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Ciara

 
Who2 Biography: Ciara, Singer
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Who2 Biographies

  • Born: 25 October 1985
  • Birthplace: Austin, Texas
  • Best Known As: R&B singer who did the crunky "Goodies"

Name at birth: Ciara Harris

Ciara is a hip-hop and R&B singer whose 2004 debut produced the hit songs "Goodies" and "1, 2 Step" (with Missy Elliott). After years of moving around to military bases (her mother was in the air force, her father was in the army), her family settled in Atlanta, Georgia when Ciara was eight years old. She set out to be a singing star when she was a teenager, first with a girl group, then as a solo artist. With the help of producers Jazze Pha and Lil John, guest stars such as Elliott and Ludacris and a talented team of songwriters, Ciara's debut album made her an overnight celebrity. "Goodies," an up-tempo dance hit about refusing sexual advances, was a top hit in the U.S. and U.K. and earned Ciara a reputation as a "crunk & B" singer ("crunk & B" mixes elements of R&B with a harder, faster style known as crunk). It was followed by the single "1, 2 Step," which also reached the top ten.

Her name is pronounced "sierra."

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Black Biography: Ciara
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singer; songwriter

Personal Information

Born Ciara Princess Harris on October 25, 1985, in Austin, TX; both parents were members of the U.S. military
Education: Attended North Clayton and Riverdale high schools in suburban Atlanta.

Career

Wrote songs at Red Zone Entertainment studio, Atlanta, while in mid-teens; brief membership in all-girl group Hearsay; signed to LaFace label, 2004.

Life's Work

Youthful R&B vocalist Ciara (pronounced "Sierra") became an icon on the pop music scene in the summer of 2004. Her single "Goodies" spent seven weeks at No. 1 on pop charts, and its unsyncopated but subtly layered beats pounded out of sport-utility vehicles all over North America. A striking beauty with long hair and strong dance moves, Ciara quickly dispelled any idea that she was just a one-hit wonder. Her album Goodies, with lyrics that she mostly wrote herself, matched the success of its title track and spawned two more major hits. In 2005 Ciara went on tour with some of the biggest names in urban music, and she seemed a strong candidate to inherit the dance-pop niche long inhabited by Janet Jackson and Beyoncé Knowles.

Born on October 25, 1985, in Austin, Texas, Ciara Princess Harris grew up in a military family. Her father was in the United States Army, her mother in the Air Force, and their posting took her to New York, California, the desert southwest, and even Germany before the family settled in the Atlanta area. The "Dirty South" hip-hop music scene was taking shape in Atlanta when Ciara was young, but the tall and slender girl thought first of becoming a model. Attending North Clayton High School in Atlanta's southern suburbs, she was a member of the track team, competing in relays, the long jump, and the triple jump. She then moved to Riverdale High School and became the leader of the cheerleading squad. That decision paid dividends, Ciara told People: "I learned how to not get nervous in front of big crowds."

Wrote Out Goals

By the end of high school, Ciara had already decided what she wanted to do with her life. When she was a freshman in high school, she saw Knowles's group Destiny's Child performing live on ABC television's Good Morning America program. "It was this weird feeling: I want to do this. I'm going to do this," she told Nancy Miller of Entertainment Weekly. Where other young people might have stared at the television and dreamed, Ciara took action. She began writing songs, and she found a manager who landed her a gig writing songs at the up-and-coming Red Zone Entertainment studio. For a short time, after winning a contest, she performed with an all-girl group called Hearsay, but she soon went her own way. She wrote songs for the Washington, D.C.-born vocalist Mya, who was not much older than herself, and she kept aiming toward the goal of hearing her own music on the radio. Ciara wrote out her goals on a piece of paper at one point. "I wasn't into gossip or who was wearing what," she told Malcolm Venable of Interview. "I was like, 'I don't know about y'all, but I'm about to do something good with myself.'"

Her prediction came true when she met Atlanta producer Jazze Pha, whom she called her musical soul mate. In 2002 Ciara was signed to Jazze Pha's Sho' Nuff label, and that in turn provided the young singer with an entry point into the corridors of Atlanta's phenomenally successful urban hit-making machine. The producer felt that she filled a niche, telling Miller that "what was really lacking is the Janet Jackson, high-energy dance [music]. Ciara fills that void. She's pretty, she can dance, she can write music, and kids love her. Everyone loves her." Jazze Pha gave Ciara's demo recording to Arista Records head L.A. Reid, who in turn passed it on to Lil' Jon, the hot producer of the moment and a key figure in bringing the down-and-dirty hip-hop subgenre known as crunk to national popularity.

