The R&B veteran returns with her tenth album, independent spirit intact — but does “Retrospect” live up to its name, or just blend into the background?
On May 15, Mýa released her tenth studio album, Retrospect, via her own Planet 9 label in partnership with Virgin Music Group. Executive produced by Mýa and Lamar “MyGuyMars” Edwards, the project ends an eight-year gap since 2018’s T.K.O. (The Knock Out) and arrives with genuine pedigree: lead single “ASAP” fuses late ’70s/’80s funk with modern R&B, teased collaborators include 21 Savage and Joyner Lucas, and the album will be available in Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Spatial Audio.
But after spending time with Retrospect, a more complicated picture emerges — one of a beloved artist who’s earned the right to do things her way, yet delivers a collection that’s often more pleasant than memorable.
In an interview with Variety Magazine, Mýa’s shared, “When I went independent, I began playing in a space of being satisfied with the work. And I would not come out or put anything out into the universe until it was the way I wanted it. Being independent empowers me to say, alright, we’re good here.”
The Highs: Independence, Prince’s Wisdom, and Vocal Mastery
Let’s start with what works. Mýa’s independent journey is genuinely inspiring. Long before “ownership” became an industry buzzword, she launched Planet 9 — and she recently revealed on Sherri that Prince himself encouraged her down that path. “He wanted to pull me aside to inspire me, but also reinforce that ‘Hey, this is the way, and I’ll help you along the way,’” she said. That’s a legacy worth celebrating.
Vocally, Mýa remains a standout. Her voice is controlled, expressive, and carries the album even when the production coasts. Tracks like “Masterpiece” and “Good to You” let her phrasing shine, and the “ASAP (Remix)” with 21 Savage adds a welcome jolt of energy. The D-Nice-featured piece “Give It to You (Album Mix)” opens things on a warm, throwback note, and the Joyner Lucas collaboration “Ain’t Another” hints at the sharpness that could have elevated the full project.
The Misses: Smooth, Safe, and Surprisingly Blurry
Here’s the rub: Retrospect is so committed to a mellow, reflective mood that it rarely surprises. The production leans into clean R&B — soft drums, warm melodies, polished mixes — and while it sounds nice, track after track blends together. The structure is straightforward; songs rarely evolve or build toward anything. The atmosphere is calm and consistent, yes, but also static.
The writing covers familiar themes (love, longing, self-assurance) without enough detail to make each song distinct. And the throwback ambition gets muddled: instead of fully committing to the late‑’70s/’80s funk and soul she name-checks, the album sometimes drifts into a weird G‑funk hybrid that feels out of place.
The result is an album that’s easy to put on and easy to forget. A few tracks hit — “Just a Little Bit” (especially the solo mix) and “Face to Face” have their moments — but too many fade into background wallpaper.
The Bottom Line
Retrospect is not a bad album. It’s a controlled, professionally sung, independently released project from an artist who has nothing left to prove. Mýa has earned the right to make exactly the music she wants. But for listeners hoping for a bold, genre‑bending return that matches the weight of a tenth album and the advice of Prince, this feels more like a comfortable step than a memorable statement.
“Retrospect is a salute to the pioneers of the Minneapolis sound: Prince, Jam and Lewis, and so many other groups that came out of that camp,” she said chatting with Vibe Magazine. “Vinyl that I used to look at, fall in love with, touch and feel with my own hands, and play, dance, and sing to. Of course, my dad, who was my first funk influence with his band. So bringing all the joy and good vibes to this record with much more tempo than my last two album releases.”
Retrospect Track list
- Give It to You (Album Mix) [feat. D-Nice]
- Masterpiece
- No Pressure (feat. Snoop Dogg)
- Just a Little Bit (feat. Too $hort)
- Good to You
- Saturday Night
- Ain’t Another (feat. Joyner Lucas)
- ASAP (Remix) [feat. 21 Savage]
- Games with My Love (feat. Dizzy Wright)
- Face to Face (DMV Remix) [feat. Phil Adé]
- Life Is What You Make It
- Anytime
- Just Call My Name
- ASAP
- Face to Face
- Just a Little Bit (Solo Mix)
“There are so many aspects of music that it touches on for life and the human experience, and for me, that’s everything. It can instantly bring healing. It can instantly be a room picker-upper,” she says (during a Variety Magazine Interview). “If we truly pay attention, some sounds can heal and raise your vibration and others can lower it. And so to affect the state of others and hopefully have the positive intention and be on the right side of that is what keeps me going — love, healing, all the good things in life that we need to survive.”
Release Date: May 15
Label: Planet 9 / Virgin Music Group
Formats: Stereo, Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Spatial Audio
