When the sassy, dancing firebrand from Washington, DC first hit the scene on the heels of Dru Hill fame in 1996, she wasn’t entirely taken credibly as a serious R&B artist, despite nailing a major R&B hit right out the gate with “Movin’ On.” More likely to be named in the same breath as Ashanti than Mariah, the initially dismissed “studio artist” gained industry and audience credibility brick by brick by starring in the smash film Chicago, being a featured member of the legendary Grammy-winning collaboration that covered Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” in 2002, and finally landing a gold album with Moodring in 2003 driven by the Missy Elliott produced, Top 20 pop hit, “My Love is Like…Wo,” and the Top 40 R&B radio hit, “Fallen.” A bevy of indie films, TV, and stage roles, as well as a lucrative Ford Modeling Agency contract, followed in the years subsequent to Mya’s departure from Motown Records.
When the sassy, dancing firebrand from Washington, DC first hit the scene on the heels of Dru Hill fame in 1996, she wasn’t entirely taken credibly as a serious R&B artist, despite nailing a major R&B hit right out the gate with “Movin’ On.” More likely to be named in the same breath as Ashanti than Mariah, the initially dismissed “studio artist” gained industry and audience credibility brick by brick by starring in the smash film Chicago, being a featured member of the legendary Grammy-winning collaboration that covered Labelle’s “Lady Marmalade” in 2002, and finally landing a gold album with Moodring in 2003 driven by the Missy Elliott produced, Top 20 pop hit, “My Love is Like…Wo,” and the Top 40 R&B radio hit, “Fallen.” A bevy of indie films, TV, and stage roles, as well as a lucrative Ford Modeling Agency contract, followed in the years subsequent to Mya’s departure from Motown Records. Additionally, Mya released a series of less impactful mixtapes and Japan-only releases that failed to make a significant impact in the marketplace even as Mya’s skills as a singer, songwriter, and producer grew by leaps and bounds to the reception of smaller audiences.
Now 20 years into the game, Mya proves herself a soul survivor who’s still standing far longer than anyone anticipated when she was a teen crooning about how she “wears a size four.” A listen to the “Unplugged” and “Ol’ Skool Joint” versions of “One Man Woman” illustrates why Mya is not only still around, but also has something substantive to say about love, loyalty, and relationships in ways that coyly caress the ear. A good ol’ fashioned declaration of love and devotion is almost subversive these days in popular urban music, but on much of Smoove Jones, Mya’s eighth release, the singer is singing her more mature age and classic influences. That Mya passionately and skillfully delivers the message in both lead and background vocals in a still finely tuned mezzo-soprano further illustrates why the gifted artist is still here two decades in with hopefully many more to come. With talent, tenacity, and undeniable growth it seems Mya really has "moved on" to something greater.
By L. Michael Gipson
Mya - "One Man Woman"