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Ciara Princess Harris (born October 25 1985) , professionally known as Ciara, is a Grammy Award-winning American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, fashion model, music video director, actress and fashion designer. 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 over three million in the U.S., and over five million worldwide, and earned various awards and nominations.

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 over two million copies worldwide.

Biography

Early life

Ciara was born in Austin, Texas. She is the only child of Carlton and Jackie 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. During her teens, Ciara and her family settled in Atlanta. 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. Then, Ciara joined a girl group called Hearsay and worked on her songwriting. 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. 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!".

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 also 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

Ciara started a new year by winning her first Grammy Award for Missy Elliott's "Lose Control". It won "Best Short Form Music Video", on February 8, 2006. In April 2006, Ciara was featured on Field Mob’s Billboard top ten single "So What". The following month, she made 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's second studio album, Ciara: The Evolution was released on December 5, 2006. Production included hitmakers 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. 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. 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. but it was changed to August 3, 2007. 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.

2008–present: Fantasy Ride

Ciara released a promo single titled "Ahh", which features J-Hood, though no radio stations picked up on it. She also began preparing for the release of her theatrical debut in the film Mama, I Want to Sing!'

On February 19 2008, Ciara announced via her official MySpace she is recording her third studio album and doing national dance auditions, searching for unsigned dancers.

On February 29 2008, Ciara stated in an interview that her third studio album would be released before the end of the year. So far, for her new effort, she has worked with Danja, The Clutch, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Polow da Don, and T-Pain.

On April 9, 2008 Ciara announced to MTV VJs Sway and Akshay Bhansali that her new album was to be titled Fantasy Ride, with the first single "High Price" featuring rapper Ludacris. The single was set to be released in June 2008. But as of July, the single still hasn't been released so now the single is set to be released sometime in July.

In May, 2008, Ciara made a feature on rap artist Nelly's album Brass Knuckles on a song called "Stepped On My J'z" with Jermaine Dupri. The song and the video made its debut on June 11 on BET's Access Granted, having been filmed in the middle of May. A sneak peek was released onto Dupri's official YouTube channel, on May 22.

Ciara performed twice at the 2008 BET Awards on June 24, 2008, once with R&B singer Chris Brown and the other with rapper Nelly .

She recently signed a deal with the modeling agency Wilhelmina Models. The deal will allow Wilhelmina to focus on casting Ciara in various different photo shoots and commercials. In addition to that, she also has her eyes set on beginning a new clothing line. She's currently in talks with the department store Steve & Barry's, who are already 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.

On July 1, it was announced that Fantasy Ride will now be released in November and the first single-contender "High Price" may change due to Ciara having decided to go in a different direction. The single will be released sometime this month and a music video will follow in August.

There has recently been talks of Ciara being a featured guest on Missy Elliott's upcoming album "Block Party", slated for release in September.

Recently Ciara made BlackFilm.com's list of Faces of Tomorrow: Ones to Watch 2008.

Seems like every year there’s a singer that enters the list with Jamia Nash last year and Alicia Keys and Jennifer Hudson making the 2006 Ones to Watch list. This year features Ciara, who has previously performed on numerous soundtracks but will making her theatrical debut in the long awaited ‘Mama, I Want to Sing!’ opposite Lynn Whitefield and Hill Harper. It’s a lead role and if she carries the film to success, expect more roles to come.

Mama, I Want To Sing! will officially hit theaters on October 10.

It was just recently confirmed that Ciara did record a duet with singer Rihanna for Ciara's album "Fantasy Ride". The single is called "Tears Fall".

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. 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.

Charity work

Ciara, along with the likes of musical artists such as Snoop Dogg, R. Kelly and Keyshia Cole, appeared on Michael Jackson's charity single to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims in 2006. As of July of 2008 it has yet to be released.

Awards

Discography

• 2004: Goodies
• 2006: Ciara: The Evolution
• 2008: Fantasy Ride

Filmography

Tours

• 2005: Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005 Support act for Gwen Stefani
• 2006: The Evolution Tour
• 2007: Screamfest '07
• 2007: Good Girl Gone Bad Tour Support act for Rihanna (UK dates only)

References

1. ^ MSN (2008). "Ciara: Biography". MSN. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
2. " Ciara Previewing 'Evolution' On Tour". Retrieved November 28 2006.
3. "Ciara Certified Platinum". Retrieved January 18, 2006.
4. http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=worldwide+album+sales&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8
5. ^ " Billboard.com Biography - Ciara". Retrieved December 14 2006.
6. Rock On The Net: 48th Annual Grammy Awards
7. Ciara Directs A Clip, Plus Kelly Clarkson, Usher, Paris Hilton, Beyonce, Chris Brown & More In For The Record MTV News Retrieved June 2 2007
8. Ciara Tapped As the New Face of Rocawear Us Magazine Retrieved June 2 2007
9. T.I., Ciara To Headline Latest Scream Tour Retrieved June 7 2007
10. Usher To Become A Dad; Plus Screamfest, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Fall Out Boy, Fergie, Andre 3000 & More, In For The Record
11. YouTube - S&R w/ Ciara
12. Billboard Bits: Ciara, CMT Awards, Big Boi
13. MTV Newsroom - Ciara New Album Info
14. Rap-Up.com:// rap-up book in stores now! » Blog Archive » Nelly’s ‘Brass Knuckles’ Due June 24
15. SC TV: "Take U Down Performance"
16. SC TV: "Stepped On My J's BET Performance"
17. Billboard Biz: Ciara Inks With Modeling Agency, Eyes Clothing Line
18. Rap-Up: Ciara Working with T-Pain, Lil Jon on Album
19. Faces of Tomorrow: Ones to Watch 2008
20. http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7011607048
21. " Ciara The Queen of Madonnas". Retrieved August 28 2006.
22. Ciara to tour with Rihanna in the UK. Retrieved October 8 2007.

External links

• Official Site
• Official UK Site
• Ciara at MySpace
• Official YouTube Channel
• Ciara at IMDb
• Ciara at Billboard.com

• Ciara
• 1985 births
• American actor-singers
• American dance musicians
• American dancers
• American female singers
• American film actors
• American music video directors
• American pop singers
• American record producers
• American rhythm and blues singers
• American cheerleaders
• English-language singers
• Grammy Award winners
• Hip hop singers
• Texas actors
• Texas musicians
• Living people
• Military brats
• People from Atlanta, Georgia
• People from Austin, Texas