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Mya Breaks Down 25 Years in Music 🎤 BET Awards Exclusive! | SWAY’S UNIVERSE
Jun 18, 2025
🎤 Grammy-winning R&B icon Mya joins Sway In The Morning for an exclusive interview as she celebrates 25 years in music! Fresh off her captivating BET Awards performance, Mya reflects on her incredible career, from her early days at 106 & Park to running her own indie label, Planet 9. She opens up about the highs and lows of the music industry, her transition to independence, and what it takes to thrive in a constantly evolving landscape. Mya also discusses her new singles, "Face to Face" and "Give It To You," revealing the creative inspiration behind her music and her commitment to keeping her lyrics intentional and impactful. From her love for the stage to the lessons learned from her parents’ influence, Mya shares how she stays grounded and continues to inspire fans worldwide. Plus, hear her thoughts on female camaraderie in the industry, the business behind the music, and her dream cast for a modern-day "Lady Marmalade." Don’t miss this insightful and uplifting conversation that celebrates a true music legend. Subscribe for more exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and the best of entertainment only on Sway’s Universe! 🌟 #betawards #entertainmentindustry #nostalgia #blackmusicmonth #musiccareer #betawards #celebritynews #blackmusicmonth #classic #myamusiccareer CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Mya Returns to the Show 01:36 - Mya's Financial Responsibility 06:27 - Mya on Female Friendships in the Industry 10:15 - Impact of "Lady Marmalade" on Music 10:41 - Mya's 2025 Version of "Lady Marmalade" 11:51 - Mya's New Music Releases 15:56 - What Keeps Mya Grounded in the Industry
View Video Transcript
0:00
[Applause]
0:00
ladies and gentlemen I wanted to play
0:03
that clip
0:05
um that was from the BET performance we
0:07
just saw earlier this week mike Muse BET
0:10
celebrating 25 years yes sir i was
0:13
excited to watch that from my couch cuz
0:16
25 years ago I would have been watching
0:18
that from you know from a carpet you
0:21
know of actually working 25 years ago
0:23
was actually when I started at MTV as
0:27
well and this era of music uh started to
0:31
manifest and there were a few key
0:33
players who have now we found out stood
0:36
the test of time that were instrumental
0:38
in that and one of those key players
0:40
when you think of these times and not
0:42
just 25 years ago but also today someone
0:45
that you feel comfort in whenever you
0:47
see her hit the stage whenever you hear
0:50
her in a song you could play her music
0:52
anywhere uh under any circumstance you
0:56
do not have to you know censor her music
0:59
you do not have to censor her
1:00
performances and that's been a common
1:02
thread in her success and she's here
1:05
today she has a new single we just
1:07
played face to face uh she has her own
1:09
indie label Planet Nine she's a Grammy
1:12
award-winning artist and she's won
1:13
plenty of other awards and I always like
1:15
having her here the one and only Maya
1:18
has returned ladies and gentlemen Maya
1:21
has returned what's happened what's up
1:24
Maya how you feel so good to be back yes
1:27
yes i feel wonderful it's been a while
1:29
since you've been on the show but Yeah
1:31
right you've been non-stop though yeah a
1:34
blessing maya you don't get a break of
1:37
course I do do I take breaks when When
1:40
do you take breaks in between
1:43
i'll work in a day off if it's a nice
1:45
location you know yeah you take Okay in
1:47
between got to live too you got to live
1:50
but you know I feel like part of what's
1:52
living for you is being on that stage
1:54
and seeing you at the BET Awards B2K
1:58
came back Kesha Cole Ashanti came back a
2:02
Marie came back 106 and Park was
2:04
celebrating 25 years it's just amazing
2:08
you were a key component to his success
2:10
you you were a pillar in the 106 Park
2:13
Rise you along with a few others what
2:15
was that experience like for you oh wow
2:17
very nostalgic musically obviously I'm a
2:20
fan of all the artists that performed
2:23
and the journey was marked 25 years
2:25
later you don't think that far when
2:28
you're in the moment um Yeah right as a
2:31
recording artist performer etc and it
2:33
flies by because you love what you do
2:35
and here we are and here we are right
2:37
it's a privilege to do music yeah talk
2:40
about that it is a privilege because in
2:43
and it's a commitment it is absolutely a
2:46
commitment in the business of music if
2:48
you want to get to the fun because it's
2:50
really 90% business and 10% art right
2:54
but it's it's worth it and I really love
2:57
the stage i haven't stopped touring
2:59
except for in 2020 obviously during the
3:01
pandemic but there were so many
3:03
platforms that were birthed so I I do
3:05
live like you said on the stage and my
3:07
father is a a performer he's still on
3:10
stage every weekend every week gigging
3:12
traveling and rehearsing and that's how
3:15
I grew up so shout out to my dad shout
3:17
out to your dad happy Father's Day too
3:19
