Exclusive: Mya Dishes On Global Comeback

Published: Saturday 22nd Feb 2014 by Sam
mya-thatgrapejuice

16 years after she first stormed the charts with her self-titled debut, R&B maestra Mya returned to the spotlight this month with a brand new EP cut and crafted for the lovers.

Aptly christened ‘With Love’, the singer bills the set (which she has deemed a prelude to her global chart return) as a treat for the army of loyal fans who have stuck with her over the years.

Ever eager to ask the questions you really want answers to, That Grape Juice caught up with the ‘My Love Is Like…’ belter for a candid chat.

Having experienced the bright and dark sides of the “industry”, the 34-year-old was both equipped and ready to offer fascinating insight into the past, present, and future of her layered career.

Check out our exclusive interview with Mya below…

Interviewer: Sam

Transcribed by: Josh Wexler

Sam (That Grape Juice): Mya! It’s great to speak with you.

Mya: Thank you! It’s great to speak with you as well.

There’s so much to discuss, but a useful starting point is your new EP ‘With Love’ – which hit iTunes recently. Tell us a little about the project and what fans can expect from it.

Well the project was a gift to my fans on Valentines Day. The reason for this is because Valentines is all about love. This date marks 16 years ago that I released my very fist single. So I’m sort of doing this as a celebration of myself as well. 16 years is a long time. But it’s to the fans in particular who have been there and are hungry for new music, and it has more of a love theme.

You mentioned during a recent press run that it’s a taster of sorts for your US return – which we’ll definitely delve into shortly. But, to “return” one must have “gone away” – which you did.

After the handling of your last planned American LP ‘Liberation’, you spread your wings and decided to focus on the international market. Were you exhausted with the US circuit?

Well it’s not that I ever abandoned America. What I’ve done is a new business model being an independent. What I’ve done is, maybe, one exclusive project for Japan, which was limited contractually to their territory, which was ‘Sugar and Spice’ in 2008.

I’ve since put out other projects digitally without the support of any major label or huge financing- it’s all just digital. So if people have not seen or heard (my music) on the radio maybe the perception is that you’ve gone away to Japan? Haha. But I still make music that’s available to the United States (and the rest of the world) digitally via iTunes. ‘Kiss’ being the last, in 2012. (For that particular record) there was a worldwide release physically through MyaMya.com, and the album was made available at all of my shows too.

All in all, I’ve never stopped; I never took a “break”. It just takes a little longer when you’re an independent and funding everything, and performing to pay for everything.

Liberation saw a lot of delays and ultimately didn’t come out. Thereafter you parted ways with your label. For those not in the know, what exactly happened during that period?

Motown Universal was the label that I was signed to at the time, and I was coming off of Interscope, which was more of a Rap and Rock label that started to become Pop. So I transitioned within the Universal system to Motown to begin work on ‘Liberation’, which was designed to have an R&B and Pop sound. However trying to figure out the right radio single and get the right radio support behind each song eats up a lot of budget, and it also pushes release dates back.

It was set for worldwide digital release, however towards the end of 2007 they pushed the album release date back one more time. Yet, because Japan is ahead of time, and because the United States forgot to tell that territory “Hey, we changed the release date again.” My album leaked all over the Internet because Japan had it. I didn’t want to go through a lawsuit; I didn’t want to spend time in court. I just said, well, I spent some time working on the album, so I’ll just be independent with the advice of a lawyer and just do it myself and see where that takes me. And then Japan loved ‘Liberation’ so much, because they were serviced it on iTunes, that they wanted me to come over there and do more stuff. And that’s how ‘Sugar and Spice’, my first independent project, was born the following year in 2008.

We know you’re cooking up a new album – geared towards the US market. What inspired your decision to “comeback”?

It’s always important that I create music independently first, so that it represents who I really am. With many forces involved that don’t quite know who you are as an artist it can get a little tricky and interference can possibly affect the integrity or quality of the project. But at the end of the day, I’d love to be married to the right partnership whether that’s a label, whether that’s a brand, whether that’s an investor.

It’s really just finding a way in this newfound music industry. It’s totally different from when I first hit the scene. It’s making sure that the project gets the attention as well as the exposure that my fans expect it to have to make it look as if it’s an official release. There’s so much digitally happening.

