Mya will release her third album, Moodring, on July 22nd. The recording will likely benefit from momentum the dancer-turned-singer earned with her inclusion in the all-star, Grammy-winning "Lady Marmalade" remake from Moulin Rouge, which paired her with relative vets Christina Aguilera, Pink and Lil' Kim.

Moodring's Missy Elliott-produced first single, "My Love Is Like . . . Wo," is already getting radio play. The album also features production by Timbaland, Rockwilder, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and Tricky. Among the album's tracks are "Things Come and Go," which features a guest vocal by Sean Paul, and "Whatever Bitch," a techno rave co-produced by Mya and Damon Elliott that is sure put some distance between the singer and the squeaky-clean image fostered on her 1998 self-titled debut.

In other Mya news, following her appearance in last year's Chicago, she recently finished shooting a small role as a singer in 1950s Cuba in the upcoming feature Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights.

ANDREW DANSBY
(June 4, 2003)