry has been branded "undeniable."
Having one of the longest names for a song, the "curiously ambivalent" "If You Died I Wouldn't Cry Caused You Never Loved Me Anyway," serves as the album's sixth track. Produced by
Nokio the N-Tity of Dru Hill, "If You Died I Wouldn't Cry Caused You Never Loved Me Anyway," is a tune about finding the strength in yourself to let go of a person who means you harm. Dru Hill provides
background vocals as well.
It is followed by the "funky," "butt-shakin'," "finger snappin" ditty, "We're Gonna Make Ya Dance."
In contrast to track seven, "If You Were Mine," the album's eighth track is a soft and mellow midtempo perfect for "slow dancing."
Full of "spunk" and "edge" with its hard beats and scratch effects, the "excellent
femme fatale tour-de-force Darryl Pearson-produced "Bye Bye," a song about being strong and moving on serves as the album's ninth track. Featuring
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott (born July 1, 1971), also known as Misdemeanor, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She began her musical career as a member of the Contemporary R&B, R&B girl group 4 All the Sistas Arou ...
, Elliott does her trademark
sounds effects.
"Anytime You Want Me" and "Don't Be Afraid" serves as album's tenth and eleventh tracks.
Closing the album is the "soothing" ballad "
My First Night with You," a "tender" beautifully arranged
Babyface/
Diane Warren penned tune about a non-sexual experience with a significant other. The album's third and final single, the album's version it is built around a
keyboard and
drum machine produced by
Daryl Simmons and compared to the vocal works of
Faith Evans and
Karyn White.
Release and promotion
In April 1998, Interscope held a press release for ''Mya'', with ''
Billboard'' magazine promoting. At the time of the press release, University Music revealed and shared details regarding Mya's project and University Music's
marketing strategy plan, announcing the album and US single release dates. Although ''Mya'' was initially slated for a May 5, 1998, release date, it was later changed to April 21. However, an international release date for the album was not set. Mya's first single "It's All About Me" featuring Sisqó was solicited to radio March 3 and released commercially March 10. The music video for "It's All About Me" was serviced to
BET and
The Box on February 10. It was serviced to
MTV at a later date.
From the beginning, and Interscope used Mya's connection to labelmates
Dru Hill as a
promotional tool. To create a buzz for Mya, coupled her with Dru Hill in video and television appearances as an outlet to create a fan base for her. In addition to video and television appearances, Mya was featured on
Puff Daddy's concert tour which also included Dru Hill. To continue to create an ongoing buzz for herself, she opened the boy group
Boyz II Men tour from April 26 to July 26. As a marketing plan, announced and created a grass-roots campaign that hit high schools. The label distributed newsletters about Mya hitting more than 25,000 high schools nationally. University also set up a Mya
900 number which was advertised on posters and fliers. Callers could hear samples of Mya's music and hear the latest on her activities. On the press front, Mya appeared on the cover of ''
Right On!'' and ''
Teen People'' magazines. In late April, Mya appeared and performed "It's All About Me" on ''
Vibe''. Lastly, she was featured on Interscope's worldwide website, where she had her own page.
Singles
Mya's debut album produced three singles. Lead single "
It's All About Me", a duet with singer
Sisqó, peaked at number six on
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number two on
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart, marking Mya's first top 10 entry as a solo artist. It was later certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). A moderate international success, it peaked in the top 20 on the
New Zealand Singles Chart and the top 40 on the
Canadian Singles Chart
The Canadian music charts are a collection of record charts reflecting the music consumption of people in Canada. '' RPM'' and '' Billboard'' are the biggest publications to have published Canada's official charts for decades. However, the first ...
. A remix version of "
Movin' On", featuring additional vocals from rapper
Silkk the Shocker
Vyshonn King Miller (born June 18, 1975), better known by his stage name Silkk the Shocker (formerly Silkk), is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. The brother of Master P, Miller signed with his record label No Limit Records, an im ...
", was released as the album's second single. It reached number 11 in New Zealand, number 34 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and number four on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album's third and final single, a cover of
Deborah Cox's 1995 song "
My First Night with You", peaked at number 28 on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Critical reception
''Mya'' received generally positive reviews from music critics.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
editor
Stephen Thomas Erlewine called the album a "thoroughly promising debut" that compromises "a fine set of songs that manage to sound universal and strangely confessional", while describing it as "a smooth, sultry collection of well-crafted contemporary urban soul that is actually richer than the average urban record the late '90s."
In his review for ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', journalist Richard Harrington wrote that Mya made "a strong first impression with her own eponymous debut."
Paul Verna of ''
Billboard'' found that Mya "scored on her debut album by addressing issues of concern to women without spewing cuss words." He compared the material to R&B band
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final lineup comprised Beyoncé, Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Hou ...
and complimented Mya's songwriting skills, ranking "
It's All About Me", "Whatcha Say", "Bye Bye", "
My First Night With You", "
Movin' On", and "We're Gonna Make Ya Dance" among the album's noteworthy tracks.
Ayana B. Byrd of ''
Vibe'' expressed that on ''Mya'', the " always sings with a voice that is clear, strong, and assured", adding that the album combined "round-the-way girl sass with an artist's sensibility."