So after all of the merging of the labels, and after all they’ve been going through transition-wise, I wanted to wait until everyone was settled and it looks like things are settling in the music industry for label merges. And now is a healthy time where I’m in a great space creatively as well as them being at a professional settled space where we can entertain those possibilities. But at one point it was a little too risky and messy for me to do that, and that’s why I’ve been just doing things independently.

Who are you working with on this project? What’s the sound? Release window?

Well, I’ve stayed in the studio (laughs); I also have my own studio so I have (recorded) all kinds of genres of music. I don’t stop recording, so I have all kinds of compilations done already. It’s just about the smart move and what the fans remember, what the fans usually want to hear, the core base, and serving them in proper doses so that it doesn’t get too confusing. Definitely 2014, for sure, I’m most certain of that whether it’s feeding them singles on a regular basis or feeding them with a real EP that’s not surrounded around a holiday, an actual project, or an album. I would personally like to release an album in a major way if it’s going to be a worldwide album with physical distribution and that takes proper alignment.

I’ve been working with a lot of folks. PJ Bianco is one, obviously Yonny who was on this current EP, he actually executive produced with me. Chuck Harmony, who has the title track on ‘Kiss’, Tricky Stewart, a lotta folks that I’ve been working with.

With that said, would you consider signing to a major label?

Of course! Absolutely. I’ve never been opposed to that. It’s just about the right time, bringing the right thing to the table. I think, absolutely.

(Speaking on the notion of the “right” deal)

Today’s industry has seen a lean towards 360 deals – with major labels now having their slice of branding and sponsorship. What’s your take on this shift? Is it advancing the industry or taking advantage?

I think the industry is in an incredible state. You cannot operate off of the old model. The advances for artists don’t make sense anymore, the big budgets doesn’t work like that anymore. Album sales are at an all-time low, the capability to sell physical units is still there, but fans want content. If you don’t have the budget to create content, whether that be videos, documentaries, movies, reality shows, just something, then they won’t know that it exists. There’s so much on the Internet at our disposal that you have to stand out. You have to have a platform and a pedestal to be noticed and to exist.

So the industry cannot operate the same way that it used to because there’s so much more in abundance that you can get lost in the shuffle. But, there is an advantage indie artists often have over major (label) artists because there’s direct outreach to your fans. You get their opinions before you release something or put lots of money behind a song or a video, and they can be a part of the whole experience. It’s all about people at the end of the day. There are some pros and there are also some cons, but I think we’re in a great state as long as we’re operating with a newfound mindset professionally and creatively.

Switching things up a bit, what would you say your most embarrassing moment has been?

Well it’s always embarrassing to fall on stage. I’ve had wardrobe malfunctions, but it’s never been severe or too revealing or on a major platform where millions are watching. But I would say the most embarrassing thing is falling on stage… onto someone in the crowd and it being on YouTube. That’s not sexy.

‘My Love Is Like Woah’ and ‘Fear of Flying’ are That Grape Juice’s favourite Mya single and album respectively.  What are yours?

My favourite Mya single would probably be ‘It’s All About Me’. I think it being my very first single of my music career has contributed to that. I also love performing that song live with a live band.

My favourite album would probably be ‘Moodring’ because there’s so many genres of music on there. That would have been my favorite major release.

In the seven years since you released in the US, a lot has changed. We’ve had the rise of Beyonce, the explosion of Rihanna, as well as the introduction of a host of new female talent. Who are some of today’s divas that you enjoy most?

Most recently I really liked Emeli Sandé, I really like her lyrics and her music, her message. I’ve been listening to Aloe Blacc as well.

It’s just incredible, the fusion of music now and the different genres that are intertwining. The fans and general public are not prejudiced to what segregated audiences maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago when everything was divided. But there are artists of all genres collaborating together, and I love where music is. I love where artists have gone because there’s no box. That’s absolutely where I’ve always been as an artist and a person, so I’m excited.

You have a Grammy, a string of big hits, and – for many  – were the first of the new generation to show shades of Janet Jackson with a new age twist. Yet, still a lot of your fans feel that you are “underrated”. Do you feel underrated?

