What was your favorite look from today?s photo
shoot for Runway?My favorite look from the shoot was the extravagant yellow
floral piece. It was pure art full of so much detail,
shape, creativity, and I don?t think I?ve ever worn any
piece so grand in my life. And as an artist myself, I?m
often in awe with a designer?s vision and how much time
goes into actually bringing each piece to life.
How would you describe your own personal
style?I?d say my personal style is one of balance. I love combining
the juxtaposition and complimentary aspects of
hard & soft, feminine & masculine, sexy but classy, simple
& intricate.
When do you release your new album T.K.O.?My new album T.K.O. (The Knock Out) will be released
on Friday, April 20th on all digital outlets worldwide,
with standard, autographed & personalized copies exclusively
available on
myamya.com/shopHow is this different from your previous Grammy
Nominated album Smoove Jones released
in 2016?Smoove Jones is a traditional R&B album with more influences
from the 70?s with mid-tempos, up-tempo and a
few slow jams. T.K.O. is a contemporary R&B album
album with no up tempos, just mid-tempos and slow jams
with a relaxing vibe and more current sound fused with
feel good 90?s R&B.
You just celebrated 20 years in the music industry
on February 14, 2018. What do you
feel is your greatest accomplishment?Learning so many aspects of the business of music &
wearing several hats behind the scenes without going
absolute crazy has been quite an accomplishment.
(laughs) Whether it be playing the role of manager, road
manager, accountant, agent, lawyer, travel agent, engineer,
producer, choreographer, musical director, stylist,
hair stylist, make-up artist or seamstress, I?ve been more
than willing to step into all of those shoes to get the job
done and when I do, no matter how exhausted or frustrated,
I?m often satisfied & happy with the final product
and growth each obstacle instills. And with this relentless
mindset & action, being able to serve, teach, help,
encourage, employ and empower others has been the
greatest accomplishment.
How does it feel to celebrate 10 years of your
own independent label Planet 9?10 years for a business is still pretty young, and I?m
still building, but I can say that delivering 9 independent
projects in my 10 independent years has truly been
something I am really proud of because of what it takes
to do so even on a smaller, boutique level. I haven?t
celebrated yet, because I?m already working on the next
project. (laughs) But I am forever grateful for so many
supportive people I?ve been fortunate to be aligned with.
When and where will you start touring?I?m just returning from the U.K. and the next stop will be
New York City on April 27th. All performance dates will
be posted on
myamya.com/eventsWhat was one of your favorite moments in
your career?I have quite a few, but Michael Jackson calling me in the
recording studio to not only wish me a happy birthday,
but sing me happy birthday takes the cake. I was in
complete, speechless shock.
Who is your biggest influence and why?Lately my biggest influence has been Mother Nature or
the natural world as it pertains to my existence on earth
and humanity in its current state. I often wonder who I
and who we as humans as a whole would really be in
our natural divine environment at our highest frequencies
prior to materialism, money, politics, religion, corruption,
division, famine, war, etc., all created by man. I?m a
fairytale dreamer of global peace but with the current
state of the world, it?s very hard to sleep. What can I do
to make this place better?
Tell us about the various charities you
support and why.Africare - Africare is a leading non-governmental
organization (NGO) committed to addressing African
development and policy issues by working
in partnership with African people to build sustainable,
healthy and productive communities.
North Shore Animal League - The world?s largest
no-kill shelter & adoption organization.
www.animalleague.org.
As a lover of innocent beings, specifically
animals, North Shore Animal League has
opened my eyes to the world of overcrowded shelters,
euthanizations of the result of irresponsible
breeders, puppy mills, and animal abuse. They
serve in areas of rescue, and pairing families with
the right shelter pet based on the dynamics of each
adoptee?s household, lifestyle, schedule, etc.
PETA - I love PETA?s movement to constantly provide
educational resources to incite awareness of animal
exploitation, animal agriculture, its effects on
the environment & planet, and serving as catalysts
to prompt change in automotive, fashion, beauty,
food industries in effort to incite change for a more
peaceful world with vegan cruelty free options.
What is it like living a vegan lifestyle?Living a vegan lifestyle is pretty amazing, tasty
and physically, mentally, spiritually rewarding.
I?ve learned to not only survive but thrive without
some of the things I once thought I could never live
without. I?m really into cooking & creating my own
vegan recipes. I?ve even transitioned to vegan, cruelty
free beauty products, fashion & home decor.
What is your favorite type of dessert?I make a mean vegan, organic, gluten free peach,
apple, coconut, raisin cobbler or pie topped with
my own homemade coconut milk ice-cream. It
tastes like sin & heaven at the same time! (laughs)
What do you do for fun?I love competitive group games like bowling, activities
like hiking or swimming in tropical waters
and roller skating. And once in a while, I enjoy
extreme adventure like skydiving, F1 speed tests,
or the shooting range.
Any advice for artists starting out in the
music industry?Be you, speak your truth and always keep in mind
that you, your life and your creations are not supposed
to look like everyone else?s. Pursue what
makes you feel alive and do the best you can with
what you have to work with. And?don?t forget to
have fun!
Where can fans find you on social media
to keep up with latest you have coming
up?My fans can find me on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook
social media pages @myaplanet9 and my
website is
myamya.com 