That was the key moment in propelling Ciara to national fame, for Lil' Jon in 2004 was the producer of the moment, giving crunk's heavy bass beats a lighter sheen that put them in dance clubs beyond those that favored the "Dirty South" sound. When Ciara's "Goodies" single was released in the summer of 2004, wrote Jason Birchmeier of the All Music Guide, "all it took was one listen to place the tune" for most urban listeners, "even if the singer was unknown--it's not a Ciara tune, it's a Lil' Jon one. You know, Lil' Jon, that red-hot producer with the simple yet infectiously booming bass beats and the clubby (even strip-clubby, dare say) singles that are more hook than song."

Wrote Lyrics to "Goodies"

Yet Ciara was much more than just a pretty face slotted into a producer's vision. The beat of "Goodies" was Lil' Jon's, but the lyrics, as with most of her songs, were her own. She was reluctant at first to work with the rhythm track the producer gave her, and in fact she disliked crunk music in the beginning. But that stimulated her to devise something that went slightly against the grain: in a hip-hop scene dominated by a confluence of sexuality and materialism, Ciara asserted in her lyrics that a fancy car and jewelry didn't mean an automatic gift of sexual favors. "It's something we [women] go through all the time," she told Steve Jones of USA Today. "You're at the mall and a guy pulls up in a Benz on 22s [22-inch wheel rims] and he's got the bling-bling chain and the blinged-out watch, and that makes it easy for you to leave with him. Actually, it's not." "If you're lookin' for the goodies, keep on lookin', 'cause they stay in the jar," Ciara sang, in contrast to the sexual promiscuity of which other female stars boasted. The song had a musically minimal feel, with repeated notes and even rhythms that complemented its chaste message. Touring on the Teen People Rock 'n' Shop Mall tour, Ciara quickly found legions of fans of both genders. "Goodies" shot to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 ranking and stayed there. The release of the Goodies album was threatened due to problems at her label, LaFace, but executives sensed something big in the making and kept it on the front burner.

Inspired by Songwriters

In the fast-moving genre terminology of urban music, Lil' Jon needed a new label to help Ciara stand out from the crowd, and he dubbed her the Queen of Crunk R&B. The label pointed to the smoothed-out dialect of crunk, more sung than rapped, in which Ciara specialized, but she pointed out to Kevin C. Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that "the title 'queen' is something that has to be earned. How can you be the queen or princess of something like that? That comes with time. You have to prove it." Having crossed the first hurdle to stardom, Ciara didn't lose her ambitious edge; she listened to the music of durable figures like Janet Jackson in search of clues to their longevity. "I've always admired people who write their songs," she told Ebony. "I'm a big fan of Michael Jackson and Sam Cooke, and because I love their music so much it makes me want to do the research. I want to learn as much as I can about music."

She was off to a good start. Two more singles from the Goodies album, the dance-ready "1, 2 Step" (with an assist from established hip-hop star Missy Elliott) and the more sensual "Oh" (featuring Ludacris), emerged as big hits later in 2004; "Oh" was another No. 1 single, and the Goodies album topped out at Number Three. The high-powered guest artists testified to industry expectations that Ciara was an emerging star, as did her appearance on a hip-hop tour in 2005 featuring superstar 50 Cent. Ciara beat back a bizarre Internet rumor that she was a transsexual or hermaphrodite; her detractors had her confused with another Ciara. She was romantically linked with the youthful rapper Bow Wow that year, and she was still stretching to find the limits of her musical creativity and ambition. "I've always been like 'Go get it,'" she told Miller. "If there was a pair of shoes I wanted, I was gonna get 'em. Some way, somehow." She made Entertainment Weekly's list of the best new talent of 2005, yet another indication that the best was yet to come.

Awards

Entertainment Weekly magazine, named to Best New Emerging Talent list, 2005.

Works

Selected discography

  • Goodies, LaFace, 2004.