No, because I’m not ever really looking to be rated. I just want to make sure that I provide and serve. That’s what I like to do. I just don’t feel that I’ve had my moment to do what I know that I’m capable of doing. Whether the music component has been right, I don’t think I’ve ever had the music the way I need to have the music.

I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to do things, but usually at the direction or ultimatums of the people funding it. Which I understand is the business. But creatively, I haven’t had my moment to do what I do best the way I know how to do it. So I just think people haven’t seen the best of me just yet. The best is yet to come and I feel like I’m just beginning. I’ve also evolved as a person and as an artist, but I don’t want to focus on being underrated or overrated. But I’m glad that people appreciate talent.

In coming back to scene, what are some of your main goals?

My first main goal is to make sure that I’m honest in my music and that I’m a good person in my life and my profession. That will allow me to serve the people the way they need to be served, with goodness, with a good character, and great music, something that means something, something that’s alive.

The second component would be to make sure that the business is right. And that means that, hey, everyone eats, but we have to sacrifice in order for everyone to win. We have to make compromises. I think that the essence of being an established artist, people always want to overcharge you, but that eats into the budget of actually being able to do a music video or do things with your fans. People can take advantage really quick. But a team is a part of that business and making sure I have the right teams around me that get to the bigger picture so that I can do number one.

The template of how to sell music has drastically changed – with TV, more specially reality TV, emerging as a great vehicle (i.e. for the Tamar Braxton’s and K. Michelle’) . Is reality TV an idea you’d ever embrace?

I am so open-minded. If it’s right, it’s right. If the business is right, the business is right. If I have control, and not in a diva way, to make sure that what I’ve worked for in 16 years is preserved- cool! I’d love to be a part of the editing of a reality show, because you already know you can get thrown under the bus really quick (laughs). But yeah, I’m so open-minded to doing a reality show as long as it’s right. I think they’re pretty entertaining and fun!

Rounding up, what message for female acts looking to break into today’s music business?

First, in particular for my girls, I would have to say speaking to yourself in a positive manner at all times is very important. There will be so many people who will make you second-guess yourself. But spend a lot of time by yourself. Whether that means writing and taking at least 20 minutes to an hour a day, if you have the time, for yourself just to write your thoughts down for clarity so that you are never swayed in the wrong direction.

Speak up, and if you do speak up make sure that it’s done in a respectful manner. People are so quick to call you ‘diva.’ It’s how you approach things. Speaking up can be very intimidating for anyone, but also on the other end it’s how you approach these things. But you need to speak up about things you’re not comfortable with because it can haunt you. Like doing things that you don’t want to do, whether it’s the wrong song or wrong video, how you speak up when you speak up is very important.

Two, getting educated about the business and assembly. A lot of men are producers, a lot of men are engineers, a lot of men you have to work with. A lot of men are the executive producers, or the CEOs, so surround yourself with a lot of women because that can get tricky too with guys in the industry. Especially if you’re young, or if you’re attractive in any kind of physical way the gift becomes a curse in this business because guys will try to use that to their advantage. Just speaking to my ladies right now. But get involved and get acclimated by speaking to other women with power, do some research, and learn how to do as many things as you can. Whether it is engineer, whether it is doing your own makeup, whether it is picking up a new skill with an instrument. Those things come in handy, but business more than anything so that you can draft your own contracts, do your own negotiations, so that you can pick up the phone and know what terminology is if you have to start booking your own shows. Whatever it is, you’ve got to become a hustler and multi-faceted and multi-dimensional.

And, obviously, being grounded and loving what you do is always important. And doing it for no other reason than that it’s making you happy.

What does Mya want her legacy to be?

I hope to be a vision of light and shed some empowerment for many people, not just females, but males. And give hope, as well as share my personal ministry and testimony of the ups and downs. Not everything is what it appears to be on the outer surface, there’s so much. To share that with other people to make their lives better and enrich it in a certain way so maybe they don’t have to go through the same struggles, or actually know what the right route is for them to take personally so they don’t fall short. Just to be a teacher and getting people to a happier place sooner just like my parents and my teachers did for me.

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mya-with-love-thatgrapejuice

‘With Love’ is available on iTunes now!

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Your thoughts?

