FLY MYA AIRIn 1998, when Mya first arrived on the scene, she dazzled audiences by being both shy and sexy in the videos, "It's All About Me" and "Movin' On." Now she adds sassy and maturity to the list. The native diva of Maryland flirts now and have love affairs with men [so her new biography says]. She introduces, on April 25th, her brand new and grooving album entitled Fear Of Flying.
Gene: What is your puppy's name?
Mya: Rambo. (Her new and very demanding eight-months-old Rottweiler).
Gene: Rambo the Rottweiler.
Mya: Yep.
Gene: You needed a puppy?
Mya: I don't know. I don't need anything except food and shelter. (Laughs) But I love dogs. She was a gift. I take her everywhere I go.
Gene: What does Fear Of Flying mean to you?
Mya: Fear of failure, fear of success. The fear of love and life. Fearing the unknown, especially and "Flying" is just a metaphor. We don't know if our plane is going to land.
Gene: Would it be right to say your biggest fears?
Mya: I think it's things I've overcome. The album is about ups and downs, you know, fear of turbulence. You crash sometimes and you burn, but you have to get back up and do it again. (Pauses) I'm currently reading "Fear Of Flying," a book by Erica Jong.
Gene: A lot of people are defining your first single, "The Best Of Me" in different ways. But what does it mean to you?
Mya: "The Best Of Me" is what works for you at a particularly moment in time. And setting a standard for yourself by what you will fall for and what you stand for because if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything. You all know that saying. As a female, what if I'm really feeling this guy? What if something goes down? Am I ready to fall in love? Or could I end up pregnant? (Laughs) Yo, I'm trying to be an independent woman out here. I'm not trying to get caught up. I don't know his last name. Although his hand is on my thigh and it feels real good right now, but what about after? Stuff like that.
Gene: At the end of the video, when the camera's under you, what is that move about?
Mya: Oh. (Laughs) And I'm grabbing my crotch?
Gene: Yeah and you're doing something with your face like uh, uh!
Mya: Oh, you didn't like that, huh?
Gene: I'm not saying I didn't like it. I'm just trying to understand it.
Mya: I have no idea. It's just the way I felt at that moment. And it's one of my favorite shots.
Gene: So what does a guy have to do to really get the best of you?
Mya: (Laughs and chuckles) What do you mean by the best of me? What do you think the best of me is?
Gene: You know, the best of you.
Mya: Well, what a guy would have to do is
be himself and I'll make the decision. (Laughs)
Gene: Okay.
Mya: (Laughs) I mean I could tell you what attracts me to a guy. And what I find nice in a guy.
Gene: And what's that?
Mya: I really, really feel strongly about a guy who knows himself, appreciates life and has a sense of humor. Of course, I think attraction--it's always about the physical in the beginning.
Gene: You have a song on your album named "Pussycats."
Mya: It's a message to fast girls or fast guys that just (Laughs) likes sex maybe.
Gene: Have you ever been a fast girl at one point?
Mya: Um, actually, I'm really slow. I'm really behind. (Laughs) It's just an extension of "The Best Of Me." If I had given someone the best of me. (Laughs)
Gene: I think I'm going to start saying that too. The best of me. It's like a good phrase to say.
Mya: (Laughs)
Gene: Do you have any favorites on the album?
Mya: It really depends on what mood I'm in. But one that stays in my mind is "Lie Detector." You always want the truth even when it hurts. You do want to hear that you did a bad show instead of hearing you did great. "Lie Detector" is also about a pill that you slip in somebody's drink. (Giggles) And they'll start telling the truth about everything.
Gene: I have always read in articles that you are shy, but this conversation and recent pictures of you beg to differ.
Mya: I've grown up, but not grown up enough that people could say I've been corrupted. You know how people say she had a taste of this and a taste of that so she's not innocent anymore? And I recently shot with this photographer, the best of the best, David LaChapelle. He likes to do a lot of far out stuff.
Gene: He's really good.
Mya: Sometimes you try certain things and you don't like them, but they are all ready in print. For example, I cropped the album cover because it was focused on my body. I didn't like it. It wasn't capturing.
Gene: I hear you play the violin. Did you get a chance to play it on the new album?
Mya: I didn't. (Laughs) I played guitar on another song that didn't go on the album. It might appear in concert or on the third album.
Gene: Or maybe on a maxi-single or something.
Mya: Yeah.
Gene: Good luck with the new album.
Mya: Thank you.
Gene: I hope you sell 10 million copies.
Mya: Oh, wow! Thank you. That was nice. (Laughs)