Mya is looking back on one of the most talked-about moments of her early career, and she is doing so with humor.
During a recent appearance on actress Danielle Fishel’s “Teen Beat” podcast, the Grammy-winning singer reflected on the surprise lap dance she gave Carson Daly during an MTV birthday special in 2003. More than two decades later, Mya said the moment remains unforgettable, both for viewers and for those who witnessed it in person.
The performance took place while Mya was singing her hit single “My Love Is Like…” at a celebration for Daly, who was then one of MTV’s biggest stars as host of “Total Request Live.” During the performance, she surprised Daly with an on-stage lap dance that quickly became a memorable pop culture moment from the early 2000s.
Recalling the scene, Mya said she still remembers the reactions from those around her.
“I remember clearly, and I remember all the reactions in the faces. I don’t know if they edited it to be that way, but I mean the jaws dropped,” she said.
Fishel responded by noting that “Jaws were on the floor,” prompting Mya to laugh about the lasting impact of the performance.
A Defining Y2K-Era TV Moment
The clip has continued to circulate online years after it first aired, often resurfacing on social media pages dedicated to early-2000s television and music nostalgia. The moment has become emblematic of a period when MTV held enormous influence over pop culture and celebrity entertainment.
At the time, Daly was a dominant presence on music television. Through “TRL,” he introduced some of the era’s biggest artists and became a familiar face for millions of viewers. The show helped shape youth culture and music trends throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Mya acknowledged that the performance was shocking even for her.
“That was, I think, a shocking moment for myself,” she said.
Why She Says It Won’t Happen Again
While revisiting the memory, Mya also made clear that fans should not expect a repeat performance.
“This is not going to happen again because I’m not going to be able to fit in those shorts,” she joked.
The comment drew laughter on the podcast and underscored the lighthearted tone of the conversation. Rather than expressing regret, Mya appeared to embrace the memory as a snapshot of a different era in entertainment.
Now 46, the singer continues to perform and engage with fans while reflecting on the milestones that helped define her career. Her remarks offered a nostalgic look at a moment that captured the energy of early-2000s pop culture and remains part of MTV history.