Comments 42

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  1. 2 girls 1 cup February 21, 2014

    I always liked mya she could
    Have been bigger she’s underrated she make really good music case of
    The ex and my love is like wo my favorites! Hopefully she does make a comeback!

  2. Yc18 February 21, 2014

    She gonna flop harder than a fish out of water

  3. JB102 February 21, 2014

    She can dance better than Ciara!

  4. ROSEGOLD February 21, 2014

    Yall can say whatever yall want about Mya, but she used to slay. I can see her making a comeback. She has the look, pop-friendly voice and dance moves. Remember she has two platinum and one gold album under her belt. Her other album was only released in Japan. She technically has never “flopped”. I’m rooting for you Mya!

  5. KissesForKelly February 21, 2014

    Loved this interview.

  6. BeyWhoUWanna February 21, 2014

    Excuse me, can you stop putting your stupid videos in the comment section. Nobody cares about your song.

  7. MILA J (@MilaJ) STAN February 21, 2014

    Welcome back Mya!

    Ciara made a mistake by being on Maternity leave right now. In my opinion. This Mila J girl is a problem and definitely will replace Ciara for the time being! Welcome back Ashanti, Welcome Back Mya, and Welcome back Mila Slayage J!

    The Blasians are coming out strong (Jhene Aiko, Mila J and Kreesha Turner) this year.
    http://youtu.be/BB8jT6v_zkI

  8. JJ4EVA February 21, 2014

    I stopped reading as they mentioned beyonce yet again! for the love of god please become a beyonce fan club

  9. FAF February 21, 2014

    @Mila J stan are u Keisha Chante stan, as well? 😆

  10. MILA J (@MilaJ) STAN February 21, 2014

    If I was Mya I would have never done an interview with Sam.

    He always gotta talk about long neck pigeonyonce in every post and interview to just get a reaction out of them.

  11. MILA J (@MilaJ) STAN February 21, 2014

    @FAF a who?

  12. IStanForYourFav February 21, 2014

    How does she manage to look epically beautiful no matter what? She must be putting in major work. I remember being a little girl and watching Mya on 106 and etc. She’s always slayed in my book. I just actually was listening to the Moodring album a few moments ago. She can have my coins whenever she drops a new album.

    I respect a lot of artists, but there is nothing like an underdog like Mya, Ashanti, Jazmine Sullivan, Ledisi, Tamia, and more. They may not have the accolades & fame of Mariah, Whitney, Beyoncé, Gaga, Rihanna, Xtina, or Britney Spears (u get my point), but they are still true to their self, have beautiful voices, solid music, and still look incredible. Kudos to the underdogs.

  13. IKNOWTHETRUTH February 21, 2014

    She’s so smart. Her knowledge is going to benefit her. Good for her. Most artists don’t know anything until it’s too late.

  14. OKKKOKMYA February 21, 2014

    I LOVE MYA AND I WILL BUY 88 COPIES OF HER ALBUM I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED HER MOODRING IS SUCH A GOOD ALBUM SO VERSATILE SHE LIKE DA FEMALE PRINCE YALLL FA REAL SHE CAN SING LIVE SHE CAN DANCE SHE CAN ACT SHE IS BEAUTIFUL IDK ABOUT HER OWN REALITY SHOW THO CUZ SHE SEEM BORING I COULD SEE HER ON R&B DIVAS LA FOR LIKE A SEASONS OR SOMETHING SHOW HER WORKING ON HER STUFF AND AND ON THE FINALE SHE RELEASE THE FIRST SINGLE OR SUMTHIN SHE COULD SLAY HARD LIL MO MADE A LIL COMEBACK OFF R&B DIVAS LA YALL BETTA CHECK OUT MY NEW HIT YOUTUBE SHOW WITH MY GIRL CUZZ WE EATIN OYSTERS TONIGHT B******!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyCxfGCw1oU&feature=c4-overview&list=UUkcUCIXMNL-UL-PGC5KIiLw

  15. coolness February 21, 2014

    @ISTANFORYOURFAV, I agree! I just came across her collaboration with Beenie Man, Girls Dem Sugar and it took me back! Then I went on trip down memory lane by listening to her albums, watching her music videos/perforomances and I was thinking, “How the hell didn’t she blow up?!” She’s incredibly beautiful, has a serviceable voice and she can dance her ass off. I know we had these Janet mini-me’s like Aaliyah, Britney and now Ciara but Mya’s dancing put her in a league of her own. Plus, she’s great live. Like you, I’m also a fan of the one’s that have slayed/still slaying but I also have a soft spot for those who are underrated because I kinda see myself in them. I purchased her EP and will get her new albums when it arrives.

