Mya

Mýa Marie Harrison (born October 10, 1979), professionally known as Mýa or Mýa Harrison, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, actress, record producer, dancer, choreographer, model, activist, and philanthropist. The daughter of an R&B singer, Mya displayed an early talent for dance and was enrolled in classes by the age of two. A detour towards music in the form of violin lessons took place around the age of eight, but in 1992 she was back on the dance floor as a member of T.W.A. (Tappers With Attitude). Eventually, she travelled to New York to study at the Dance Theater of Harlem under Savion Glover, who would give her a solo showcase during the group's Kennedy Center performance. By the age of 15 her abilities as a vocalist had become evident to her father, who encouraged his daughter to develop these skills and distributed her demo tapes in an attempt to generate interest. Due to his efforts, a contract with University Music was secured the following year. A two-year development period preceeded the release of her eponymous debut on the Interscope label in 1998. With help from Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Missy Elliott and Dru Hill, the album attained platinum status and featured three top 10 singles; her popularity was further supplemented by contributions that same year to the soundtracks of Bulworth and The Rugrats Movie. In 1999 she would make the inevitable graduation from appearances on soundtracks to appearances in the films themselves with a minor role in the crime thriller In Too Deep. With her sophomore release Fear of Flying, Mya made a move towards a more adult style of music, bringing her own songwriting efforts to the fore. Extensive touring was undertaken to support the album, which -- repeating the pattern established with her first album -- would eventually give rise to three popular singles, including the top 5 song Case Of The Ex (Whatcha Gonna Do). Her 2001 participation in the remake of Lady Marmalade for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack (alongside fellow sirens Pink and Christina Aguilera, as well as former collaborator Missy Elliot) would bring her visibility up another several notches, earning her both a number one single and a Grammy award. After Fear of Flying Mya spent a period focusing on her film career, displaying both her acting and dancing skills in the Academy Award-winning musical Chicago(2002). Moodring, her third album, surfaced in 2003, featuring appearances by two of her Lady Marmalade cohorts Missy Elliot and Pink, and input from Timbaland and Sean Paul, amongst numerous others. In addition to her own headlining tours, the album was supported by a featured spot in the female-centered Lilith Fair festival. Another dance-oriented film role was undertaken for the 2004 sequel to Dirty Dancing, Havana Nights.