Music Review: Mya "Free"

Mya

Free

Album: Fear of Flying

Year: 2001

         Mya is single and looking in the passable   “Free.”

            High maintenance strings open the single, setting a picky tone. Whenever she’s around a guy, she forgets to speak. She mostly nods. Then, she walks away, thinking of all of what she should’ve said. She realizes she may have to go to show drastic lengths for a guy to give her a chance. She can be quite outgoing once guys get to know her. But that takes time and some guys rather not try. (“Everybody knows that, yeah, I'm kind of shy/And I'm not the kind of girl who could ever approach a guy/But I wanna find a way to get you to notice me/I got a four-wheel drive, 5'5", brown eyes, then maybe you can handle these/Because I'm free.”)

            In the chorus, she says she’s available. She wants to meet the right person. (“Free/Single, sexy and sweet/Making my own money/Looking for the right party/And if you're free/Spit your best game at me/If you like what you see/Maybe I'll let you share my fantasy.”)

             She doesn’t want anything long-term. She can’t trust a guy with a couple baby mamas. A vain guy reeks of selfishness. She wants an attractive guy who can handle her feistiness. He has to be outgoing in order to balance her out. (“Now, I don't need a man in my life trying to tie me down/And I don't wanna player who got kids all over town/Don't want his curl juice dripping all over my Mercedes seat/I can't stand a man who thinks he looks better than me/I'm looking for a brother who like to have fun/A fly gentleman who knows how to please a woman/The last thing I need is a man that's soft/He better get it on up and break me off/Some a that fly high rise, 6'5", ain't shy/And that's the kind of man I need/Because I'm free.”)

                  The chorus is sung twice.

                  In the bridge, she encourages her friends to set her up. While she’s by herself, she might as well enjoy it while she can. (“If you're having a good time/Just let go and don't be shy/Come on yeah, oh yeah/If you're down to do whatever/Then let's sing this song together/I'm free/Come on and be free with me.”)

                The chorus is sung again.

                In the final section, she gets up her nerve and hits on a guy. She says she’ll make it worth his while. (“Last chance/Oh boy, you look so good to me/You might get lucky/Cause I feel free tonight/Are you available?/Did you come here alone?/Won't you hang out with me/I'll freak you on the dance floor/Everybody in the house... high rise/All the brothers up in here... 6'5"/Gotta get in on up... High rise/You know you looking good tonight/All the ladies in the house... 5'5"/Gotta show them what you got... thick thighs/Freak 'em on the floor... Ain't shy/You know you looking good tonight.”)

                        Mya is looking for an equal, not someone who will just do stuff for her (Meghan Trainor’s “Dear Future Husband “ for example.) Her list is fair and she maintains her self-respect. However, her anemic vocals don’t have the strength the lyrics suggest. It’s as though she’s not comfortable with herself yet.

                        The  reasonable “Free” has is empowering without announcing it but the vocals contradict it.