Mya Releases Funk Album 'Retrospect,' Credits Prince
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- Mya released her ninth studio album "Retrospect," a funk record drawing on late '70s/early '80s R&B and the Minneapolis Funk sound of Prince and the Gap Band, with glittery synths, 808s and plucky bass.
- Snoop Dogg features on the standout track "No Pressure," and the album was co-executive produced by Lamar "MyGuyMars" Edwards, a member of 1500 or Nothin' who has worked with T.I., Jay-Z and Drake.
- Mya has operated independently through her Planet 9 label since 2008's "Sugar & Spice," after her first four albums on Interscope and Universal Motown; she produced her own vocals and manages day-to-day operations like booking studios and selecting press photos.
- Prince was a significant influence on the album's sound and on Mya's independence ethos — she credits him with advice about protecting her art, avoiding materialism, and investing in craft "where there are no shortcuts."
- "Retrospect" was originally conceived as a precursor to opening the Pussycat Dolls' "PCD Forever" reunion tour, which was canceled in early May; Mya said in the interview that she was "in the dark" about the reason.
- Now 46, Mya is planning a fall tour for the album, which she frames as "a testament to her creative spirit and drive."
Why it matters: Mya's "Retrospect" arrives nearly two decades after she went independent, giving her full creative control — a path shaped directly by Prince's mentorship. With the PCD Forever tour canceled, the album and its planned fall tour stand alone as proof that a late-90s R&B star remains self-sustaining outside major label machinery.
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