Further Reading

Periodicals

  • Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 9, 2004, p. P9.
  • Daily News (Los Angeles), May 13, 2005, p. U21.
  • Ebony, June 2005, p. 28.
  • Entertainment Weekly, July 22, 2005, p. 38; December 30, 2005, p. 94.
  • Interview, May 2004, p. 52; July 2005, p. 74.
  • People, October 18, 2004, p. 132.
  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch, August 25, 2005, p. 5.
On-line
  • "Ciara," All Music, www.allmusic.com (December 31, 2005).
  • "In the Bag with 'Goodies' Mix," USA Today, www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2004-07-26-ciara-verge_x.htm (December 31, 2005).

— James M. Manheim

Artist: Ciara
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Ciara

Similar Artists:

Rihanna, Brooke Valentine, Christina Milian, Ashanti, Nivea, Beyoncé, Amerie, Kristinia DeBarge, Electrik Red, Teyana Taylor, Dear Jayne, Che'Nelle, Shontelle, Cherish, Keke Palmer, Paris Bennett, Cassie, Teairra Marí, Lloyd, Yummy Bingham, Fantasia, Keri Hilson, Tori Alamaze, Tiffany Evans, Mario

Influenced By:

Destiny's Child, Aaliyah, TLC, Janet Jackson, SWV, Salt-N-Pepa

Formal Connection With:

Jazze Pha, Lil Jon
See Ciara Lyrics
  • Born: October 25, 1985, Atlanta, GA
  • Active: 2000s
  • Genres: Rhythm & Blues
  • Instrument: Vocals, Songwriter
  • Representative Albums: "Goodies," "Fantasy Ride," "The Evolution"
  • Representative Songs: "Goodies," "Get Up," "Promise"

Biography

Dubbed the "First Lady of Crunk & B" by the producer who should know, Lil Jon, singer Ciara burst onto the scene with the never-gonna-get-it single "Goodies," the breathy "answer song" to Petey Pablo's "Freek-a-Leek." She was born in Austin, TX, but with her father in the Army, Ciara spent time living in Germany, New York, California, Arizona, and Nevada before landing in Atlanta. In her early teens, she got a piece of paper out and wrote down her life's goal, to become a professional singer. She joined a girl group, worked on her songwriting, left the group, landed a publishing deal, and found a "music soul mate" when she met producer Jazze Pha. With Sean Garrett, the co-writer of Usher's massive hit "Yeah!," Ciara co-wrote "Goodies," and when Lil Jon heard the demo, he knew it was going to be big. LaFace released the Lil Jon-produced track in the summer of 2004, and its quick climb to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 was remarkable. With help from Pha, Garrett, and Lil Jon, Ciara released her self-titled debut in September the same year. The follow-up singles "1, 2 Step" featuring Missy Elliott and "Oh" featuring Ludacris both broke the Top Five in the U.S. in 2005. By the end of the year she joined Gwen Stefani on tour before teaming with Bow Wow and Chris Brown for a package tour in early 2006. The Evolution, her second album, was released near the end of the year; though it debuted at the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and a handful of subsequent singles ("Get Up," "Promise," "Like a Boy") placed within the Top 20 of the Hot 100, it did not perform quite as well as the debut. The May 2009 release of Fantasy Ride, her third album, was preceded by a few delays, including a pre-release single that failed to catch fire. Fantasy Ride was, nonetheless, her most star-studded album to date, featuring collaborations with Elliott and Ludacris, as well as the-Dream, Young Jeezy, Chris Brown, and Justin Timberlake. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
Wikipedia: Ciara
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 This article may require copy-editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (June 2009)
This article is about the musician. For information on the saint, see Saint Ciara and for information on the name itself, see Ciara (given name). For the Irish naval vessel, see LÉ Ciara (P42).
Ciara

Ciara attending the 5th Annual Hip-Hop Summit Action Network's Action Awards in 2008
Background information
Birth name Ciara Princess Harris
Born October 25, 1985 (1985-10-25) (age 24)
Austin, Texas, United States
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genres R&B, pop, hip hop, dance
Occupations Singer–songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, model, music video director
Years active 2002–present
Labels LaFace, Zomba
Website www.ciaraworld.com

Ciara Princess Harris (born October 25, 1985),[1] who performs under the mononym Ciara (pronounced /siˈærə/),[2] is an American recording artist, producer, dancer, fashion model, and actress. Born in Austin, Texas, Ciara made her debut in the summer of 2004 with the Billboard number-one single "Goodies". The album Goodies was released in the United States on September 28, 2004, and in the UK on January 24, 2005. It produced three top two singles on the Billboard Hot 100, selling three million in U.S[3] and over five million worldwide.[4]

Ciara's second album, Ciara: The Evolution, was released in December 2006. It has spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top ten hit "Get Up", and the R&B/Hip-Hop Charts top ten hits "Promise", "Like a Boy", and "Can't Leave 'em Alone". To date, the album, which went platinum only five weeks after its release, has sold more than one million copies in the U.S. and three million worldwide.

