Ciara

Musician

• Born: October 25, 1985
• Place of Birth: Austin, Texas

Contribution: Ciara Harris, known by her singular stage name Ciara, is an American singer and recording artist. Her 2004 debut album Goodies brought her two Grammy Award nominations, including one for best new artist, and was certified triple platinum.

Background

Ciara was born Ciara Princess Harris in Austin, Texas, on October 25, 1985. Her father was a career military professional, which resulted in a number of moves throughout the United States and elsewhere during Ciara's childhood. The Harris family lived in New York, California, and Germany before settling in suburban Atlanta, Georgia.

Ciara expressed her desire to become a professional singer as a young teenager, after shelving initial aspirations to become a fashion model. She was prophetically named "most likely to be famous" among her high school peers.

Her first musical endeavor was an all-girl hip-hop singing group called Hearsay, which performed in and around the Atlanta region. Frustrated by a perceived complacency among her fellow band mates, Ciara left the group to begin a solo career in 2001, at the age of sixteen. After working with Atlanta-area producer Jazze Pha for just five days in 2001, Ciara was signed to Pha's record label Sho' Nuff Records. She graduated from high school in 2003, after which Jazze Pha introduced her to L. A. Reid, who signed her to LaFace Records.

Career

Ciara's debut album was recorded in sessions beginning in 2002 and ending in 2004. Goodies was released by LaFace Records on September 28, 2004, to huge sales and widespread critical acclaim.

Several tracks on the record were produced by hip-hop artist Lil Jon, who is famous for popularizing the niche hip-hop genre known as crunk. Critics lauded the crunk-styling of the record's title track and largest selling single, "Goodies," which helped earned young Ciara the moniker "First Lady of Crunk & B."

The record's success was also bolstered with cowriting and guest appearances by several well-known hip-hop artists, notably Missy Elliot, R. Kelly, and Adonis Shropshire. Goodies received two nominations at the forty-eighth Grammy Awards in 2006: best rap/sung collaboration for the album's second single, "1, 2 Step," and best new artist for Ciara herself. It would eventually be certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Critical praise and commercial success surrounding Ciara's debut increased anticipation for her follow-up album, Ciara: The Evolution, which was released at the end of 2006. Marketed as having a more mature sound than her debut album, The Evolution features a bevy of noteworthy producers throughout its lengthy eighteen-track compilation, among them Jazze Pha, will.i.am, and Brian Kennedy. The album would go on to sell over one million copies and earn platinum certification, but it received mixed reviews in the global music press. Rolling Stone called the album somewhat bland, but more interesting than her debut album.

After nearly two years of live performances in support of The Evolution as an opening act for pop-music sensation Rihanna, Ciara returned to the recording studio in 2008 to begin work on her third album, Fantasy Ride. Released in 2009, the work was Ciara's first voyage into hip-hop's more conceptual realms, and it marked the introduction of her alter-ego, Super C. The album's comic-book-style cover art and promotional materials were designed in collaboration with DC Comics.

As with her sophomore effort The Evolution, Ciara's overarching artistic hope for Fantasy Ride was to further distance her musical personality from the teen-pop styling of her wildly successful debut, this time through the navigation of three disparate music styles: crunk, romantic hip-hop, and up-tempo, house-inspired dance songs. Ciara also partnered with a number of hip-hop producers and guest vocalists, including Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, and Missy Elliot. Despite the all-star cast, the album received mixed critical reviews and also failed to reach the commercial success of both of Ciara's previous albums.

Ciara's 2010 release Basic Instinct was created with slightly less ambitious creative aims, as a return to the performer's "Crunk & B" urban roots. The album failed to muster substantial commercial success, but it was generally praised by music critics. Slant magazine praised the release as a major accomplishment.

In early 2011, Ciara issued a public request for her contract with her label, Jive Records, to be voided due to a lack of artistic and commercial collaboration. She cited the investment of her personal funds to aid in the production of music videos and the promotion of singles, with no similar support in return from Jive or nationwide radio networks. In August 2011, Ciara was removed from Jive's roster of active artists; by the following month, she had officially signed on with L. A. Reid's label Epic Records. There she released the album Ciara in 2013, which included the top-ten single "Body Party."

Ciara's sixth studio album, Jackie, appeared in 2015. She held a major tour in support of the record, but her commercial performance continued to decline. It would be several years before her next effort was released. Beauty Marks (2019), which featured the single "Level Up," came out on her own label, Beauty Marks Entertainment, after Ciara signed a new deal through Warner Bros. Records. In 2022 and 2023, Ciara collaborated on singles with artists Coast Contra, Summer Walker, and Chris Brown.

Impact

Ciara had a hugely successful career at a very young age, with achievements including two platinum albums, international tours in support of industry heavyweights Rihanna and Britney Spears, and being named Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2008. While she did not immediately achieve the superstar status of some of her pop-music contemporaries, this did not prevent her from exploring new musical landscapes or drawing on her life experiences to create new and engaging material for her fiercely loyal legion of fans. In addition to her music career she earned high-profile status as a model and occasional actor.

Personal Life

Given her tireless work in the music industry since age sixteen, Ciara publicly stated her desire to earn a college degree during lapses in performing and recording. She began dating rapper and hip-hop artist Future in January 2013; the couple had a son together and were engaged but eventually separated. In 2015 Ciara began dating NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, and the two were married in July 2016. The couple had three children together, daughter Sienna, born in 2017; son Win, born in 2020; and daughter Amora, born in 2023.

Bibliography

Concepcion, Mariel. "Ciara Brings New Attitude to 'Musical Journey.'" Reuters, 25 July 2008, www.reuters.com/article/music-ciara-dc/ciara-brings-new-attitude-to-musical-journey-idUKN2529300920080726/. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.

Murphy, Desiree. "Ciara Reflects on 15 Years of 'Goodies and Now Owning Her Masters: 'I No Longer Feel Handcuffed.'" ET, 1 Nov. 2019,www.etonline.com/ciara-reflects-on-15-years-of-goodies-and-now-owning-her-masters-i-no-longer-feel-handcuffed-135492. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.

Ogunnaike, Lola. "One Name, Many Goals for a Driven R&B Star." New York Times, 6 Dec. 2006, www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/arts/music/06ciar.html. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.

Sacks, Hannah, and Angela Andaloro. "Ciara Welcomes Baby No. 4, Daughter Amora Princess, with Husband Russell Wilson: 'We Love You So Much!'." People, 11 Dec. 2023, people.com/ciara-welcomes-baby-no-4-with-husband-russell-wilson-8382596. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.

Thomas, Fred. "Ciara." All Music, 2024, www.allmusic.com/artist/ciara-mn0000215513#biography. Accessed 19 Sept. 2024.