Ciara, who was born in Austin, Texas, in 1985, began her musical career with the girl group Hearsay before going solo. She had a great breakthrough with her debut album Goodies, which had the title tune among its top songs, and Ciara: The Evolution was a commercial triumph. The musician has maintained a successful modeling career and has continued to release music while also acting in TV and film ventures. She wed NFL quarterback Russell Wilson in 2016.
Early Life and Career
In Austin, Texas, on October 25, 1985, Ciara Princess Harris was born. She was raised on U.S. Army posts all over the world as the sole child of Jackie and Carlton Clay Harris, including stops in Nevada, New York, California, Arizona, and even Germany. When Ciara was a teenager, she moved to Atlanta. Inspired by the pop group Destiny’s Child, she made the decision to pursue music.
Since she was a small child, Ciara has written poetry and short stories, but until she joined the female group Hearsay, she never took her writing seriously. Despite the fact that the group disbanded, she seized the chance to hone her songwriting abilities—a wise decision given Atlanta’s status as a hub for urban music talent. She met renowned Atlanta producer Jazze Pha through a publishing arrangement, and he assisted her in landing a record deal with LaFace Records.
Albums and Songs
‘Goodies’
“Goodies,” the song that made Ciara famous, was co-written by the singer and produced by well-known rapper and producer Lil Jon. In the US and the UK, the song peaked at number one on the singles charts. Achieving No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, the follow-up singles “1, 2 Step,” featuring Missy Elliott, and “Oh,” featuring rapper Ludacris, were both hits. The album Goodies became an unexpected hit and was awarded triple platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of three million copies. The new artist received four Grammy Award nominations for the album in 2005.
‘The Evolution,’ ‘Fantasy Ride,’ ‘Basic Instinct’
Ciara: The Evolution, the artist’s second studio album, succeeded successfully in the US, debuting at No. 1 on the albums list and earning platinum certification. However, despite the success of its lead single “Love Sex Magic,” which featured superstar Justin Timberlake (and the explicit music video that accompanied the song), Ciara’s third album release, 2009’s Fantasy Ride, had a significant decline in sales. Ciara and Ludacris’ reuniting on the sensual “Ride” from Basic Instinct (2010) generated interest and led to the creation of yet another alluring music video.
‘Ciara,’ ‘Jackie,’ ‘Beauty Marks’
After switching to Epic Records and rejoining her former Goodies producer L.A. Reid, Ciara released her self-titled fifth album in 2013, which included the single “Body Party.” Following the release of Jackie in 2015, she embarked on her first tour in six years. Following that, Ciara’s fans had to wait a further four years for the release of her seventh album, Beauty Marks, which featured the hit “Level Up.”
Eight Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, three MTV Video Music Awards, and one Grammy Award have all been produced by Ciara. She has also penned or co-penned songs with some of the biggest names in music, like as Missy Elliott and Bow Wow.
Model, Actress and Host
Ciara, who has long been admired for her flexible dancer’s physique and distinctive motions, also established herself as a regular in fashion publications thanks in part to her contract with Wilhelmina Models. She signed a modeling deal with IMG in 2016 and started working as a Revlon spokesman.
In the MTV high school sports drama All You’ve Got (2006), Ciara makes her acting debut. Before getting a recurring role as herself in season 6 of the CW comedy drama The Game, she later made appearances on the reality shows America’s Next Top Model and Idols South Africa.
At the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, Ciara shared the role of host with Lucacris, adding to her portfolio. Later, she was chosen to perform alone at the 2019 American Music Awards.
Personal Life
NFL quarterback Russell Wilson and Ciara started dating in 2015. On July 6, 2016, they got hitched. Win Harrison Wilson was born on July 23, 2020, and Sienna Princess Wilson was born on April 28, 2017.
The rapper Future, with whom the singer had a son named Future Zahir Wilburn, and she were formerly engaged. Bow Wow (Shad Gregory Moss, formerly known as Lil Bow Wow), a rapper and television host, was another relationship she had. The two split up in 2006.
As part of her charitable endeavors, Ciara contributed to the charity single “Just Stand Up!” that supported cancer research and was included in the Stand Up to Cancer television special. Additionally, Ciara has collaborated with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants sick children’s wishes.