  16. bey fan February 21, 2014

    Mya is great dancer. She has some really good songs. Fear of Flying was my album. Now or Never… must have played that non-stop.

    Good luck….

  17. j February 21, 2014

    lol, yall said keri hilson was gonna replace ciara…but where is miss hilson? CiCi has her own lane whether yall want to accept it or not. 10 years in the game and she is still here!!

  18. nivea February 21, 2014

    i slightly forgot about mya, but after reading this interview, this chick is very smart, and she knows her shyt!!! she could really come thru!!!

    a real mya comeback would be bananas, if she has the right team & supports to back her, youtube her videography, this chick didn’t have it!

    ((NO SHADE)), but she was making videos with jay-z, before beyonce was even thought about!

  19. Tonya H. February 21, 2014

    I loved this interview! Mya is talented, intelligent, and humble. She speaks the truth about the industry, and I’d take her technical dancing over certain “booty poppers” any day! I wish her the best, and my favorite track from her latest EP is “Like A Woman”. She slayed over that guitar.

  20. YONCE AKA BEYONSLAY February 21, 2014

    MYA WON ME OVER WHEN SHE SLAYED AT JANET JACKSONS MTV ICON BACK IN 2000. IT WAS HER, USHER AND PINK DOES ANYONE ELSE REMEMBER? SHE WAS MUCH BETTER THAN WEAK ASS CIARA

  21. QueenCiCi February 21, 2014

    Cici made this chick irrelevant. She may have been able to dance better than her peers back in prehistoric times but theres no way she could hold a candle to Cici. “Goodies” killed Mya!!!

  22. LC February 21, 2014

    shes highly underrated

  23. Touché February 21, 2014

    Good for her. I always liked her. She was like a mini R&B Paula Abdul. I hope she does well this time around.

  24. Phoenix February 21, 2014

    Mya is the total package! She is effing perfect in every way and yet so humble! Anybody who has anything bad to say about her is simply hating… She is an amazing human being… I’d give her my kidney and even my heart (literally) if she ever needed it…
    I respect everyone’s freedom of speech/to speak but please tread lightly/careful with the insults!

  25. Junior in Jamaica February 21, 2014

    So happy you guys FINALLY feature Mya.

    She has been my favourite since “Ghetto Superstar”. Love her to bits…met her twice while she visited Jamaica and I will cherish those moments forever!

    She really needs a come back. Total package…versatile singer and dancer and she a very shrewd businesswoman. With the right team Mya can COME BACK!

  26. SEAN February 22, 2014

    IM A DIE HARDFANOF MYA. I HAVE ALL LBUM SINGLE AND VDEOS. SHES THE BEST AT WAT HE DOES AND NO ONE NO OE CAN TOUCH HER.

  27. FutureCIARA February 22, 2014

    She is suck a f****** sweetheart!!!!

    And im definitely one of the Loyal fans through the years that she spoke of!!

    #iLOVEMya

    Downloading that song now!

  28. Common Sense February 22, 2014

    I don’t know her.

  29. Phoenix February 22, 2014

    If you’re being genuine> she’s definitely worth knowing 🙂

    If you’re being sarcastic and an a***> it’s ok she doesn’t know you & it’s not her loss.

  30. Sundayluv February 22, 2014

    Mya please go hard and perfect everything. I know
    She will get left over material it’s just not fair. Fans are not loyal these days and need to be convinced to support. I say go with something fun original, undeniable, and out of the box. Good luck!

  31. MTG March 18, 2014
  32. get it March 18, 2014
  33. ADENECA April 28, 2014

    ADENECA IG :: Adenecamusic

  34. billy April 28, 2014

    yesss get them!!

  35. billy April 28, 2014

    im tryna let yall know whats hot in these streets!

  36. billy April 28, 2014

    cuz this time its real baby!!

  37. breakfast April 28, 2014

    yupp

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