K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple)

K.I.S.S. (Keep It Sexy & Simple) is the sixth studio album by Mya. It was released on April 20, 2011.

It is her second album to be released by Manhattan Recordings in Japan. It was originally scheduled to be released on April 6, 2011, but the release date was delayed for two weeks due to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami disaster which triggered the Fukushima I nuclear accidents & temporarily immobilized the packaging of the CD album.

Despite these circumstances & minor setbacks, the album became available for retail & outlets on April 20, 2011.

It serves as Mya's fourth independently—released project through her own label imprint Planet 9.

Although the record is a traditional R&B; pop album, Mya was heavily—influenced by Japan's culture and experimented with Japan's J-pop sound to embrace a more worldwide appeal to attract the Japanese music market audience.

The production on the album was primarily handled by local Cleveland native producer Young Yonny with additional contributions from Japanese musicians Jeff Miyahara and Daisuke Imai, Chuck Harmony and longtime collaborators Carvin & Ivan.

As always and just as she did before with her last 3 independently—released projects, Mya took full creative control of the album.

She lent a hand in the songwriting process; co-writing several of the album's tracks with many different artists and songwriters and served as executive producer to the project.

The guest artists include Miami rapper Trina, international recording artist Iyaz, reggae star Sean Paul and ex Immature frontman Marques Houston.

The album is a representation of Mýa's life today. According to her in an interview:

"It's about being cool and drama-free. And everything I do reflects that. The people that I associate with, the circle that I keep is real simple and sometimes we think or we're trained to believe that you always have to have more, more, more to make ourselves feel happy or beautiful, but it's the other way around for me. Simplicity is sexy."

The album has spawned seven singles thus far; two international singles "Fabulous Life" and "Runnin' Back" featuring artist Iyaz and five U.S. released singles "Earthquake", "Somebody Come Get This Bitch", "Mr. Incredible" "Mess Up My Hair", and "Evolve."

Even though all of the singles have been released digitally to iTunes, none of them were or planned be released to radio in the near future.

In Japan, "K.I.S.S." debuted at number sixty-one on the Japan Billboard Top Albums Chart on May 2, 2011 with first week sales of 1,543 copies.

In the United States, Mya announced on Twitter that the United States\Canada Deluxe Edition of the album was scheduled to be released digitally on December 20, 2011 on the Apple iTunes store.

On December 20, 2011, the United States\Canada Deluxe Edition of "K.I.S.S." was made available digitally on iTunes & Amazon.

The album officially marked Mya's return to the United States since her third album "Moodring" and her departure from Interscope Records eight years ago.

It peaked at number seventy-four on Billboard's Top R&B\Hip-Hop Albums chart which ended her nine-year gap.

Album Background
"K.I.S.S." is Mya's second studio album to be released in Japan on Manhattan Recordings.

It is the follow-up album to her previous album "Sugar & Spice" which was preceded by the first & final single from the album "Paradise."

During her downtime, Mya competed in the 9th season of "Dancing with the Stars" and started an independent label titled Planet 9. She released her first mixtape "Beauty & the Streets Vol. 1" on her own label through J. Prince's Young Empire Music Group.

While participating on Dancing with the Stars, Mya began recording her next studio album that would eventually become "K.I.S.S."

Album Development
Just like she did on her previous projects, Mya served as the executive producer for the album which entailed her scouting the producers, songwriters, arranging the album tracklisting, and keeping track of the accounting.

Her fifth album "Sugar & Spice" was catered more to Japan’s distinct sound & market, but while approaching the "K.I.S.S." album, she wanted to make a classic Mya album even if it meant digging deeper into her pockets.

The album has a balance of mid-tempos, up-tempos, slow jams and great production.

Mya described:

"As fun as this album is, there’s also lots of substance to be discovered lyrically, without getting bored or depressed."

In an interview with 4Eight Media, Mya said:

"The creative process was a combination of including songs that I had in my archive for years in addition to travelling across the U.S. & Jamaica to work with different producers & artists."

She chose the songs that best worked together sonically & arranged the tracklisting of the album accordingly.

Mya used a few songs on the album that have existed in her archive for a couple of years that finally found the appropriate place to reside.

The entire album with the new material took her about 5 months to assemble & complete between October of 2010 & February of 2011.

Album Production
The primary production on the album was handled by hip-hop producer Young Yonny.

With additional contribution from Japanese musicians Jeff Miyahara and Daisuke Imai and longtime collaborators Chuck Harmony and Carvin & Ivan; while Lil' Eddie, Autumn Rowe, and Shawn Stockman (member of R&B group Boyz II Men) each wrote or co-wrote track(s).