man right on time happy Father's Day you
3:21
had a U dad that was active in your
3:23
career your childhood everything yeah
3:26
both parents were very active uh my dad
3:28
was the first influence musically my mom
3:31
was my first dance teacher seamstress
3:34
everything and she's also been my
3:35
accountant uh since 1998 okay watching
3:39
the books she hasn't stolen any money
3:41
from you or nothing it wouldn't be
3:43
called stealing if she did she owes
3:45
every She earns and is owed every penny
3:50
you know she she keeps me straight in so
3:52
many levels and really holds the fort
3:54
down i think that's dope because you
3:56
hear so many horror stories of mama
3:59
jurors and father jurors parents who
4:01
come into their kids' business and that
4:04
didn't happen for y'all is it hard to
4:06
have tough conversations about business
4:08
with your mom well you know there's a
4:10
lot of things as an independent artist
4:11
that hey you're financially responsible
4:14
for uhhuh so when it's time to invest I
4:17
always check with her to make sure it's
4:19
a safe space safe place you know I'm
4:22
very very uh practical in my living and
4:24
always living below my means just
4:26
because we don't know how the world is
4:28
going to turn out the next day
4:29
especially these times and it's always a
4:32
constant investment there's a lot of
4:34
overhead on touring uh anything that you
4:37
do showing up anywhere requires hair
4:39
makeup flights wardrobe etc etc etc the
4:42
fees are non-stop but there's always a
4:45
return you know when you put in the work
4:47
but I always check with her when it's a
4:48
big chunk of change that I'm about to
4:50
spend uhhuh you got to check with your
4:52
mama right yeah absolutely this is
4:55
interesting maya is here and and we just
4:57
played your new single you know you got
4:59
a couple new singles uh face to face and
5:02
I love hearing your conversation how
5:04
it's evolved over the years cuz business
5:06
always it just falls out of your mouth
5:09
you know it's not just about
5:10
entertainment you you always comment on
5:12
the business at what stage though at
5:15
what album did the business become more
5:18
prominent more of a priority to you h I
5:21
started to learn the business by my
5:22
third album the third album okay that
5:25
was Moo Ring was that Moon Ring mr 2003
5:29
okay on the road and and doing all of
5:31
the accounting and
5:34
learning how to manage yeah and then
5:36
also cut down on studio time costs so
5:38
that's the year that I learned how to
5:40
start engineering so that I could begin
5:42
to record my own albums and vocals and
5:45
not wait for a budget to open up
5:48
tracy you go "Wow." But you know this is
5:51
this is the other side of Maya i like
5:53
you know I love the entertainer i love
5:55
the artist um I love the person that's
5:59
been committed the uh on your journey
6:02
but I love hearing you talk about what
6:04
happens behind the scenes you know how
6:06
the money works because we hear so many
6:08
sad stories now nowadays about different
6:11
contracts that people have signed right
6:13
and streaming how streaming pays and
6:16
does not pay but to see you survive
6:18
through all of this and thrive and
6:20
thrive not just survive but thrive
6:22
maya's here tracy tracy's all the way in
6:25
New York hey Maya hi Tracy my dear it is
6:29
so good to Oh my gosh the most mutual of
6:31
feelings and you just captivated all of
6:34
our attention at the BET Awards as you
6:37
have always freaking done you were just
6:39
a mesmerizing sight and sound and I have
6:42
just adored you for pretty much my
6:45
entire existence so thank you Maya you
6:47
are a muse of mine I must say um this is
6:51
what I'm wondering because when I also
6:53
think about behind the scenes is really
6:56
unfortunate that what what a lot of
6:58
women have to endure within the industry
7:01
is competition folks for some reason not
7:04
being able to balance like multiple
7:06
women being able to um stand on high
7:09
podiums right and be talented and I feel
7:12
like friendship is really really
7:14
important to be able to sustain in any
7:18
business because when you are beloved by
7:20
the world the irony is sometimes you can
7:23
wonder who really can you trust right
7:26
who has ulterior motives and right now
7:29
what I've noticed is a lot of um female
7:32
artists they do have different bonds i
7:34
think about like a Siza and a Lizo or
7:37
even more on um a pop side of a Taylor
7:41
Swift and a Sabrina Carpenter have you
7:45
been able in the past and even today
7:49
form friendships with your peers and
7:51
what does that absolutely how does that
7:54
support you right now absolutely i have
7:57
so many friends from both genders and
8:00
transgenders gays all of that we work
8:03
together and I believe that teamwork
8:06
makes the dream work but also artists
8:08
actors etc musicians producers the list
8:12
goes on and and we've been tight
8:14
songwriters uh for over 27 years and
8:18
then obviously there are some other
8:20
people that are new in my life but um I
8:22
think things reveal themselves about
8:25
