Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Jul 25, 2015 10:43:47 GMT -5
MÝA'S ADVICE ON HOW NOT TO GET YOUR ALBUM LEAKED
Mýa discusses life after her leak.
There's nothing worse than putting your blood, sweat, and tears into a studio album only for some fool to leak it and have hundreds of thousands of people download your music for free. And even though the days of Napster are long gone, chances are you haven't paid for a song since the last Sam Goody closed in your town. You’re guilty. Admit it.
Having your music leaked isn’t uncommon and certainly isn't a recent phenomenon. But these days, it seems more common than ever. Google "music leaks" and you'll get a list of sites dedicated to scanning the web for the latest leaks in the music industry. It's happened to Kanye West, 50 Cent, and just about every other major player in the music industry. And for Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Mýa, one time was enough. After her fourth studio album, Liberation, was leaked in 2007, she took extra precaution to make sure this would never happen again.
Although there is no single way to make sure your hard work never goes uncompensated, she does give us a few ways to make sure it isn’t leaked so easily.
New Times: What were you doing when your fourth studio album, Liberation, leaked?
Mýa: I just finished part one of my Planet 9 Tour at the end of June. Planet 9 is the name of my label. I was in rehearsals for upcoming part-two dates and in the studio all month working on my next project.
After Liberation leaked, you ditched the label Universal Motown and became an independent artist. How has that been going?
In these last seven years as an independent artist, I've released seven independent projects internationally and domestically — from albums, double albums, mixtapes, EPs. Though I stepped away from the major-label system, which can mean more mainstream exposure and radio presence, I have never stopped making music or working. The unreleased archive is deep. I constantly rehearse, record, train, travel the world to perform, speak, teach, take classes, meetings, draft and execute my own contracts, make the calls, collect and write the checks, dedicate myself to other causes, and live life in between as well. I've been doing it in a different way, the way Prince suggested I do it – independently. And I like it. Although, it doesn't look like much to the masses, it's much greater on many different levels.
Do you feel that music leakage can be prevented? How so?
In some cases, yes. In other cases, no. When you’re investing your soul, gift, personal experiences, time, money, and hustle into creating something, firm conversations with those you work with must be had initially to lay down the law, expectations, and repercussions. Then paperwork must follow. I drafted and now service a pre- and post-recording agreement to hold the producers, writers, artists, and engineers liable for the leakage, sharing, placement, and playing of my music.
I've heard my voice thrown on a random artist's song before. I've had songs I've written leaked by producers, writers, and internal team members and even sold to other artists without my knowledge or approval. In addition to keeping a cap on who has access to it, expectations and consequences must be laid out from jump. Ain't nothin' like paperwork.
What precautions do you take now to make sure this never happens again?
Do not email your songs, as email accounts can and have been hacked into. Keep a lock on your computers, phones, and devices.
What advice can you give upcoming artists to prevent their music leaking or damage control if it does?
When sending out songs for feature inquiries, submissions, listening, feedback, etc., use sites that give you options to stream versus just downloading. Soundcloud and Fileblaze are good ones, to name a few.
What can we expect from you musically in the long run?