In interview with AOL, Mýa described the album as a "classic Mýa album" which always includes a variety of sounds and tempos, club bangers, soulful R&B, pop ballads and substance.

When asked if she experimented with anything new on the album as far as sounds, Mya replied there are two j pop-inspired songs on the album "Fabulous Life" and "Alive" which both charted at number one in Japan already.

She further saying, "This is a new fun sound for me ... and I'm ready to have some FUN!"

The second single from the album "Runnin' Back" is a flavored beat number with sweet mellow vocals.

Another track "Before U Say Goodbye" is described super catchy with a feeling of floating.

Mya (who recorded many of the songs during her stint on "Dancing with the Stars") combined all different styles on the album.

She wanted classic Mya songs, dance, collaborations, urban, pop & slow jam ballads.

She says the album's title track "K.I.S.S." is a useful tune for this album because it explains the album.

The song "Mess Up My Hair" was produced by Young Yonny.

Mya and Young Yonny met in 2007 and began working together on music independently and they continue to work together on other future projects as well.

R&B singer Marques Houston is featured on "Love Me Some You" which is a slow jam love ballad.

Mya asked Marques to record the song with her because she liked the tone of his voice. She said the song was perfect for him.

The song "Problem + Solution" was written by Afro-pop artist Tiwa Savage and Boyz II Men member Shawn Stockman.

While the original version of the album contains J-pop songs, Mya says the deluxe edition is more of her traditional style.

According to her:

"It's R&B, urban [and] also pop. It's fun, young with perspective and opinion."

There are up-tempo tracks, as well as ballads (such as "Love Comes Love Goes") that tackle "deeper issues."

Mya singles out "Evolve," a "heartfelt, mid-tempo" song as one of her favorites. According to her:

"[It's] about having determination and will power through it all... and not letting anything stop you. It represents where I am in my life."

The overall concept of the album is simplicity.

Tracklisting
Standard Album Edition Bonus Track
 * 1) K.I.S.S. (3:54) (written by Mya Harrison, Edwin "Lil Eddie" Serrano, Autumn Rowe & Christopher Moore; produced by Chuck Harmony)
 * 2) Rear View Mirror (featuring Sean Paul) (3:54) (written by Mya Harrison & Sean Paul Henriques; produced by PJ Bianco & Zach Hannah)
 * 3) Fabulous Life (3:58) (written by Jeff Miyahara, Andreas Levander, Edwin "Lil Eddie" Serrano & Mya Harrison; produced by Jeff Miyahara & Fredro)
 * 4) Mess Up My Hair (3:32) (written by Lindsay "Lindz" Fields, Nia Myricks & Mya Harrison; produced by Young Yonny, Desmond J. "BigHeadDez" Peterson)
 * 5) Fugitive of Love (4:06) (written by Carmael M. Frith, Mya Harrison & Tasha King; produced by Rich Shelton, Loren Hill, Michael Barney & Aaron Bennett)
 * 6) Love Me Some You (feat. Marques Houston) (3:32) (written by Atozzio Towns & Marques Houston; produced by Young Yonny)
 * 7) Mr. Incredible (4:41) (written by Lindsay "Lindz" Fields, Nia Myricks & Mya Harrison; produced by Young Yonny)
 * 8) Problem + Solution (4:34) (written by Tiwa Savage & Shawn Stockman; produced by John Ho)
 * 9) Runnin' Back (feat. Iyaz) (written by Kyle Schrom, Iyobasa "Enpho" Ighedosa & Caleb Middlebrooks; produced by Young Yonny & Mr. INT)
 * 10) Before U Say Goodbye (4:06) (written by Daisuke "D.I." Imani, Lil Eddie & Mya Harrison; produced by Daisuke "D.I." Imai)
 * 11) Sorry (3:43) (written by Krystle Olier; produced by Carvin & Ivan)
 * 12) Love Comes Love Goes (4:50) (written by Julian Brazier; produced by Duwayne "DaDa" Mills, Hardwork & Phillip Constable)
 * 13) Evolve (3:28) (written by Delisha Thomas, Tasha King & Mya Harrison; produced by Lee Major)
 * 1) Alive (3:50) (written by Lil Eddie & Mya Harrison; produced by DJ Komori & UTA)