Ciara's third studio album, Fantasy Ride, was released in the United States on May 5, 2009.[5] The first official single, the R&B/Hip-Hop Charts top ten hit "Never Ever", features rapper Young Jeezy and was released in January 2009. The second single, the worldwide hit "Love Sex Magic" featuring Justin Timberlake, was released in March 2009. Since its release, the single became a hit on numerous charts, including the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 10.[6] The third single, "Like a Surgeon" and fourth single "Work" were both released in July 2009.

It was confirmed in September 2009 that Ciara has been working with Tricky Stewart and The-Dream on her yet-to-be titled fourth studio album. The project was originally intended for a 2009 release, but is now likely due for a 2010 release. It will be produced and written entirely by the trio.

Contents

Early life

Ciara was born in Austin, Texas; She is the only child of Jackie (née Smith) and Carlton Clay Harris. She grew up on Army bases in Germany, New York, Utah, California, Arizona, and Nevada, since her father was in the United States Army.[7] During her teens, Ciara and her family settled in Atlanta.[7] Ciara said that watching Destiny's Child perform on a television program while staying home from school inspired her to pursue a career in music [7] but often cites Michael Jackson as her biggest inspiration.[8][9] Then, Ciara joined a girl group called Hearsay and worked on her songwriting.[7] The group recorded demos, but began to have differences. Eventually, she left the group, got a publishing deal, and found a "musical soulmate" when she met producer Jazze Pha.[7] Ciara graduated from Riverdale High School in Riverdale, Georgia in 2003 and was signed by LaFace Records executive L.A. Reid with the help of Jazze Pha. She began production on her debut album. Ciara co-wrote a demo with songwriter Sean Garrett, who was co-writer of Usher’s international hit "Yeah!".[7]

Career

2004–2005: Goodies

Goodies became a commercial success in the U.S., selling 2.63 million copies. The following year, Goodies received an international release, but success was limited, although the singles were worldwide hits. Ciara’s debut single, "Goodies" reached number one in United States and United Kingdom. The second and third single "1, 2 Step" featuring Missy Elliott and "Oh" featuring Ludacris were top five singles, both peaking at the number two spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, in both countries. "And I", the fourth single, did poorly compared to the first three releases. The song peaked at ninety-six on the Billboard Hot 100.

In the summer 2005, Ciara released her DVD of music videos, documentaries, and commentaries entitled Goodies: The Videos & More and contributed to hip-hop artists' singles during Goodies success. She appeared on Missy Elliott's "Lose Control" from her album The Cookbook and Bow Wow’s "Like You" from his album Wanted, which both peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.

In December 2005, Ciara went on tour with Gwen Stefani on her Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005 and Bow Wow and Chris Brown for the "Holladay Jam" tour, which stopped at big cities such as New York, Washington D.C., and Atlanta. She received Grammy nominations for "Best New Artist", "Best Rap/Sung Collaboration" for "1, 2 Step", "Best Rap Song" and "Best Short Form Music Video" for “Lose Control”.

2006–2007: Ciara: The Evolution

On February 8, 2006, Ciara won her first Grammy Award for "Best Short Form Music Video" with Missy Elliott's "Lose Control"[10]. In April 2006, Ciara was featured on Field Mob’s Billboard top ten single "So What". The following month, she made her acting debut in the MTV Films production All You've Got, also starring Adrienne Bailon and Efren Ramirez. The summer of 2006, Ciara completed her second album, after the release of the Step Up soundtrack single "Get Up" featuring Chamillionaire. It became the second European single in the summer 2007, apart from the UK, where the song was released twice as a download-only single, once in 2006 and again in 2007.

