Hey everyone! In case you missed it, my new single “Autumn Sun” has gotten AMAZING press — it was the first single on the new Kill Rock Stars Nashville imprint, and I’m amazed that it was the lead article in Rolling Stone Country, where it debuted! Writer Jon Freeman said lots of lovely things, but some highlights are: “The song’s muscular groove ramps up for a big, blissful ending that’s rooted in Sixties psychedelia” and praising how it remains “hopeful and joyful, despite the trauma of the past and the uncertain present.” Then Billboard gave it a big shoutout too, saying “The single, produced by Aaron Lee Tasjan, offers up a delicious groove for listeners to fall in with from the moment it begins, while Byrne’s soothing voice lulls you along…It’s a moving single from a voice that more ought to know.”

I’m truly honored by this, and then last week another big honor came through — I was featured in the Advocate—a really nice interview about my life in music and songwriting, focusing on being a queer, trans artists and the challenges I face in Nashville and beyond.

Other fun stuff that’s happened lately — I performed for Mountain Stage at AmericanaFest, and one of my AF appearances was written up as a festival highlight. It’s been a banner month! It was very kind of The Boot’s Matt Wickstrom to say that “The authenticity and vulnerability present in Byrne’s songwriting is a kind that all artists try to mimic in their art, but only few can match,” and to also praise my work with my partner Swan Real, praising our “unwavering and commanding presence.”

I’m back in the studio this week working on new duets with Swan as well as perhaps another single? Who knows…keep in touch, friends! I’m so thrilled for all this goodness!

https://youtu.be/EAOIZgLZDSk

Hey friends,

Hope you dig the new website! It’s been a long time coming. So a few things are happening. One, I was featured on LaFemmeBear’s new remix of Reba’s amazing song, “I’m A Survivor.” It’s completely unprecedented for trans women to be featured on a song at the top levels of country, and I am completely humbled. If you don’t know LFB, she’s an amazing producer/songwriter, a Black trans woman, and a good friend of mine. I’m thrilled she asked me to be part of this. Check the song out on streaming or watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COahD_nlqt0. And LFB was on Hunter Kelly’s Proud Radio from Apple Music today talking about it! Check it out at http://apple.co/_ProudRadio, partial transcript at https://www.offtherecorduk.com/interview-lafemmebear-apple-music.

I’ll also be in Nashville for AmericanaFest Sep 21-25. I’ll be appearing at events all week: at Lipstick Lounge Tue Sep 21 (6-8 pm), speaking on a queer music panel with Amy Ray (!) at the Westin on Thurs Sep 23 (12 noon), playing at Vinyl Tap Thurs Sep 23 (4-7 pm), and maybe something else I can’t tell you about. ;)

On Sep 26 I’ll be performing and talking about songwriting for Art & Mind, a new series for women and femme artists of marginalized identities. Check that out at https://givebutter.com/artandmind. Last, I am putting the finishing touches on my next record, produced my my buddy Aaron Lee Tasjan, and will be in NYC in October playing lead guitar for Paisley Fields at the Knitting Factory Oct 1, and performing with the Bushwick Book Club on Oct 3. I’ll keep you posted on anything else.

Love
Mya

Hey all. I know it’s been ages since I updated. I also know many of you follow me at http://www.facebook.com/myabyrnemusic and http://www.patreon.com/myabyrnemusic, and honestly my website has fallen behind in these pandemic times. I apologize for not keeping you posted here.

What have I been up to? I’ve been writing a TON of songs (most of that is on Patreon, or on http://www.youtube.com/myabyrnemusic, where there are several cool new videos), I’ve become a staff writer at http://www.countryqueer.com, I’ve been doing a bit of public performance online, and just trying to keep it together during this time. A short film I made was selected in a film festival, my poetry was added to the Fire Thieves collection by SF Poet Laureate Emerita Kim Shuck, I performed in No Exit Theatre Company’s online production of “Rossum’s Universal Robots”…there’s been a lot. It’s not easy to catch y’all up in one blog post, so I won’t try to do that, but I just want to say, I hope you’re staying safe, and keep checking in for a major website overhaul coming soon!

Love

Mya

Hello friends, here’s the scoop! Big stuff: Residency continues at SF’s premiere acoustic venue, The Lost Church, and I’m in NYC for the #Rockwood15Years celebration month! Plus a trip to SXSW, a recording session or two, and other cool stuff to come. Times and ticket links tba. Stay tuned!

Feb 9: Guitar w’ Secret Emchy Society @ Dot’s Hoedown, Ivy Room, Albany CA
Feb 13: Bass for The Homobiles @ Ivy Room, Albany, CA
Feb 14: Guitar for Copyslut @ 924 Gilman, Berkeley, CA
Feb 16: Mya Byrne acoustic, in the round at Tom Clark’s Treehouse, 2A Bar, NY, NY
Feb 28: Mya Byrne & Friends @ ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL, NY NY! Full band, 7 pm sharp!
Mar 12-13: Guitar for Secret Emchy Society mini-tour, Oakland and Grass Valley, CA
Mar 14: Bass for The Homobiles @ Bottom of the Hill, SF, CA
Mar 19-22: SXSW, Austin TX, various appearances (will be updated shortly)
Mar 29: Mya Byrne acoustic residency show #2 @ Lost Church, 65 Capp St, SF, CA, 730 pm doors
Apr 23: Mya Byrne & Friends, full band show @ El Rio, SF, CA, 9 pm sharp
May 31: Mya Byrne acoustic residency show #3 @ Lost Church, 65 Capp St, SF, CA, 730 pm doors

Hi all! What a great run these last two months have been. To catch you up, I was the first trans woman to perform at SF’s Dyke March under her own name, which was incredibly exciting; my song “Faultline” won Best Folk Song at the TTMAs, the first-ever awards show dedicated to trans and gnc artists, and I performed with my bands at so many shows, including opening for Pansy Division(!) and showcasing at Fabulosa, an incredible feminist music festival. Lots of other cool things are happening I can’t mention yet, but all I can say is: cross your fingers for me! Here’s my fall schedule. Excited to be playing with bands like Karen and the Sorrows, Paisley Fields, Mercy Bell, and so many others!! Love n stuff… talk soon. -M

Oct 11: Solo acoustic supporting Brook Pridemore, The Hidden Cafe, Berkeley CA
Oct 23: Mya Byrne & the Something Extra at Myrtle Manor, Oakland CA
Oct 26: Homobiles @ Thee Parkside, SF, CA
Oct 29: Trans Femme Showcase w’ Lara Americo, Henrietta Hudson’s, NYC
Oct 30: Leave a Lasting Mark’s Rolling Stones Tribute, Bitter End, NYC
Nov 2: Solo 5pm matinee show at Rockwood Music Hall (ticket link here)
Nov 6: Radio Free Brooklyn
Nov 8: Queer Music Showcase, Branded Saloon, Brooklyn
Nov 9: Trans Voices Cabaret, Duplex, NYC
Nov 11: Queer Country Showcase, Dee’s, Nashville TN
Nov 15: Foam, St. Louis, MO
Nov 17: Lavender Country at 924 Gilman, Berkeley, CA
Dec 4: Solo acoustic, Alley Cat Galleria, SF
Dec 5: Homobiles at El Rio, SF, CA
Dec 7: Solo acoustic at Bazaarstock, Bazaar Cafe, SF (presented by KC Turner)