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Mya’s In The House
She’ll get substantial help from House of Blues venues, which will host most of her concerts on an 11-day outing, kicking off March 21 at the club in West Hollywood.
Mya will also stop House of Blues clubs in Anaheim; Las Vegas; Chicago; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; and Lake Buena Vista, Fla.; in addition to the Paramount Theatre in Denver and Michigan’s Royal Oak Music Hall.
The Washington, D.C., native was raised to be a dancer, getting her start while in her pre-teens with the dance troupe T.W.A. (Tappers With Attitude). She left the outfit to move to New York City to study with the famed Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Under the tutelage of “Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk” choreographer Savion Glover, she eventually earned a slot performing solo at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Mya’s father – a professional musician – also helped nurture her musical talent, shopped around demo tapes for his child prodigy. She had landed a contract with Interscope Records by the time she was 18.
With the help of mentors like Wyclef Jean, Mya released her eponymous debut in 1998 and toured with Boyz II Men, and Puff Daddy & the Family that year. 1999 saw her hold down spots on Nickelodeon’s All That And More caravan as well as Lilith Fair.
She released her second album, Fear of Flying, last April. Marked by a more mature sound with the help of collaborators such as Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC, Jadakiss, and Wyclef Jean, the disc and tour seem to signal the Mya is in fact ready to fly on her own.