folks and people um in time and so as
8:30
long as you stay grounded in your
8:31
spirituality and what your truth is
8:34
everything reveals itself so it is easy
8:37
to walk in fear and and be protective
8:40
and guard yourself as you should uh and
8:43
some things you can smell from a mile
8:45
away of course but also when we're
8:48
talking business obviously
8:49
confidentiality is important because you
8:52
don't know who's going to steal a song
8:53
concept a title lyrics so of course
8:58
guarding uh what you've invested in is
9:00
one of my number one rules in this day
9:03
and age when things can happen overnight
9:06
uh so yes I'm protected to a certain
9:08
measure but I also allow people to just
9:12
show me who they are and it goes both
9:15
ways and walking in fear also is very
9:18
hindering so uh I I like to move forward
9:24
in in trust and and just sculping things
9:27
out with caution yes me me and Mike are
9:30
falling in love with your voice it's so
9:33
early no it's I was just like yes
9:37
something like keep talking
9:41
meditation right now and stealing and
9:43
yes stealing is divine feminine that's
9:46
how I think is that what that is yeah I
9:49
kept my morning voice i want to go to
9:52
bed i kept leaning further into the
9:54
counter i start looking for my pacifier
9:57
i was Oh my gosh you need to be burning
9:59
talking you know what i try my best you
10:03
know what I'm saying but there's so many
10:04
thoughts when you different scenarios
10:07
all the time so it just depends i think
10:10
I uh Go ahead SW well well go ahead go
10:13
ahead you go for it go for it well Ammo
10:15
thank you so much for sharing all of
10:17
that wisdom in such a a soft way such a
10:20
gorgeous way it also makes me think
10:22
about the the impact of lay lady
10:25
Marmalade you know and how especially
10:28
visually it almost like signed this
10:31
permission slip like yo we can get
10:33
together we're stronger together you
10:36
know female camaraderie is a thing if
10:38
you were tasked with doing a 2025
10:43
version of Lady Marmalade
10:46
what three artists of today would you
10:48
have join you oh wow oh there's so many
10:51
to choose from i mean it would probably
10:54
be more than four artists for me there
10:57
would be an all ladies version there
10:59
would be an all LGBTQ version there
11:01
would be all of that um and obviously
11:04
respect to Patty Leel and the Blue Bells
11:07
the originators
11:09
but let me see ariana Grande
11:12
grande that's correct pronunciation okay
11:14
that's good okay um let's see doat
11:20
wow damn
11:23
the ladies are fierce out here excited
11:25
right there me too scissor i can go on
11:28
and on can we throw Ari Linux in there
11:30
can we thri okay okay so many Victoria
11:33
Monae they all have pizzazz tan they can
11:36
dance they can sing they can act and
11:38
musicianship
11:40
um and flare performers
11:42
so yeah there's so many though to choose
11:44
from i love that
11:47
maya is here 8887423345
11:51
she has new music out too by the way
11:53
face to face is one of the songs we just
11:54
played give it to you is another song
11:57
right yes give it to you is for the
11:59
summer that's for the summer you you
12:01
talk about in that song and Mike I'm
12:03
going to let you let you get um get
12:06
involved with this but I love the lyrics
12:08
to your music thank you you know even in
12:10
Give It to You you say I'm a classy girl
12:13
right and
12:15
and I I I like to believe that the
12:18
lyrics aren't there just because they
12:19
rhyme like I feel like you your lyrics
12:22
always have intent and purpose behind it
12:25
right more now than ever before okay um
12:29
absolutely i think studying on tour and
12:32
seeing what fans resonate with is very
12:35
important to me knowing that you can
12:37
make an impact uh but it can be fun and
12:41
joyful it can be uplifting and elevating
12:43
but it can also be a tearjerker and
12:45
really really introspective so I take
12:47
all of those things and in between into
12:49
consideration when I'm in the studio and
12:52
sometimes I'm just pulling from a place
12:53
of wishful thinking imagination you know
12:56
manifestation all these things uh
12:59
because
13:01
there's a plethora of options and then
13:03
we do different acts or sets within my
13:06
show but that direct connection social
13:09
media what my fans that have grown up
13:12
with me or supporters have grown up with
13:14
me are experiencing in life right now
13:17
all of that and then sometimes I just
13:19
write for me because it's just flowing
13:21
but um Give it to you starts with you
13:24
know I'm a classy lady but I just got to
13:26
keep it real y So there's a transition
13:29
in there because I'm about to say some
13:30
stuff that's not my normal self keep
13:34
going with the lyrics it don't stop
13:36
there and then look at me and Mike while
13:38
you say it you know what I mean you walk
13:41
by I get so elated mhm
13:46
just act like you think that you should
13:48
know the deal you know what I'm saying
13:50
cuz I'm about to step to this guy and
13:52
it's not really my
13:55