Ciara at Screamfest '07

Ciara's second studio album, Ciara: The Evolution was released December 5, 2006. Production included hit makers such as, Jazze Pha, Rodney Jerkins, Pharrell, Bryan Michael Cox, Will.i.am and many others. The album is about Ciara's personal growth after two years in the public eye. She co-wrote and co-produced most of the songs. The official first single "Promise", produced by Atlanta producer Polow da Don, which reached eleven on the Billboard Hot 100. In October 2006, Ciara went on a seventeen city club tour until December, which she previewed new music from the album. Ciara: The Evolution debuted at number one selling over 338,000 copies, which is 213,000 more than Ciara’s debut album Goodies. The album received generally positive reviews and was certified platinum by the RIAA within only five weeks of its release. The second single from Ciara: The Evolution, the first single in Europe, "Like a Boy", was released on February 13, 2007 in the U.S. The single was the second to be released in the UK with an April 9, 2007 release date. The single was a moderate success peaking at nineteen on the Billboard Hot 100, six on the Hot Hip-Hop/R&B Singles chart, and sixteen in the UK.

In early May, Ciara teamed with Glamour Magazine to direct her first music video for emerging female artists Tiffany Evans, Paula Campbell, or Samantha Jade in the Nissan Reel Music Contest.[11] She signed on to her second film role Mama, I Want to Sing! which filmed the summer 2007 and is due in theaters October 2008 and she became the face of Jay-Z's Rocawear clothing line and spokesperson for the women campaign entitled "I Will Not Lose", which debuted in the summer.[12] The official third single "Can't Leave 'Em Alone",which features 50 Cent was released on June 12, 2007 and peaked at forty on the Billboard Hot 100. Ciara headlined with Lloyd, T-Pain, T.I. and Yung Joc on the Screamfest '07. The tour was scheduled to begin July 24, 2007.[13] but it was changed to August 3, 2007.[14] During this period, Ciara was featured on teen singer Tiffany Evans's debut single, "Promise Ring". Ciara supported fellow pop singer Rihanna on the UK leg of the Good Girl Gone Bad Tour. Ciara performed "Can't Leave 'Em Alone" at the World Music Awards with 50 Cent. She won the award for "World's Best Selling Female R&B Artist" at the 2007 World Music Awards.

2008–2009: Fantasy Ride

Ciara attending Maxim magazine's 10th Annual Hot 100 Celebration in Santa Monica, California, on May 13, 2009
Main article: Fantasy Ride

Promotion

In September 2008, Ciara promoted the forthcoming release of the album at Austell's Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park, with her parents and fans in attendance. For the day, the roller coaster Goliath was renamed Fantasy Ride. Ciara also met fans and signed autographs.[15] She also released a promo single for the album, titled "Go Girl", which featured T-Pain on September 30, 2008. Ciara made her first stage appearance performing at Media WildJam '08, where she previewed a few unreleased tracks from the upcoming album, as well as performed past hits. Performances included new songs "I'm On",[16] "Go Girl",[17] "Ciara To The Stage", and "High Price".[18] For a limited period of time UK and European customers at Foot Locker were given the chance to download an exclusive remix of "Go Girl" and had the opportunity to win a meeting with Ciara in person.[19] Ciara announced that she would release a Fantasy Ride mixtape in anticipation for the album. However only two tracks were made available, "Slow Down", featuring rapper 50 Cent.[20] and a cover of "Diva" by Beyoncé [21]

On Monday, February 23, 2009, Ciara made an appearance on BET's 106 & Park. There, she promoted the album, the new singles, and answered selected online fan questions. Ciara spoke about the controversy surrounding the track "Turntables" featuring Chris Brown, saying that it will be on the album, but that it might sound different in a good way.[22] On Tuesday, February 24, 2009, Ciara was a special guest on Snoop Dogg's MTV show, "Dogg After Dark"[23] although she did not formerly promote the album. Ciara confirmed on April 2, 2009 that she has many promotions coming up for the album including performances live in the UK and US including appearing on Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[24] On April 25, 2009 during the UK promotions, Ciara performed "Love Sex Magic", "Never Ever", "Goodies" and "1 2 Step" at London's G-A-Y nightclub [25].

Ciara appeared on BET's "106 & Park" on May 6, 2009 where she formally promoted her album, displayed some of her album artwork and co-hosted [26]. On May 9, 2009, during an edition of Saturday Night Live hosted by Justin Timberlake and Jessica Beil, Ciara performed a special rendition of "Love Sex Magic" (featuring a James Brown interlude) with Timberlake and later appeared solo to perform "Never Ever".[27]

