Ciara
Ciara Princess Wilson[1] (/siˈɛərə/ see-AIR-ə;[2] née Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, businesswoman,[3][4] dancer, model, and actress. She rose to prominence with her debut studio album, Goodies (2004) and its lead single of the same name (featuring Petey Pablo), which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart. Follow-up singles from the album included "1, 2 Step" (featuring Missy Elliott) and "Oh" (featuring Ludacris), both of which peaked at number two on the former chart. The album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and received two nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards. Ciara also guest featured on the 2005 singles "Lose Control" by Missy Elliott and "Like You" by Bow Wow, both of which peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
For other uses, see Ciara (disambiguation).
Ciara
- Singer
- songwriter
- dancer
- actress
- businesswoman
- model
2001–present
4
Vocals
Her second studio album, Ciara: The Evolution (2006), topped the Billboard 200 and spawned the top-ten single "Get Up" (featuring Chamillionaire) and the top 20 singles "Promise" and "Like a Boy." Ciara's third studio album, Fantasy Ride (2009) produced the top-ten single "Love Sex Magic" (featuring Justin Timberlake), which received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Her fourth studio album, Basic Instinct (2010) spawned the single "Ride" (featuring Ludacris), which received platinum certification by the RIAA. After the album's commercial underperformance, Ciara signed with Epic Records in 2011 to release her eponymous fifth (2013) and sixth album, Jackie (2015). The former peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and spawned the double platinum-certified single "Body Party", while the latter spawned the platinum-certified single "I Bet".
The following year, Ciara signed a modeling contract with IMG,[5] became a Global Brand Ambassador for the cosmetics company Revlon,[6] and married quarterback Russell Wilson.[7] Her seventh album, Beauty Marks (2019), included the platinum-certified single "Level Up". She signed with Uptown Records, an imprint of Republic Records through a partnership with her own label, Beauty Marks Entertainment in 2022.[8] Ciara's debut extended play (EP), CiCi (2023) spawned the singles "How We Roll" (with Chris Brown) and "Forever" (featuring Lil Baby).
In her acting career, she has appeared in the films All You've Got (2006), Mama, I Want to Sing! (2012), That's My Boy (2012), and the television series
The Game (2013). Ciara starred in the 2023 remake of The Color Purple as Nettie.[9] Ciara has received multiple accolades, including a Grammy Award, two BET Awards, the Woman of the Year award from Billboard Women in Music, two MTV Video Music Awards, eight Soul Train Awards, and fifteen Ascap Music Awards. As of 2019, Ciara's worldwide sales total over 45 million.[10]
Early life[edit]
Ciara Princess Harris was born in Fort Hood, Texas,[11][12] on October 25, 1985,[13][14] the only child of Jackie and Carlton Clay Harris.[15] An army brat, she grew up in Georgia, New York, Utah, California, Arizona, and Nevada.[16] She was named after the Revlon fragrance Ciara which was introduced in 1973.[17] During her teens, Ciara and her family settled in College Park, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, where she attended North Clayton High School before graduating from Riverdale.[16][18]
In her mid-teens, Ciara formed the all-girl group Hearsay with two of her friends. The group recorded demos, but as time went on, they began to have differences and eventually parted ways.[16] Despite this setback, Ciara signed a publishing deal as a songwriter.
Her first writing credit was on Blu Cantrell's debut album, So Blu, for the song "10,000 Times". She also wrote the song "Got Me Waiting" for R&B singer Fantasia Barrino's debut album, Free Yourself.[16] It was when she was writing songs that she met music producer Jazze Pha, whom she called her "music soulmate". In 2002, the two recorded four demos: "1, 2 Step", "Thug Style", "Pick Up the Phone", and "Lookin' at You", which all appeared on her debut album that was released two years later. "1, 2 Step" was the second single released from the album and it was a hit.[16]
Career[edit]
2003–2005: Goodies[edit]
After graduating from Riverdale High School in Riverdale, Georgia, in 2003, she was signed by LaFace Records executive, L.A. Reid, whom she was introduced to by Jazze Pha.[19] She began production on her debut album later that year. In early 2004, she wrote a demo with record producer, Sean Garrett, which came to the attention of Lil Jon and became her debut single "Goodies". Lil Jon stated later that he knew it would be big seeing how it sounded similar to Usher's international hit, "Yeah!".[16]
Ciara released her debut album Goodies on September 28, 2004. The album debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling 125,000 copies in its initial week[20] and topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Following the release of the album, Ciara was called the "First Lady of Crunk&B". Goodies had a 71-week run on the Billboard 200, and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on October 10, 2006.[21] Charting at twenty-two on the Canadian Albums Chart, it was certified Platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association.[22] The album charted at 26 on the UK Albums Chart, and spent 20 weeks on the chart.[23] It was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry.[24]
Goodies' lead single, the title track, featuring Petey Pablo, was released on June 8, 2004. Conceived as a crunk female counterpart to Usher's "Yeah!", the lyrical content goes against the grain, speaking of abstinence, rejecting advances because "the goodies will stay in the jar." Critics hailed it as an "anthem of the summer" and one of the best singles of the year, complimenting its dance-feel and beat, and the irony of the "clever" lyrics. The single performed well worldwide, topping the charts in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, and charting in the top 10 of other charts, receiving Platinum certification in the United States.[25][26] "1, 2 Step" featuring Missy Elliott was released as the album's second single.[27] The song peaked in the top 10 of many countries, topping the charts in Canada, and went on to become Platinum or Gold in many countries.[25][26] "Oh" featuring Ludacris was released as the third single on March 5, 2005. The song performed well worldwide, appearing in the top 10 of seven charts, and certified either Platinum or Gold in multiple regions.[25][26]