you know nature to do that but this one
13:57
instance and say "All right I'm going to
13:59
step outside of myself i'm classy with
14:02
it but I think you should know because I
14:04
can't resist or hold back anymore you
14:07
you ever stepped to a guy can you recall
14:10
a time where you where you were the
14:12
aggressor and when you know hey
14:15
can you pass me the salt or what you
14:16
know what was your h
14:19
I think I've just been kind of laidback
14:21
in the cut i don't remember i think I've
14:23
paid a compliment okay but I haven't you
14:26
know okay you haven't like entertained
14:29
you know yeah so if you say to like Mike
14:32
got a nice chain on and that matches his
14:35
ensemble so you might say hey that's a
14:37
nice ensemble you go guy and then if and
14:40
if he picked up on that can we practice
14:43
that so it's on tape yeah give me
14:45
example Maya that's Mike mike men on
14:48
their skin just very very complimenting
14:51
things uplifting but I've never
14:53
entertained like let's go out on a date
14:55
i'm feeling you what's your number none
14:57
of none of that okay that's what I'm
14:59
asking yeah
15:02
Mike so Mike you got nice skin but go
15:04
mike got something for you too
15:08
maya we wanted to present you with some
15:09
flowers here today beautiful spring
15:12
things
15:14
let's give you your flowers literally
15:15
and figuratively there you go so your
15:18
career your journey all that you
15:20
contributed to the soundtrack of our
15:22
lives we wanted to give you real flowers
15:24
come on thank you amazing yeah because
15:26
you really were the soundtrack when I
15:28
think about you it's so interesting like
15:30
sophomore college Mike right now is
15:32
amazed that I'm sitting next to you you
15:34
were the soundtrack of my summer
15:36
internship that I did in Motorola in
15:39
Phoenix Arizona and me and my intern
15:41
crew we listened and rocked out to you
15:44
so hard during that time period and so I
15:46
would have never imagined during that
15:48
time period that I'll be interviewing
15:50
next to you on Sway in the morning and
15:52
so I'm blown away sophomore College Mike
15:55
is blown away but uh when you walked in
15:57
you had energy I didn't expect um it was
16:00
very pleasant and very centered and
16:04
grounded i felt and I wasn't expecting
16:06
that years ago no just now oh and so I'm
16:08
just I'm just wondering what is keeping
16:10
you so grounded and so centered uh you
16:12
have such joy that is coming out of you
16:15
alignment God source that's really it at
16:18
the end of day end of the day being
16:20
grateful for every waking day uh a lot
16:23
of people that I grew up with are not
16:25
here anymore you know and rest in peace
16:28
to Ananda Lewis who was an early part of
16:31
my career at BET's Teen Summit in 97
16:35
and um I just give gratitude every day
16:39
because I never expected for the journey
16:43
to uh withstand the test of time but
16:46
also I'm just getting started and um
16:49
just grateful grateful for the love for
16:52
the support for those that are
16:54
consistently believing in me and the
16:55
vision and have held my hand on this
16:58
independent journey as well because it's
17:00
not easy and the supporters out there
17:04
you know we're grown folks now
17:06
we are grown and and life is changing
17:10
the world is changing and to witness all
17:12
of those changes um and still be solid
17:16
and and grounded that's success because
17:18
I heard you talking about it earlier and
17:21
I've managed to define that myself and
17:25
it looks a little different than some
17:27
others definitions of success
17:30
um bigger is not always better and I've
17:32
I've had that uh projection over me for
17:35
a long time because I come from the
17:36
major label system but this independent
17:38
journey has truly been educational so
17:41
it's so many things it's grateful for
17:43
life grateful for my family still being
17:45
here you know and so many uh victories
17:49
small wins yeah yeah i love that yeah
17:52
man to give it up for Maya I I
17:54
appreciate you coming in this morning
17:57
um the information I I want people to
18:00
really I look back at some of your
18:01
interviews and um I take notes sometimes
18:04
because the way you live your life um
18:07
and the way what Mike said is you show
18:09
up grounded she showed up by herself
18:11
this morning tracy but not cuz I don't
18:14
walk alone like face to face says and
18:16
also not everybody's awake at 6:00 a.m
18:20
oh whatever maya we got to work too all
18:22
right i'm still on East Coast time
18:25
i let my team sleep right now after a
18:27
crazy week yeah i appreciate you though
18:30
give it up for Maya let's keep
18:31
supporting her she's independent now
18:34
face to face is one of the songs give it
18:36
to you is another one of the songs maya
18:38
thank you for always showing up i
18:40
appreciate you truly appreciate the
18:42
support and the love good to see you
18:44
congrats on here right we here we We're
18:46
here in LA and New York we're everywhere
18:48
maya
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