In February 2009, Ciara announced in a SayNow Message, that she is hoping to embark on a worldwide tour in support of her third studio album, "Fantasy Ride", at the end of the year. In March 2009, it was also announced that Ciara will be the supporting act for Britney Spears' world tour, "The Circus Starring: Britney Spears". She will serve as the opening act at all eight of the London shows in June. It was then confirmed and announced that Ciara will continue to be the opening act for Britney's second North American leg in August. In May 2009, Ciara announced that she will also be going on a 6-city summer tour titled "Jay-Z & Ciara Live" with fellow rapper Jay-Z, which begins on July 2.[28]

Release

The album was first released on May 3, 2009 in the UK where it debuted at number 10. It was released in United States on May 5, 2009. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart, with 81,000 copies sold, the album has currently sold over 150,000 copies. The album is currently Ciara's most successful album overseas.[29] A new lead single was released shortly in preparation for the album's release. The lead single is called "Never Ever", which features Young Jeezy, and was produced by Polow da Don and co-written by Ciara and Elvis “BlacElvis” Williams. The single has already made a big impact on the radio, even before the music video was released. The single is more successful so far than "Go Girl". The single reached number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[30] The second single, also worldwide hit "Love Sex Magic", which features Justin Timberlake, was co-written and produced by its featured act. The single was impacted radio stations in March 2009. The single reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single reached the top 10 in other countries including the UK. The third single "Like a Surgeon" was released to radio stations on June 15, 2009. "Like a Surgeon" has already debuted on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and peaks at number 59. Due to the single receiving massive radio airplay, it debuted on the chart without a official release. The fourth single "Work" which features Missy Elliott, will be released first internationally and then will be released in the US after "Like a Surgeon". The single currently peaks at numeber 56 on the UK Singles Chart, the single has already charted in Australia and Ireland. The single was officially released to UK radio on July 27, 2009.

In 2008, Ciara was featured on many albums including rapper Nelly's album Brass Knuckles and Enrique Iglesias's greatest hits album in the second single titled "Takin' Back My Love", the single reached the top ten in numerous countries including United Kingdom, she will continue to be on many more upcoming albums.[31][32]

In October 2008, Billboard announced that Ciara would be honored as a "Woman Of The Year" for her success in the music industry.[33] Ciara did interviews in many magazines including "Right On", Maxim Magazine, and Vibe Magazine, which she was promoting the new album Fantasy Ride.[34][35] This followed to the Vibe Magazine controversy. On the October issue, Ciara was appearing to be naked but she has stated that Vibe airbrushed her clothes off to make it appear she was completely nude. She later confirmed to MTV News that she was in fact clothed. Ciara was quoted as saying:[36]

“ I think, at this point, I'd rather just be quiet about things such as that but I definitely want to make it clear that I was going in to do something artistic, and I was upset that when I saw the photos, everything was gone. ”

The album's last US single was "Like A Surgeon" and the last worldwide single was "Work".

2009-present: Fourth studio album

On September 28, 2009 it was revealed the Ciara was well into production of her fourth studio album. In an interview with Rap-Up, Tricky Stewart revealed that he and production partner The-Dream had spent the summer recording with Ciara, and that they would be producing the whole album. When asked about the direction of the album, Stewart said "this record obviously is gonna have tempo to it, but I think it's gonna have even more substance than the last record", featuring more danceable songs. Tricky also stated that The-Dream would be the only guest feature on the album, as they wanted "to take a few steps back and make it more about her", but that there would be features on remixes. The trio have completed around 14 songs for the project thus far, and while the album was targeted for a 2009 release, it may be delayed until 2010 to avoid rushing the album. Stewart said that his favorite tracks were "Speechless" and "Gifted".[37] On October 20, 2009, Ciara personally confirmed her fourth album with MTV. She stated that this time round the recording and production of the album felt much like when she was starting out her career. She also said that although the songs which Tricky Stewart mentioned are good there are other amazing tracks to come too.[38] On October 26, 2009, Stewart confirmed that the album would be out in 2010 and that it wasn't finished yet. He also stated, however, that the first single may come out by the end of 2009. Stewart stated again that there would be no featured acts on the album. He also stated that the album's concept was that Ciara would be portraying the sounds of her debut album, Goodies and her 2006 single "Promise".[39]

Personal life

Wiki letter w.svg This section requires expansion.

In 2005, Ciara began dating rapper Bow Wow. They ended their relationship in April 2006.[40] Bow Wow also gave her a large diamond on her left ring finger, saying it was just a gift.