Jessica Simmons of ''
The Michigan Daily'' described the album in one phrase:"OK, but nothing special" and noted aside from a few select songs like "Baby It's Yours" and "If You Were Mines," — "the rest are easily forgettable." She concluded her review with despite Mya having "a nice singing voice," the singer's debut offering "misses the mark." ''
Portsmouth Daily Times'' associated writer Nekesa Moody opined the singer "shines on her self-titled debut despite being bogged down occasionally with some
run-of-the-mill material."
Accolades
''Mya'' and its singles earned the singer numerous nominations. In 1998, she received her first award nomination for a
Soul Train Lady of Soul Award in the Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist category.
The following year, Mya continued to score multiple award nominations. Mya earned two
Soul Train Music Awards nominations for
Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist and
Best R&B/Soul Album – Female.
[ At 1999 NAACP Image Awards, she received a nomination for Outstanding New Artist.][ Mya scored a New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year nomination at Billboard Music Awards. Her single, "Movin' On" earned her a second nomination at the 1999 Soul Train Lady of Soul awards for Best R&B/Soul Song of the Year. For the 1999 Source Hip-Hop Music Awards, she received a nomination for R&B Artist of the Year.
]
Commercial performance
''Mya'' debuted at number 77 on the ''Billboard'' 200 on May 9, 1998. A steady seller, by May 22, 1998, in its fourth week, ''Mya'' had sold 220,000 copies. The album eventually peaked at number 29 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and at number 13 on ''Billboard''s Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart during the weeks of September 5 and July 14, 1998, respectively. During the holiday season of 1998, ''Mya'' experienced its biggest single-week of sales, scanning 64,858 units. It was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
on October 1, 1998. In January 1999, the album was ranked as the 75th best-selling album of 1998 in the United States, selling 1.1 million copies. By May 2003, ''Mya'' had sold over 1.4 million copies in the US. As of April 2023, ''Mya'' has sold 1.6 million units stateside. By May 18, 2001, worldwide sales for ''Mya'' stood at six million copies sold combined with sales from ''Fear of Flying'' (2000).
Legacy
With the release and success of her debut album and its singles, Mya established herself a successful solo recording artist. Anita M. Samuels of '' Billboard'' commented, "The vocalist/dancer was introduced to R&B audiences via Sisqo of Dru Hill with the single, "It's All About Me," making her a viable competitor with artists such as Aaliyah." Right from the beginning, MTV embraced Mya and her singles "It's All About Me" and "Movin' On." Additionally, MTV heavily went into rotation on two film-related songs on which Mya was the featured vocalist, including Pras's " Ghetto Supastar" from '' Bulworth'' and Blackstreet's " Take Me There" from '' The Rugrats Movie''. Sharing her opinion on Harrison's success, author Stacy-Deanne expressed, "With strong R&B vocals and super hip-hop tracks, Mya was labeled the new "Ghetto Princess"she was the new "it" girl." '' Complex'' magazine recognized "Movin' On" as one of the Best R&B Videos of the '90s. In a poll conducted by ''Billboard'', "Movin' On" ranked 10th on its list of the 20 Best High School Music Videos. Actor and singer Rotimi sampled "Movin' On" for his five-track ''Summer Bangerz'' EP. In honor its twentieth anniversary, '' Vibe'' ranked the album's tracks from worst to first and commented, "''Mýa'' remains one of the definitive R&B albums of its era, is regarded as a certified classic and will always be remembered as the music world's introduction to its creator."
''Billboard'' acknowledged the album track "Bye Bye" featuring Missy Elliott and ranked it at number 47 on their 50 Greatest Deep Cuts of 1998 list.
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.
Track listing
Notes
* signifies a remixer
* signifies a co-producer
Sample credits
* "Keep On Lovin' Me" samples "I Did It for Love" by Love Unlimited.
* "It's All About Me" contains an interpolation of " Moments in Love" by Art of Noise.
* "Movin' Out" contain elements from " Wishing on a Star" by Rose Royce.
* "Movin' Out" contains a sample from " Love Is Alive" by Gary Wright.
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of ''Mya''.
Performers and musicians
*Mya – background vocals
* Dru Hill – background vocals
*Joey P. – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, strings
*Randy Bowland – guitar
*Ronnie Garrett – bass
*Darryl Simmons – drum programming, keyboard programming
*Silkk the Shocker
Vyshonn King Miller (born June 18, 1975), better known by his stage name Silkk the Shocker (formerly Silkk), is an American rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana. The brother of Master P, Miller signed with his record label No Limit Records, an im ...
– performer
Technical
* A. Haqq Islam – executive production
*Daven Baptiste – artwork, design
* Darryl Pearson – production, vocal arrangement
*Eldren Hughes – artwork, design
*Fred – mixing assistance
*Gordon Rice – engineering
*Ivy Skoff – production coordination
*Jason Webb – engineering assistance, mixing assistance
*Kevin Lively – engineering assistance
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
Release history
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mya (Album)
1998 debut albums
Mýa albums
Interscope Records albums
Albums recorded at Sigma Sound Studios