Mýa Harrison

Mýa Harrison

Mya Marie Harrison (; born October 10, 1979; stylized as Mýa) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. Classified as a "triple threat," she has become a staple in pop cultural zeitgeist across genres, platforms, and mediums around the world. Born and raised in Washington D.C. metropolitan area, as a child she studied ballet, jazz, and tap. She began her career as a television personality and dance posse member on BET's Teen Summit. After developing an interest in music and nurturing her craft, she was discovered by CEO A. Haqq Islam. In April 1998, she released her eponymous debut album, a smooth R&B song cycle about love and growing up. A critical and commercial success, the album produced her first U.S. top ten single "It's All About Me." Her collaborative efforts – "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)" and "Take Me There" continued to raise her profile and attained chart success worldwide. Released April 2000, Fear of Flying, her second studio album presented a much more mature sound and image. Supported by singles – "The Best of Me," "Case of the Ex," and "Free," – Fear of Flying became a worldwide success. In 2001, Mya recorded "Lady Marmalade" with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, and Pink. A colorful cover of Labelle classic, it topped the charts globally and won a Grammy in the category of Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2002.Taking a more active role in the production of her music, Harrison took full creative control of her third studio album, Moodring (2003). Instrumental in all creative aspects, she's credited as a co-writer, co-producer and served as executive producer. It produced two charting singles – "My Love Is Like...Wo" and "Fallen" and attained gold status by the Recording Industry Association of America.Following a label change, her fourth studio album Liberation (2007) encountered numerous obstacles before, during, and after its making. Amid the leak of her album in Japan, she was advised by her legal team to go the independent route. In 2008, under the mentorship of J. Prince, Mya established her own label, Planet 9. Her fifth and sixth studio albums Sugar & Spice (2008) and K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) (2011), her most pop and club oriented album to date catered to the Japanese music market. In between time, she competed in Dancing with the Stars – season nine; finishing second place in the competition.Now an independent artist on a full-time basis, Harrison continues to regularly release music. Beginning in 2014, she released a trio of R&B–rooted EPs, With Love (2014), Sweet XVI (2014), and Love Elevation Suite (2015). In 2016, she released her seventh studio album, the critically acclaim Grammy-nominated Smoove Jones. The follow-up, T.K.O. (The Knock Out), arrived in April 2018 to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of her debut album. Aside from music, Mya ventured into acting across film, television, broadway, and gaming. She made her cinematic feature film debut in crime thriller In Too Deep (1999). Following her debut, she has appeared in minor or supporting roles in films and television series such as Chicago (2002), Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004), Shall We Dance? (2004), 1-800-Missing (2004), NCIS (2005), Cursed (2005), Girls Cruise (2019), and House Party (2023). Harrison has sold 3.2 million albums in the U.S., 7 million albums worldwide, and 20 million records worldwide. Her accolades include a grammy, a Screen Actor Guild Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award and two MTV Video Music Awards. For 2000s decade, Billboard named her one of their Hot 100 Artists of the 2000s.

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