Other ventures

Modeling for Wilhelmina

She recently signed a deal with the modeling agency Wilhelmina Models. The deal will allow Wilhelmina to focus on casting Ciara in various photo shoots and commercials. In addition to that, she also has her eyes set on beginning a new clothing line. In June 2008 she was in talks with the department store Steve & Barry's, who are home to a clothing line for Sarah Jessica Parker's "Bitten" line as well as New York Knicks' star Stephon Marbury's "Starbury" collection, to create a reasonably priced clothing line that would combine her style with affordable prices;[41] these talks presumably ended when Steve & Barry's filed for bankruptcy protection and then liquidated.

The first picture Ciara took with Wilhelmina Models from a photo shoot was released on the Internet. The picture shows Ciara wrapped up in a microphone cord. Ciara confirmed on a radio station that her fashion line is in early talks.[42] Ciara is also currently featured on a six page spread in the January 2009, issue of Elle Magazine. It shows Ciara in different styles of clothes and hairstyles. She promotes the upcoming album "Fantasy Ride".[43]

In November 9, 2009, it was announced that Ciara would be modeling in the German edition of "Vogue". A picture was released onto the internet the same day, featuring Ciara posing with two males.[44]

Acting career

In May 2005, Ciara made her acting debut in the MTV Films coming-of-age film All You've Got, as Becca Watley, the queen bee of a high school volleyball team; the Little Madonnas.[45] The film was released on DVD May 23, 2006.

Ciara is starring with Patti LaBelle in the upcoming film Mama, I Want to Sing!, which is based on the worldwide hit off-Broadway musical. Ciara is playing a preacher's daughter in the church choir who becomes a pop star. The movie was originally supposed to be released to theaters in October 2008, but now the movie will be released in Fall 2009, due to filming extra scenes for the film.

Endorsement Deals

In November 2009, it was announced that Ciara would be the new face of a major multimedia ad campaign for Verizon’s high end smartphone, LG Chocolate Touch. Ciara has filmed a commercial for the campaign, which features her dancing on top of a desk sexually to her single "Work". While dancing she is trying to persuade a male customer to buy the phone. She has also filmed other commercials with Verizon, that will premiere soon.[46]

Charity

In September, Ciara, along with Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Ashanti, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes, and Carrie Underwood, will team up for the song "Just Stand Up!". The charity tune for cancer was conceived by Antonio "L.A." Reid, who produced it with longtime creative colleague Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds. 15 singers shared the stage to perform the song live on September 5, during the "Stand Up to Cancer" television special, which aired simultaneously on ABC, NBC and CBS. The proceeds from the single were given to the fundraiser.[47] The television special helped raise $100 million dollars for cancer research.[48] The single is now available via digital download.

In November, Ciara teamed up with "Make a Wish Foundation". There, she helped grant the wish of a mentally challenged girl who wanted to learn the choreography to "1, 2 Step."

Discography

Main article: Ciara discography

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
2006 All You've Got Becca Watley Television film
2009 Mama, I Want to Sing! Amara Awaiting release