United States Album Version
 * 1) K.I.S.S. (3:54)
 * 2) Rear View Mirror (feat. Sean Paul) (3:54)
 * 3) Take Him Out (feat. Spice) (written by Mya Harrison, Spice, Michael Boog & Junior Sanchez; produced by Michael Boog & Junior Sanchez)
 * 4) Fabulous Life (3:58)
 * 5) Earthquake (feat. Trina) (written by Lindsay "Lindz" Fields, Cristal Brightharp, Nia Myricks, Katrina Taylor, Kevon Ford & Kris Day; produced by Young Yonny & Desmond J. "BigHeadDez" Peterson)
 * 6) Mess Up My Hair (feat. Beanie Man) (3:32) (written by Lindsay "Lindz" Fields, Nia Myricks, Mya Harrison & Moses Davis; produced by Young Yonny & Desmond J. "BigHeadDez" Peterson)
 * 7) Break Your Neck (3:14) (written by Carmael M. Fritz, Tasha King & Mya Harrison; produced by Rich Shelton, Loren Hill, Michael Barney & Aaron Bennett)
 * 8) Fugitive of Love (4:06)
 * 9) Can I (4:27) (written by Tyquandra "LyriqTye" Stephens & Mya Harrison; produced by Snatch & Grab Productions)
 * 10) Love Me Some You (feat. Marques Houston) (3:32)
 * 11) Mr. Incredible (4:41)
 * 12) Problem + Solution (4:34)
 * 13) Love Comes Love Goes (4:50)
 * 14) Evolve (3:28)
 * 15) It's My Birthday (3:29) (written by Mya Harrison; produced by DJ Drew G)
 * 16) Somebody Come Get This Bitch (feat. Stacie & Lacie) (3:07) (written by Mya Harrison and Stacie & Lacie; produced by Reco Lynch)
 * 17) Love Me Some You (Solo Version) (3:32)

International Deluxe/2013 United States Limited Mint Album Edition
 * 1) K.I.S.S. (3:54)
 * 2) Rear View Mirror (feat. Sean Paul) (3:54)
 * 3) Take Him Out (feat. Spice) (3:21)
 * 4) Fabulous Life (3:58)
 * 5) Earthquake (feat. Trina) (3:19)
 * 6) Mess Up My Hair (feat. Beenie Man) (3:50)
 * 7) Break Your Neck (3:14)
 * 8) Fugitive of Love (4:06)
 * 9) Can I (4:27)
 * 10) Love Me Some You (feat. Marques Houston) (3:32)
 * 11) Mr. Incredible (4:41)
 * 12) Problem + Solution (4:34)
 * 13) Love Comes Love Goes (4:50)
 * 14) Evolve (3:28)
 * 15) It's My Birthday (3:29)
 * 16) Somebody Come Get This Bitch (feat. Stacie & Lacie) (3:07)
 * 17) Love Me Some You (Solo Version) (3:32)
 * 18) Mess Up My Hair (Solo Version) (3:32)
 * 19) Love is The Answer (feat. Cedric Gervais) (2:57) (written by Mya Harrison & Dee Roberts; produced by Cedric Gervais & Sandy Vee)

Album Personnel
Managerial Visuals and Imagery Instruments Technical and Production
 * A&R – Rambo Harrison, Kensuke Hara & Kazuya Sasamura
 * Artist coordination – Jake McKim
 * Business management – Theresa Harrison
 * Executive producer – Mya Harrison
 * Marketing – Takahiro Ikeda, Haruka Ikgeami & Mike Killmon
 * Management – Sherman Harrison, Mike Killmon, Carol Rosenthal, Crystal Bozeman, *Troy Ramsey, Teron Beal & Tatiana Noboa
 * Art direction & design – Motoki Mizoguchi
 * Clothing design – André Adkins & Leon Frager
 * Hair stylist – Yusef
 * Make-up – Lisa Hayes
 * Photography – Marc Baptiste
 * Stylist – Leon Frager
 * Drums – Alex Selph
 * Guitar - Daniel Groover
 * Keyboard – Alex Selph
 * Piano - Julian Brazer
 * Strings – Jonathan Perkins
 * Backing vocals – Caramel M. Faith, Tasha J. King, Lindsay Fields, Krystle Oliver & Atozzio Town
 * Engineering – PJ Bianco, Mýa Harrison, Loren Hill, Mike Johnson, Jared Newcomb, Rich Shelton & Young Yonny
 * Mastering – Tucky@parasight
 * Mixing – Ivan Barias, Brandon Bishop, Ben Chang, D.O.I., Carvin Haggins, John Ho, Satoshi Hosoi, Mike Johnson, Mike Mo, Frankie Mumbles, Nemhara & Young Yonny
 * Recording – Jeff Miyahara