Following the success of the album, Ciara released a CD/DVD entitled Goodies: The Videos & More in the United States on July 12, 2005, which featured remixes to "1, 2 Step" and "Oh", as well as two new songs. The release was certified platinum in the United States. She made guest appearances on Missy Elliott's single "Lose Control" and on Bow Wow's single "Like You", which both peaked at number three in the United States and obtained worldwide success. She was an opening act for Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005 and went on tour with Chris Brown and Bow Wow on the Holiday Jam Tour in December 2005. At the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, Ciara received four nominations for Best New Artist, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "1, 2 Step", Best Rap Song for Missy Elliott's single "Lose Control", and won her last nomination, Best Short Form Music Video for "Lose Control".[28]
2006–2007: Ciara: The Evolution and acting debut[edit]
On December 5, 2006, Ciara released her second studio album, Ciara: The Evolution. According to the singer, the title of the album is "about so much more than just my personal growth – it's about the evolution of music, the evolution of dance, the evolution of fashion."[29] The source of the album's creativity such as the sound and edge comes from Ciara in general.[30] Ciara: The Evolution became Ciara's first and only number one album on the U.S. Billboard 200, and her second number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts with sales of 338,000 in the first week. The album went on to be certified platinum by the RIAA in the United States, and has sold 1.3 million copies according to Nielsen SoundScan.[31]
Artistry[edit]
Vocals and musical style[edit]
Ciara is known for her often "breathy soprano" vocals.[133][134] Allison Stewart of The Washington Post commented that she has a "reedy, agile voice, capable of conveying the only three emotions (sexy, sassy, sad) an R&B singer needs".[135] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times said that she "has been the most synthetic of the R&B divas over the past decade, an electro-leaning vocalist whose instrumental palate has heavily favored stark 808 beats, sassy and seductive vocal lines, and, often, weird, futuristic Gary Numan-esque bleeps woven through."[136] He further commented:
Other ventures[edit]
Business[edit]
Ciara became the face of Jay-Z's Rocawear clothing line and spokesperson for the women campaign titled "I Will Not Lose", which debuted in the summer of 2007. In the October issue of Vibe Magazine, she appeared, apparently nude, on the magazine cover but claimed Vibe had airbrushed her clothes off. She told MTV News that she was hurt by the photos and was quite shocked when she finally got her hands on the month's issue. She later confirmed that she was in fact clothed.[236]
In 2009, Ciara signed a multimillion-dollar deal with the modeling agency Wilhelmina Models. After signing the deal, she has been in many magazine spreads. 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 to create an affordable clothing line,[237] but it never happened. On November 9, 2009, it was announced that Ciara would be modeling in the German edition of Vogue.[238] During that time, it was also announced that Ciara would be the new face of a major multimedia ad campaign for Verizon's smartphone the LG Chocolate Touch. Ciara filmed a commercial for the campaign, which features her dancing to her 2009 single, "Work".[239] In March 2010, it was officially confirmed and announced that Ciara was the spokesperson in the new ad campaign for Adidas Originals. A commercial for the campaign was released the same month, featuring numerous other celebrities.[240]
On May 12, 2016, it was announced that Ciara signed a modeling contract with IMG.[5] Later that year, she became a Global Brand Ambassador for the cosmetics giant Revlon.[6]
In August 2019, she and her husband Russell Wilson became part of the ownership group of Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.[241]
In 2020, along with her husband and entrepreneur and mentor Christine Day, she founded the fashion house The House of LR&C, combining the Good Man Brand, LITA by Ciara and Human Nation collections.[106] In 2021, Ciara releases the Dare To Roam collection of recycled plastic backpacks and bags.[242] A year later, The House of LR&C received B Corp status.[243]
Ciara, along with her husband, owns the television entertainment, advertising, and film production company Why Not You Productions, which has been affiliated with Amazon Prime Video since 2021.[244]
In October 2021, Ciara has joined Caribbean rum brand Ten To One Rum as an investor and co-owner. Ciara will be responsible for marketing, creative, and business development, as well as strategic alliances, in her new position.[245]
In September 2021, Ciara and Wilson announced that they were writing a children's book called Why Not You? (Random House, 2022) to help kids pursue their dreams.[246] The book, cowritten with JaNay Brown-Wood and released on March 1, 2022, received a starred review from School Library Journal[247] and was a New York Times bestseller.[248]
Later in August, Ciara would announce the launch of her skincare line, On A Mission, set for mid-September.[249]
Philanthropy[edit]
In September 2008, Ciara contributed to the song "Just Stand Up!" with fifteen other female artists, who shared the stage to perform the song live on September 5, 2008, during the "Stand Up to Cancer" television special. The proceeds from the single were given to the fundraiser.[250] The television special helped raise $100 million for cancer research.[251]
In 2009, Ciara became the face of Dosomething.org's "Do Something 101" campaign to raise school supplies for those in need at the start of the school year.[252] She filmed a public service announcement to endorse the campaign.[253]
In December 2017, Ciara joined her husband's nonprofit 'Why Not You' Foundation as a board director.[254] Through the foundation, she would eventually open a charter school called Why Not You Academy in June 2021 following an announcement eight months prior.[255] They would also partner with the NFL Players Association and Goalsetter to open checking accounts for students at Denny International Middle School with a donation of $35,000 in May 2021.[256] Ciara would later partner with the Black Women's Health Imperative and Hologic's Project Health Equality on their collaborative 'Cerving Confidence' campaign to raise awareness about the disproportionate effects of cervical cancer on black women.[257]
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Ciara donated one million meals to Food Lifeline to help the Puget Sound Region.[258]
Media related to Ciara at Wikimedia Commons