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Singer Mya recently sat down with Rolling Out magazine and spoke about being on a hiatus, dating in the industry, and why she feels a woman should wait to have sex.

Here is an excerpt:

You’ve been absent for a while on the music front. Why has there been such a long hiatus?

I’ve never stopped doing music. I’ve created a label called Planet 9 and I released an album in Japan. I invested in my own studio and it cut the recording cost down 95 percent. I have my own in-house producers and they are not as expensive as an established producer. The return is greater and now I own my masters. I see six dollars per album sold versus 10 cents. You may not sell as many units because you don’t put as much money in promotions, but the returns are better.

You’ve done a lot of recording in the Houston area lately. What attracted you to the city?

I was recording my first mixtape there and it’s called Beauty and the Street. I teamed up with Young Empire and Planet 9. This is basically an R&B/hip-hop album. It’s a setup to keep the streets hot until my album comes out in 2010. So this is to service my fans with music, now that I’m in the position to do so. As far as the city is concerned, everyone is on ATL so I went to Houston and I like that vibe. I’ve been working with a lot of producers and rappers. I’m looking forward to working with more people in the city.

Take a look at Mya at her Rolling Out and VAMPD Magazine photo shoot:

Talk about the challenges of dating while in the industry.

It’s like being in high school with people spreading rumors. If you’re seen with the opposite sex, people believe that you’re having sex, but that’s not always true. Life has prepared me for this industry. It’s not much of a challenge. I’m fine with all of the circumstances. There are pros and cons to dating inside and outside the industry. It depends on how busy your partner is and how understanding they are. When you’re in the studio until 8 a.m., your partner may assume because of the time that something is going on. I’ve dated in the industry and outside of the industry. I believe every man who reaches a level of success will have that period when they need to play the field. Not saying they are sleeping with every woman, but they also want to hold on to a good thing. I’m not mad at men or women who want to play the field. But you should be clear and up front about it instead of lying.

Do you think women should have a waiting rule when it comes to sex?

Personally, I usually don’t put a time rule on relationships because it’s all about how you feel about each other. I think women should have a waiting rule if they are looking for a long-term relationship. If she gives it up too soon, it gives the impression of something else. If you want a man to get to know you outside of your body, you have to demand the time. But there are women who are honest about wanting to be physical immediately. You should create your own rules. But if you want to get to learn someone outside of sex and earn his respect, there should be a waiting rule. You should know about their upbringing, their parents, and where they are in life. You need to know all the facts about this person before you take it to that level.

“Dancing” curse begins, Mya injured!

How did you become a part of the new season of ‘Dancing With the Stars?’

My agent brought it to the table and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.

There are two different styles of dance. There is ballroom and Latin dance. There are sub forms and that can go up to 15 dances. I’m not sure what I have ahead of me, but it’s something I’m not familiar with. It’s very structured dancing and you can’t really improvise.

Mya vs Macy Gray, who killed it on DWTS?

For 2024’s iteration of MadameNoire and HelloBeautiful’s annual series Women to Know, we knew we wanted to celebrate the people who help make the joys of film and television possible. To create art is to create magic. This year, we spotlight Hollywood Executive’s changing the face of cinema.