"Case of the Ex" | ||||
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Single by Mýa | ||||
from the album Fear of Flying | ||||
Released | July 11, 2000 | |||
Recorded | Late 1999 | |||
Studio | Triangle Sound (Atlanta, Georgia) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:56 | |||
Label | Interscope | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Christopher "Tricky" Stewart | |||
Mýa singles chronology | ||||
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Alternative covers | ||||
"Case of the Ex" (sometimes subtitled "Whatcha Gonna Do"[1]) is a song performed by American singer Mýa. It was written and composed by Christopher "Tricky" Stewart (with his songwriting partners Traci Hale and Thabiso "Tab" Nkhereanyne) for Mýa's sophomore studio record, Fear of Flying (2000). The up-tempo pop-R&B track was inspired by a relationship Hale was going through at the time. It was released as the second single from the album, following "The Best of Me" (July 11, 2000).
The song received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, yet it was Mýa's breakthrough mainstream hit, both stateside and internationally, after having already released a previous self-titled album in early 1998. "Case of the Ex" was a top-five hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 2, 2000, peaking and spending three consecutive weeks at no. 2, while topping the Australian ARIA Singles Chart for two consecutive weeks (in March 2001) and peaking at no. 3 in the United Kingdom.
The accompanying music video for the single was directed by Diane Martel. Mýa worked with choreographer Tina Landon, who later won an American Choreography Award for Best Hip Hop music video. The video, filmed in the barren Mojave Desert, featured the singer and her backup dancers performing with large poles as props and dancing in the sand. The visuals drew comparisons to Janet Jackson's "You Want This" (1994) music video and Mel Gibson's 1979 film Mad Max. In addition, the video was nominated for a Washington Area Music Award for Video of the Year, while the song itself won in the Urban Contemporary Recording category in 2001.