Who Are You? 

 I'm Mya Abraham, a native New Yorker from Queens, who's had the pleasure of combining her passion with her purpose and her profession. I'm also a fluid lover, a hoot, and a holler. Every music journalist credits Brown Sugar’s Sid Shaw as their blueprint, but unlike Sid, R&B has my heart.

 Where do you currently reside?

 Los Angeles.

 How long have you been writing professionally?

 Since 2014.

 Who or what inspires you to write when inspiration is lacking?

Truthfully, my younger self inspires me. The girl who read her poem over the PA system at school; the girl who joined a poetry group while being debilitatingly afraid of public speaking. If I hit a mental block, I take a nap. You'd be surprised at how much inspo you get when your mind has the freedom to wander. I also am my own inspiration. I'm a double Virgo, so like Beyoncé, I'm really just trying to always outdo and challenge myself.

When did you or will you know you’ve arrived as a writer?

Whew! I'd say that I'll know I've arrived when people quote my words back to me or when they reference pieces I've written. That will never get old.

 What piece of writing are you most proud of and why?

Thus far, the piece I'm most proud of is my August 2023 cover story on Usher. It was a year in the making and I had never fought harder for a piece to see the light of day. Usher is the reason I fell in love with R&B and I prided myself in being able to tell a story that, at that point, hadn't been told before. Writing and executing that piece also taught how resilient and fervent I can be. I refused to take 'no' for an answer and shoutout to his team for all their help!

 Do you have any current published pieces?
Of course! Here are some of my favorites: In The Case Of Lauryn Hill, Many Things Can Be True At Once;  Beyoncé, 'RENAISSANCE' Review;  “Dear God”: ‘The Color Purple’ Cast’s Intimate Reflection On The Musical Remake; The Mishandling Of Aaliyah’s Legacy: A (Four-Page) Letter; "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill" Is an Enduring Love Letter to Hip-Hop and Black Women

 What is your favorite quote from yourself and from your favorite writer?

 One of my favorite quotes from myself is "Maybe I'll allow your prodigal son tendencies to stop making a home out of me." It's from "retreat" off my spoken word album, bloom. wither. repeat.

From my favorite writer:

“Don’t ever think I fell for you, or fell over you. I didn’t fall in love, I rose in it.”- Toni Morrison

 What does being a Black woman identifying writer mean to you?

Being a Black woman writer is a gift. One of the first books I bought was a first-edition of Claudia Tate's Black Women Writers At Work. Best money I've ever spent. As a Black woman writer, I feel like I have a duty to honor those before me who fought and died learning how to read and write. I also feel honored to serve as a tangible representation of their wildest dreams because if you would've told younger me that I'd do half of what I've done, I would've laughed.

I've been writing all my life and sometimes, I don't realize how great it is to be able to take an idea and put pen to paper. Even on my worst days, this means everything to me. It still sets my soul on fire. I don't go a day without writing—even if it's as small as jotting something down so I don't forget. Not being a writer isn't an option for me. I may walk away from it temporarily, but it's always in me and I always come back.

 What do you wish you knew before embarking on this journey?

 How thankless, taxing, and humbling it could be. How often people want quality without paying for it. How undervalued it is by "decision makers." When Q-Tip said, "Industry rule No. 4080: Record company people are shady," that also extended to journalism and industry people overall within film, TV, and music. 

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I'm usually taking a nap, lighting candles, collecting vinyls, binging shows, using films as research, brainstorming ideas, reading my favorite writers' work, hosting game nights, daydreaming, and teaching myself how to be a master chef.

 Any last words?

R&B is not dead. My podcast, Play The B Sides, is coming soon. Remember, rest is a requirement, not a reward and in the great words of J. Cole, "No such thing as a life that's better than yours. Love yours.". 

How can people keep in touch with you?

Catch me in those familiar places—@myabriabe everywhere.