Myra is the stage name of American pop singer Mayra Carol Ambriz Quintana, born May 21, 1986, in Los Angeles, California. Raised in Burbank, she emerged as a young performer during the late 1990s and became associated with the family-oriented pop market developed by Disney and Hollywood Records.
Ambriz began recording while still a child. In 1997, at the age of 11, she released the Spanish-language album Mensajera del Amor under the name Mayra Carol. Her early work established her as a bilingual performer and helped lead to a recording agreement with Walt Disney Records in 2000. She became one of the first Latina pop artists prominently developed through Disney's music operations, at a time when the company was expanding its presence in teen and children's entertainment.
Her first major exposure came through Disney-related soundtrack projects. In 2000, she appeared on the compilation La Vida Mickey with the song "Magic Carpet Ride." The following year, she recorded a cover of Martha and the Vandellas' Motown classic "Dancing in the Street" for Recess: School's Out. The upbeat version presented Myra as a youthful dance-pop performer and was accompanied by a music video directed by Scott Marshall.
Myra's best-known song is "Miracles Happen (When You Believe)," released in 2001. Written by Pam Sheyne and Elliot Kennedy, the song was featured in the Disney film The Princess Diaries and became the lead single from her self-titled album. A Spanish-language version, "Siempre Hay Milagros," was also recorded. The English single reached the Australian singles chart and received an ALMA Award nomination for Outstanding Song in a Motion Picture Soundtrack.
The album Myra was released in North America on June 26, 2001, through Buena Vista Records. It combined original pop material with soundtrack-oriented songs and the singer's cover of "Dancing in the Street." The record was later issued in Japan in expanded editions, including remixes and additional tracks. Among the songs associated with the album were "Lie, Lie, Lie" and "Step Into the Light."
During this period, Myra also worked in live entertainment. She opened for Aaron Carter's 2000-2001 Party Tour and appeared on the Radio Disney Live! 2001 World Tour. Her career was not limited to music: in October 2001, she played Chelsea in the Disney comedy film Max Keeble's Big Move, adding acting to her work as a singer and dancer.
Myra's mainstream visibility declined after the early 2000s, but she continued to appear in music-related projects. In 2007, she was featured on "Back to You" by Chicano rapper Veze Skante and contributed "Get On Your Way" to the compilation La Costa Nuestra. She also remained connected with Spanish-language and Disney-oriented repertoire. Myra is chiefly remembered for combining bilingual pop with Disney film promotion and for songs that became part of the soundtrack of early-2000s teen entertainment.