Expect to feel many things.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Jul 27, 2015 22:57:37 GMT -5
http://instagram.com/p/5qkb9bMp04 So she posted this pic again. It's a pretty clear confirmation she's working with or already worked with Marz of 1500 or Nothin'. I just hope it's for an album and not another side project.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Jul 29, 2015 22:36:25 GMT -5
Listen to Kevin Lyttle & Mya new collabo. Bum Bum. Video coming soon.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Aug 1, 2015 4:51:34 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Aug 7, 2015 0:30:37 GMT -5
Likeable, Long Legs and Love Give Mya LongevityBy J. Coyden Palmer Story Posted:08/08/2015 It’s been 17 years since Mya first came on the scene with her debut song “It’s All About Me.” Since that time she has won a Grammy, a Screen Actors Guild Award and sold over 7 million albums world-wide. These days the 35-year-old Washington D.C. native performs in smaller venues, while still working on her passion, which is music, through her own independent label Planet 9. Last weekend she performed during the grand opening at Seven Dance Club and Lounge, 3201 N. Halsted in front of a few hundred fans. Afterwards she sat down with the Crusader to talk about how she has been able to maintain her career, how the music industry has changed, the effects of social media, her future and present social issues in the Black community that disturb her. While many artists have come and gone since 1998 when Mya debuted, she has been able to achieve longevity. This has come in part to her ability to network with those in the industry and her resilient personality. But she said the main force has been her love for people and music. “When you love what you do it becomes second nature and it’s no longer a job,” she said, while relaxing in the private VIP area at Seven and wearing stockings with rhinestones to accentuate her famous dancing legs covered by a Felix the Cat skirt. “You do it just like you did in high school. But the relationships are important. When you meet people and you exchange energy, you utilize those relationships whether you are signed to a label or not. Promoters, deejays, dancers, journalists, it’s the entire community arena of entertainment that helps you sustain a career. It’s a huge accomplishment to still be going.” Also assisting her to persevere is her ability to adapt. Mya said the music industry has seen so many changes in the generation that she has been performing. The biggest changes have come in technology on how music is created. “When I first started recording my album, I can’t believe I’m using that term, I was recording to something called tape reels, where they would have to slice things together. So you would have to practice before you went into the studio so you would know what you are doing. It wasn’t about making up songs in the studio because that was a lot of time, money and engineering fees,” Mya explained. “Then we went to DAT machines and CD’s. So my first album came out on cassette tape and CD. You could also purchase single CD’s in the record stores.” Mya has fond memories when she thinks about seeing people lined up for hours outside a music store waiting for her to appear during a promotional tour. She thinks that is something music is missing in 2015 as it has become more of a corporate business than ever before. “One of the first things I wanted to do, when I was 12 years old, I wanted to work in a record store. The mom and pop stores had a special vibe to them, like George’s Music Room on the West Side of Chicago. George and Regina had a meet and greet when my very first single came out; and the love that was shown in the hood…I sat there and shook every hand,” she recalled as her thoughts drifted momentarily. “It was within the community and everyone came. I miss that. Now you can only go to Best Buy and Target. It’s not as personal.” The same changes that have shuttered record stores across the nation also forced Mya to change her business operations. She said the record companies are not selling as much music as they used to and are vulnerable to computer hackers, which is why she eventually started her own label after an incident in which some of her music was accidentally leaked. “I have an independent label, Project 9 and for the last seven years I have produced, funded, hustled and put out seven projects,” said Mya, with an exhausting expression on her face. “The leak has led me to this path but I’m very happy to be making music and I’ve learned a lot on this journey. When I’m in the studio now it’s like when I first heard a song on the radio or when I heard my father sing in church when I was four years old. Music is therapy for me and has saved my life while giving me perspective. There is something spiritual about it. I’m in the studio now and I’m doing music for Mya. I think people are going to feel that more now than they ever did.” While the venues she plays in nowadays are smaller, she sees it as a unique opportunity. She said as an entertainer you must be a people person. “I think settings that are more intimate allow you to freestyle, improvise and really connect with people,” Mya said. She said the creation of social media sites like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook have revolutionized the public’s interaction with entertainers. While she loves being able to answer a question directly from a fan in the forum, she understands the drawbacks of the medium as well. “Everything comes with a negative and a positive and you have to choose the positive, especially when it is personal and it directed towards you. It can be very entertaining as far as the things people come up with in social media,” she said. “It’s very brutal as far as bullying, comments, lies and the way people spin things. But you have to understand it is also an outlet for people to have a say or opinion whether it is good or bad. It’s kind of like therapy talking about an issue or somebody. It’s very hurtful sometimes if you’re not prepared and don’t know yourself.” Throughout her career Mya has had a strong social conscious. An affinity for Black history, she highlights