Ciara

Ciara Princess Wilson is an American singer born in Fort Hood, Texas, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Her work sits in contemporary R&B, dance, dance-pop, electropop, hip hop and hip hop soul. She begins her career in Atlanta, where she joins the girl group Hearsay before moving into solo recording.

Early career and debut

Ciara signs a publishing deal and becomes friends with producer Jazze Pha, who records demos later used on her debut album. With his help, she signs to LaFace Records. Her first studio album, Goodies, appears in 2004 and is certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It receives two nominations at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards.

Albums and singles

Her second album, The Evolution (2006), reaches number one in the United States and is certified platinum. Fantasy Ride follows in 2009 and is less commercially successful than the first two albums, but it includes the international top-ten single “Love Sex Magic (feat. Justin Timberlake)”, which is nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the Grammy Awards. In 2010, she releases Basic Instinct, which includes the R&B top-five single “Ride (feat. Ludacris)”.

Ciara signs with Epic Records in 2011. Her fifth album, Ciara, is released in 2013 and produces the R&B top-ten single “Body Party”. Jackie follows in 2015 and includes “I Bet” and “Dance like We’re Making Love”. Her seventh album, Beauty Marks, appears in 2019 and includes “Level Up”.

Awards and other work

Ciara’s awards include three BET Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, three MOBO Awards and one Grammy Award. Her worldwide sales total over 45 million. Outside music, she makes her film debut in All You’ve Got in 2006, later appears in Mama, I Want to Sing! and That’s My Boy in 2012, and has a recurring role in the US television series The Game in 2013. In 2016, she signs a modelling contract with IMG and becomes a Global Brand Ambassador for Revlon. She also marries quarterback Russell Wilson in the same year.