Mya


Dancer, Singer

About

Also Known As
Mya Marie Harrison, Mya Harrison
Birth Place
United States
Born
October 10, 1979

Biography

A Grammy-winning singer and supporting film player, multi-talented Mya arrived at those high-profile fields after having already earned acclaim as a dancer during her teens. She born Mya Marie Harrison on Oct. 10, 1979, and raised in a suburb of Washington, DC, where she started dance lessons at four years old and joined the dance troupe, T.W.A. (Tappers With Attitude) at age 10. While a...

Biography

A Grammy-winning singer and supporting film player, multi-talented Mya arrived at those high-profile fields after having already earned acclaim as a dancer during her teens. She born Mya Marie Harrison on Oct. 10, 1979, and raised in a suburb of Washington, DC, where she started dance lessons at four years old and joined the dance troupe, T.W.A. (Tappers With Attitude) at age 10. While attending a workshop with renowned choreographer Savion Glover, Mya was invited to study at the Dance Theater of Harlem, where her ability for improvisation so impressed Glover that he showcased the 14-year-old in a solo performance at the Kennedy Center. As Mya's professional dance resume grew with appearances on the BET talk show "Teen Summit" (BET, 1989-2002), she began to explore her vocal skills and, under the supervision of her musician father, recorded a demo that landed her a record deal with Interscope Records at age 17. Her debut album, Mya (1998) sold 1.5 million copies and launched the top ten single, "It's All About Me," a duet with R&B artist Sisqo. She was tapped by hip-hopper Pras to appear on the Grammy-nominated hit single "Ghetto Superstar," while "Take Me There," recorded with Puff Daddy sidekick Mase, was used on the soundtrack for the animated "Rugrats Movie" (1998). The hot newcomer appeared onscreen herself that year "In Too Deep" (1999), a gangsta thriller starring Omar Epps and L.L. Cool J.

Maya's second studio effort, Fear of Flying (2000), earned her an R&B/Soul Album nomination from the Soul Train Music Awards and the dance-oriented single "Case of the Ex" hit number two on the Billboard charts. That hit was eclipsed the following year when Mya teamed with Pink, Lil' Kim and Christina Aguilera to re-remake the 1970s disco hit "Lady Marmalade" for the soundtrack of Baz Luhrman's "Moulin Rouge" (2001). One of the most popular singles of the year with sales of over five million, "Lady Marmalade" won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for all three singers. The following year, Mya gave a strong song and dance performance in the Cell Block Tango dance sequence in the Oscar-winning musical, "Chicago" (2002). Her third album, Moodring (2003), debuted at No. 3 on the charts, while Mya's acting career picked up with television guest appearances on "The Wayne Brady Show" (ABC, 2000-02) and "Missing" (Lifetime, 2003-06) as well as supporting film roles in "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" (2004), "Shall We Dance?" (2004) and "Cursed" (2004), Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson's youth-oriented werewolf thriller. Following a bumpy transition between management and record labels, Mya's 2007 album Sugar and Spice was released in Japan only, while her starring role in the direct-to-DVD romantic comedy "Love for Sale" (2008) and her appearance as a contestant on the reality talent show "Dancing with the Stars" (ABC, 2004-) marked a change in career paths.

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

Bermuda Tentacles (2014)
The Heart Specialist (2008)
Cover (2008)
How She Move (2007)
Cursed (2005)
Shall We Dance (2004)
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
Volcano High (2003)
Voice
In Too Deep (1999)

Music (Feature Film)

Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
Song Performer
A Cinderella Story (2004)
Song Performer
Biker Boyz (2003)
Song
Atlantis: the Lost Empire (2001)
Song Performer
Legally Blonde (2001)
Song Performer
The Rugrats Movie (1998)
Song Performer
Bulworth (1998)
Song Performer

Cast (Special)

The 2003 MTV Movie Awards (2003)
Real Access: Hot 24 in 2004 (2003)
2003 Vibe Awards: Beats, Style, Flavor (2003)
The 2003 MTV Video Music Awards (2003)
MTV Bash (2003)
Maxim Hot 100 (2003)
3rd Annual BET Awards (2003)
The Disco Ball (2003)
A Home for the Holidays (2003)
Performer
I Love the '80s (2002)
The 44th Annual Grammy Awards (2002)
Performer
The 28th Annual American Music Awards (2001)
Presenter
The 2001 Teen Choice Awards (2001)
Performer
The 15th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (2001)
Host
An American Celebration at Ford's Theatre (2001)
The 2001 MTV Video Music Awards (2001)
Presenter
The 2001 MTV Movie Awards (2001)
Performer
MTV Icon: Janet Jackson (2001)
The 43rd Annual Grammy Awards (2001)
Presenter
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration (2001)
Fashionably Loud 2000 (2000)
Teen People's 25 Hottest Stars Under 25 (2000)
13th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (1999)
Performer
Teen People's 21 Hottest Stars Under 21 (1999)
30th NAACP Image Awards (1999)
Presenter
The 1998 MTV Video Music Awards (1998)
Performer
The 4th Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards (1998)
Performer

Music (Special)

Lifetime's 4th Annual Women Rock! Songs From The Movies (2003)
Song Performer
Maxim Hot 100 (2003)
Song Performer
Spike TV Presents GQ Men of the Year Awards 2003 (2003)
Song Performer
The 44th Annual Grammy Awards (2002)
Song Performer
The 15th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (2001)
Song Performer
An American Celebration at Ford's Theatre (2001)
Song Performer
The 2001 MTV Movie Awards (2001)
Song Performer

Life Events

1996

Appeared as a hip-hop dancer on the TV show "Teen Summit" on the BET Network

1998

Collaborated with Ol' Dirty Bastard on Pras' hit, "Ghetto Superstar"; was featured on the "Bulworth" soundtrack

1999

Made acting debut in the film "In Too Deep," starring LL Cool J and Omar Epps

2000

Released second album, <i>Fear of Flying</i>, which featured collaborations with Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopez, Wyclef Jean, and Swizz Beatz

2001

Collaborated with Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim and Pink on a remake of Labelle's "Lady Marmalade" for the "Moulin Rouge!" soundtrack

2002

Co-starred in the Academy Award-winning film, "Chicago," as a murderess named Mona in the Cell Block Tango dance number

2003

Released her third studio album, <i>Moodring</i>

2004

Had supporting roles in "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" and "Shall We Dance?"

2005

Left her management and A&M Records and signed with Motown Records

2005

Joined the cast of Wes Craven's "Cursed"

2007

Played an AIDS victim in the small independent film, "Cover"

2008

Left Motown and singed with the Japanese label, Manhattan Records; released her fifth studio album, <i>Sugar & Spice</i>

2009

Joined the ninth season of ABC's reality series "Dancing with the Stars" as a competitor

Family

Sherman Harrison
Father
Musician, singer. African-American; divorced from Mya's mother c. 1998.
Theresa Harrison
Mother
Accountant. Of Italian-American descent; divorced from Mya's father c. 1998.
Chad Harrison
Brother
Born c. 1982.
Nigel Harrison
Brother
Born c. 1990.

Bibliography