Around the turn of the century, an influx of new pop sensations made their way into the collective consciousness in a blaze of boob tubes, bell-bottoms and tilted hats.
One such performer was Mýa Marie Harrison – known mononymously by her forename – who cemented a place on 2000s nostalgia playlists to come thanks to the biting ‘Case Of The Ex’ and an appearance as part of the ensemble cast reworking ‘Lady Marmalade’ for the Moulin Rouge soundtrack, alongside Pink, Christina Aguilera and Lil’ Kim.
Harrison was barely out of her teens at the height of her popularity, having originally been discovered at the tender age of 16. This inevitably leaves one wondering how the former major label pop star navigates the music from her past at age 37, long after her initial spotlight faded away.
“I own every song that I’ve put out,” Harrison says. “Everything I’ve said in any song I’ve sung – even stuff that was written for me – resonates with me now. I make it my own. It comes from a real place, whether it was three years ago or 18 years ago. It means so much more, because when you live life you experience all these different things. I am more of a woman onstage now, and that surfaces more now than when I was a teenager. The things I talk about in my songs – I’ve actually lived it. I’m better as a person and as an artist for that. Nothing is choreographed or directed by someone else. Everything’s just natural.”
For those unaware, Harrison has spent the last seven years working as an independent artist. As the head of her own label, Planet 9, she has released several EPs, mixtapes and albums – including Smoove Jones, her seventh studio album, which was released on Valentine’s Day this year. Despite an influx of recent activity, Mýa still constantly finds herself part of various ‘whatever happened to…’ listicles and online galleries. Although she understands how these things happen, her primary goal is to focus on getting her new music out there.
“Initially, it was hard for me to digest,” she confesses. “You have to understand that I’m doing all of this without radio support or television support – which is very expensive, by the way. Major labels take care of all of that sort of thing. People always get this idea that you’ve quit – they’ll ask, ‘Are you married now? How many kids do you have?’ None of it’s true, of course. It just comes down to perception – out of sight, out of mind. The reality is that I’ve been working harder now than ever before. Rather than get angry at anyone who approaches me and asks me where I’ve been, I just pull a CD out of my purse and give it to them. I know it comes from a good place – they hit me up on Instagram or Twitter the next day and they’re loving what I’ve shown them. I’m glad to have them back!”
Since Harrison’s independent detour, another generation of pop artists have made themselves known in the 2010s. Among them are a myriad of young women who were likely in their tweens or even younger when ‘Case Of The Ex’ was the number one song in the world. When asked if she sees herself in any contemporary pop singers, Harrison avoids naming names. Rather, she empathises with their scenario – noting, in particular, that the ride doesn’t stop once you’ve dropped off the charts.
“I know what it’s like to be unsure of who you are as a very young woman, as a teenager, watching the world watch you,” she says. “I see that among many females, and it’s a long journey. You have to give yourself patience. I’m in my 30s, but I’m still growing. It’s an ever-evolving process. You have to be very careful in the world of celebrity and pop music, especially in relation to promoting something – as far as your personal life goes, you have to learn to separate the two. This career holds a lot of responsibility, and that’s something that you might not even be aware of at such a young age. The image that you project has the potential to change some young person’s life forever.”
This week sees Harrison returning to Australia as a part of the RnB Fridays tour, which has sold out arenas across the country. In addition, she will be performing as part of a triple-header bill that features her tour mates in Blackstreet and 112. Along with veterans like Nelly and TLC making appearances, it’s guaranteed to be one of the biggest parties to hit the country in a long time – and Harrison could not be happier to be returning.
“It’s going to be a bit like a family reunion for a lot of us,” she says. “Some of us have actually toured together and worked together in the past, so it’s going to be great to see everyone. All of the acts on the bill are such great performers – to share the stage with them is truly such a treat for me. I finally made it out about four or five years ago, and we had a ball. Every time I’ve come back, it’s been even better. I’m really looking forward to this run.”
RnB Fridays, featuring Mýa,Nelly, TLC, 112, Blackstreet and more, is on atQudos Bank Arena onFriday November 18. Mýa also performs atRnB Live, Enmore Theatre, Wednesday November 23, before the tour heads to the Evan Theatre Panthers onThursday November 24.Smoove Jonesis out now through Planet 9.