Tours

Headlining

Supporting act

See also

References

  1. ^ MSN (2008). "Ciara: Biography". MSN. http://music.msn.com/music/artist-biography/ciara/. Retrieved 2008-07-16. 
  2. ^ Ogunnaike, Lola (2006-12-06). "One Name, Many Goals for a Driven R&B Star". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/arts/music/06ciar.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2008-11-18. 
  3. ^ http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS
  4. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/arts/music/06ciar.html?_r=1
  5. ^ http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Ride-Ciara/dp/B001G1ACZ0
  6. ^ ARC Top Songs Rock On The Net. Accessed March 11, 2009
  7. ^ a b c d e f " Billboard.com Biography - Ciara". Retrieved December 14, 2006.
  8. ^ [1] limelife.com. Accessed july 31, 2009.
  9. ^ Artist on Michael Jackson MTV.com. Accessed july 1, 2009.
  10. ^ Rock On The Net: 48th Annual Grammy Awards
  11. ^ Ciara Directs A Clip, Plus Kelly Clarkson, Usher, Paris Hilton, Beyonce, Chris Brown & More In For The Record MTV News Retrieved June 2, 2007
  12. ^ Ciara Tapped As the New Face of Rocawear Us Magazine Retrieved June 2, 2007
  13. ^ T.I., Ciara To Headline Latest Scream Tour Retrieved June 7, 2007
  14. ^ Usher To Become A Dad; Plus Screamfest, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Fall Out Boy, Fergie, Andre 3000 & More, In For The Record
  15. ^ "Ciara Brings "Fantasy Ride" To Six Flags". Rap-Up.com. Rap-Up. 2008-09-28. http://www.rap-up.com/?p=8329. Retrieved 2008-10-05. 
  16. ^ YouTube: Ciara Performs 1 Of 2 New Fantasy Ride Tracks @ WildJam
  17. ^ YouTube: Ciara Performs Go Girl @ Wild Jam. Go Girl BreakDown Ending
  18. ^ YouTube: WiLD JAM "08
  19. ^ www.ciaraworld.com
  20. ^ http://www.nypost.com/seven/03282009/gossip/pagesix/snuggly_in_vegas_161654.htm
  21. ^ http://www.rap-up.com/2008/12/27/new-music-ciara-diva-beyonce-cover/#more-10100
  22. ^ Ciara on 106 & Park Rap-Up.com. Accessed February 19, 2009.
  23. ^ Ciara & Snoop Dogg Rap-Up.com. Accessed February 20, 2009.
  24. ^ http://www.saynow.com/ciara Message:04/02/09 05:05 PM accessed April 4 and Message:04/04/09 05:59 PM 1:30 accessed April 9, 2009
  25. ^ Ciara Uk Promotion: G-A-Y Performances
  26. ^ http://www.sincerelyciara.com
  27. ^ Ciara Performs TWICE on SNL
  28. ^ Ciara: Promo Tour, Coming Soon Sincerelyciara.com. Accessed February 27, 2009.
  29. ^ http://www.power1051fm.com/common/podcast/single_page.html?podcast=edlovershow
  30. ^ Ciara's New Single, Confirmed By Elle Magazine
  31. ^ Rap-Up.com:// rap-up book in stores now! » Blog Archive » Nelly’s ‘Brass Knuckles’ Due June 24
  32. ^ "Enrique Inglesias Official Website" Enrique Ingesias. Accessed October 16, 2008.
  33. ^ "Ciara's Official Website" CiaraWorld.com. Accessed October 4, 2008.
  34. ^ Ciara On Right On Magazine Urban-Hoopla.com. Accessed November 1, 2008.
  35. ^ Ciara In Maxim Magazine In Lingerie The Insider. Accessed September 10, 2008.
  36. ^ Ciara Insists: I Wasn't Nude In Vibe Magazine MTV News. Accessed September 23, 2008.
  37. ^ "Exclusive: Ciara Readies New Album". Rap-Up. September 28, 2009. http://www.rap-up.com/2009/09/28/exclusive-ciara-readies-new-album/#more-27509. Retrieved September 29, 2009. 
  38. ^ http://sincerelyciara.com/?p=2357#comment-40535
  39. ^ http://www.rap-up.com/2009/10/26/ciara-at-her-best-on-new-album/#more-29708
  40. ^ Ciara and Bow Wow call it quits
  41. ^ Billboard Biz: Ciara Inks With Modeling Agency, Eyes Clothing Line
  42. ^ Ciara Radio Interview Sincerelyciara.com. Accessed November 9, 2008.
  43. ^ Ciara In Elle Magazine Sohh.com. Accessed December 14, 2008.
  44. ^ Ciara in Vogue
  45. ^ " Ciara The Queen of Madonnas". Retrieved August 28, 2006.
  46. ^ Endorsement Deal with Verizon
  47. ^ Kaufman, Gil (2008-08-19). "Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Rihanna, Fergie, Miley Cyrus, More Collaborate On Cancer Benefit Single". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1593043/20080819/carey_mariah.jhtml. Retrieved 2008-08-20. 
  48. ^ 15 Singers Stand Up To Cancer Billboard. Accessed October 8, 2008.
  49. ^ Ciara to tour with Rihanna in the UK. Retrieved October 8, 2007.

External links

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v • d • e
Ciara
Albums
Goodies (2004) · Ciara: The Evolution (2006) · Fantasy Ride (2009)
Singles
"Goodies" · "1, 2 Step" · "Oh" · "And I" · "Get Up" · "Promise" · "Like a Boy" · "Can't Leave 'em Alone" · "Never Ever" · "Love Sex Magic" · "Like a Surgeon" · "Work"
Featured singles
Other notable songs
Filmography
DVDs
Solo Tours
Supporting Tours
Related articles



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Who2 Biography. Copyright © 1998-2008 by Who2, LLC. All rights reserved. See the Ciara biography from Who2.  Read more
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