a Black history-maker every day in February on her Twitter account. Her community endeavors include AIDS and Breast Cancer awareness, her mother is a 10-year survivor of the latter, and since 2005 she has been the executive director for The Mya Arts & Tech Foundation; a nonprofit organization that provides disadvantaged youth opportunities through arts and technology education. When she looks at humanity today and the world we live in, especially for Black Americans, she has concern. “So many things are happening in our community that saddens me,” she said, her eyes tearing up. “I feel the pain and the frustration. It is very alarming when you think about bringing children into a society that makes you feel not valid as a human being. Why in the Black community are certain individuals treated some way? Is this going to become a police state? Are they trying to invoke a race war in order to implement new laws or strip certain rights away? It’s very alarming and I’m very worried because people can only take so much before they stop praying and stop using peaceful tactics and approaches. It’s way too many casualties.” In the future we could see Mya in more movie or television roles. In 2002 she co-starred in the Broadway musical “Chicago” with Queen Latifah and Richard Gere. She said her previous experiences in front of the camera taught her that she needs to really throw herself into the craft if she wants to be good. “I’m currently in group acting classes, which is something I’ve never done before. I said, ‘let me throw myself in a situation where I can really learn, embarrass myself and fall on my face,’” she says with a laugh followed by one of the prettiest smiles in entertainment. “It’s been very helpful. You get to practice with other people on the spot versus having a private coach. If there is a role that becomes available and I feel passionate about it, I will go for it.” In 2009, Mya showcased her long dancing legs on the popular TV show “Dancing with the Stars.” She finished second behind Donnie Osmond after tying with him on the judge’s scorecards but losing the popular vote from viewers. While she has been a trained dancer since she was a child, she said the experience was a lot tougher than she ever thought it would be. “It was a great experience. I wasn’t mad at all about finishing second,” she said. “I was surprised I lasted that long. It was painful. It is a sport. It looks pretty when you see it on TV but it is brutal, especially for the females as far as the ankles go with the dancing in high heels.” Mya’s eighth studio album, which will feature her last two EP’s “Love Elevation Suite” and “Sweet XVI” along with bonus tracks is currently being manufactured as a CD and she is back in the studio working on what will be her ninth album. All of her latest work can be found at her website myamya.com. “I have a lot left in me and I’m going to try to do another 17 years.” chicagocrusader.com/Chicago/News-Detail.aspx?typeID=5&newsID=9178&CityID=1
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Aug 7, 2015 16:47:17 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Aug 7, 2015 21:37:14 GMT -5
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Night Senses
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Processing…
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Post by Night Senses on Aug 8, 2015 19:11:12 GMT -5
I want the "Bum Bum" video NOW! She looks so good in the behind the scenes footage.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Aug 8, 2015 20:29:18 GMT -5
I want the "Bum Bum" video NOW! She looks so good in the behind the scenes footage. !!!! She's the only reason why I care about the song. She looks AMAZING.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Aug 27, 2015 12:44:34 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Aug 27, 2015 12:56:29 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Aug 27, 2015 12:58:05 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 2, 2015 9:39:46 GMT -5
Beautiful as ever.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 6, 2015 23:24:14 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 14, 2015 13:31:02 GMT -5
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George
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Post by George on Sept 15, 2015 12:58:01 GMT -5
I'm gonna need for her to release that CD with the two EPs combined, so I could add it to my collection!
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 16, 2015 20:04:51 GMT -5
One of her most laid back and funniest interview ever.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 17, 2015 7:54:04 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 23, 2015 18:22:51 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 25, 2015 15:27:59 GMT -5
I'm gonna need for her to release that CD with the two EPs combined, so I could add it to my collection! A new project is coming. She's going to drop it on her B'Day 10/10.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 28, 2015 23:38:31 GMT -5
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SHOOTER
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3x Poster Of The Year!!!
Typical of those in power to stay worried about the *wrong* shit.
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Post by SHOOTER on Sept 28, 2015 23:44:10 GMT -5
Can't wait!
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 29, 2015 8:34:43 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 29, 2015 14:51:58 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Sept 30, 2015 9:33:38 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Oct 5, 2015 22:57:21 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Oct 8, 2015 16:16:53 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Oct 9, 2015 17:57:13 GMT -5
Happy Early 36th B'Day!!!!
Despite your adversity in the industry you managed to overcome it and rose above the B.S.
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Oct 10, 2015 16:10:20 GMT -5
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Zinc.
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Post by Zinc. on Oct 10, 2015 21:27:44 GMT -5
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