R&B singer Mýa is set to release her tenth studio album and first full-length project in eight years on Friday. Titled Retrospect, the album is a vibrant collection of throwback bangers that weave together 1970s and 1980s Minneapolis funk, pop, R&B, and soul into a cheerful, nostalgic package.
A Look Back to Move Forward
To understand where Mýa is headed in 2026, one must look backward. In 2003, she released her third studio album, Moodring, which featured the track "Sophisticated Lady". Though not a single, it was noteworthy for its fresh take on Rick James' Cold-Blooded, a foray into funk music from an artist best known for midtempo slow jams. "I've given you all the baby-making music I can," she joked to the Associated Press, noting that the James cover offered something different—a sonic direction she had been waiting to fully explore.
The Road to Retrospect
During the pandemic, Mýa found solace in the music of her childhood—the sounds that filled living rooms, played on Soul Train, at roller rinks, and at cookouts. "Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the S.O.S. Band, Prince, Vanity 6, Teena Marie, Rick James, Evelyn 'Champagne' King, Mary Jane Girls, Patrice Rushen. The list goes on and on," she says. "That's also a part of the title, 'Retrospect.' It's not just retro leading into the '70s and '80s. It's about introspections as well."
These influences are evident throughout the album. On the opener "Give It To You," she borrows James' inflections on the word elated. In the West Coast funk track "Just a Little Bit", featuring Bay Area rapper Too $hort, an ad-lib recalls Michael Jackson's Remember the Time. The "whoo!" at the top of "No Pressure" is pure Teena Marie, while the big ballad "Just Call My Name" draws influence from Mýa's mentor, Prince, with its Purple Rain-style guitars.
Despite the rich source material, the album contains no samples. "Prince was very adamant about no samples, so I'm adhering to all of those rules," she explains. "I'm staying there in this independent journey."
A Joyful Creative Process
Digging through her influences has been restorative for Mýa. "I'm being reminded of all of the things that are embedded in my soul," she says. "There's so much stuff in here that I'm discovering comes from a specific place."
While eight years between albums might seem long, Mýa has been releasing singles regularly. For a full-length project, she saw value in taking her time. "I've actually revisited a few songs, of course, added features, remade songs, and I've taken different approaches for certain tracks as well with my production partner, MyGuyMars. We also remastered the whole album twice after remixing it. It's about when it's right and ready to our ears," she says. "It's kind of like serving a meal undercooked. You would never want to do that for your customers."
25 Years of Lady Marmalade
Looking to giants for inspiration is nothing new for Mýa. Her 1998 hit "Ghetto Supastar" with the Fugees' Pras Michel and Ol' Dirty Bastard offered a new take on Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers' Islands in the Stream. She also reflects on "Lady Marmalade," which became a hit in 1974 when recorded by Labelle. Mýa's 2001 reimagination, featuring Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, and Pink, was produced by Missy Elliott and Rockwilder for the film Moulin Rouge!. "We all are still here and still doing our individual things. It's something to be celebrated," she says. "And I am praying for a reunion, because I think it would be so incredible and emotional, of course, to see each other in one room, to squeeze each other, to work together."
All About Joy
For now, the focus is on Retrospect. "When I created this project, it was about joy first and foremost," Mýa emphasizes. "I want people, when they hear this album, to find themselves or be reminded of the simpler times—and then all those more introspective records to be jolting." This album, she says, is performance music, personality music, allowing fans to see another part of her personality—laid-back, fun, and fully enjoying life.
