Empowerment is Ciara’s modus operandi.
The worldwide star has all the time sought methods to encourage and uplift her viewers. Her 2004 debut single, “Goodies” that includes Petey Pablo, hears a assured Ciara asserting her self-worth and dismisses a smooth-talking man solely curious about her bodily attributes. The track, which spent seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart, was just the start of Ciara’s output of bops that transfer the thoughts and physique.
Whether or not it’s prioritizing happiness in “That’s Proper,” embracing interior energy in “Go Woman,” disregarding naysayers in “Jackie (B.M.F.)” or striving for excellence (“Degree Up”), it’s virtually innate how Ciara seamlessly weaves significant messages into her music with out ever sounding preachy.
“There’s all the time an intentional tone of empowerment in my music,” Ciara tells Rated R&B. “I all the time need to uplift my Queens and take them on my journey with me. There’s no higher platform to have the ability to accomplish that than by my music.”
Ciara’s new EP CiCi, out now on her label Magnificence Marks Leisure, is a celebration of affection and life. It comes after a slew of standalone tracks: “Bounce,” “Higher Thangs” and “Da Women.”
The venture’s title was impressed by the moniker followers gave Ciara again in her debut period, in response to her fascinating dwell performances. “Ci Ci is my nickname, and I really feel empowered by my nickname,” she shares. “When my followers chant, ‘Go Ci Ci, go Ci Ci, go,’ there may be an underlying feeling that Ci Ci is THAT lady who will go get it, it doesn’t matter what.”
CiCi consists of seven tracks, together with the Chris Brown-assisted lead single, “How We Roll.” It marked Ciara and Brown’s first collaboration since 2009’s “Turntables” from Ciara’s third album, Fantasy Journey. “It was a lot enjoyable working with Breezy as a result of we’ve got been eager to work collectively for a while. We’re so happy with what we made collectively and most significantly the expansion we’ve got had as artists. Even all the way down to sharing laughs over us each having youngsters now, which was even funnier as a result of I used to be pregnant on the video set,” says Ciara. “It’s been so candy to see all of the love the followers have been exhibiting the track and video.”
CiCi opens with “How We Roll,” which captures the essence of a pair’s chemistry, earlier than shifting to “BRB.” Ciara’s honeyed vocals glide over a Baltimore club-style manufacturing as she longs for her lover’s contact whereas they’re each occupied with work. “Anticipation bought my thoughts tied up / I wanna see you, child, / I gotta see you, child,” she sings on the bouncy groove.
On “Low Key,” Ciara sings about lastly getting some alone time along with her hubby after the children are put to mattress. “When the infants fall asleep, come get on me / And after we get to spherical three, that’s an OT,” she sings.
“Sort A Social gathering” units a laid-back groove, permitting Ciara to benefit from the firm of shut pals at a kickback. She’s tired of inviting anybody who may introduce drama (“Go away whoever you understand ain’t performing proper / Inform your girlfriend, inform your boyfriend / Don’t be performing all annoying.”)
The Lil Child-assisted “Ceaselessly,” the newest focus monitor, is an ode to enduring love. It arrives with an accompanying video.
Ciara could also be a hopeless romantic, however she is nicely conscious of the ebb and stream of affection. On “2 in Luv,” which interpolates Trick Daddy’s “I’m A Thug,” she paints a situation of a pair working by disagreements. Even in moments of frustration, her love stays unyielding. “I’m too in love / By no means giving up,” she sings.
CiCi concludes with the motivational anthem “Profitable” that includes Huge Freedia, the place they have fun being too blessed to be careworn. “The definition of profitable means one thing so totally different to me than what it used to imply. It’s about celebrating the little wins, not simply the No. 1s and the awards,” explains Ciara. “It’s about profitable at life — understanding who you might be, surrounding your self with individuals who love you the best way you’re keen on them, good well being, and understanding that with the ability to breathe every single day is a present.”
She provides, “It’s necessary to not get hung up on society’s requirements of what profitable is as a result of it’s attainable it’s possible you’ll by no means be happy. My happiness and pleasure imply every part to me, and people issues are the definition of profitable to me.”
CiCi is the follow-up to Ciara’s seventh album, Magnificence Marks. The album, which included her hit “Degree Up,” was the primary musical venture underneath her Magnificence Marks Leisure label. Her journey as an impartial artist and label proprietor has include a significant takeaway.
“What I realized is that being impartial is actually empowering. I all the time knew it will be, however there isn’t any higher feeling than being accountable for your imaginative and prescient and doing issues your approach,” notes Ciara. “The best lesson I realized is that I actually can do something if I put my thoughts to it and nothing is extra lovely than the direct connection I’ve constructed with my followers. I get to totally join with them and really feel the facility and assist of them by this journey.”
Ciara has extra plans to musically join along with her followers, a.okay.a The C-Squad. She tells Rated R&B that she “recorded lots of music in the course of the pandemic,” hinting that extra is on the best way in due time.
“I needed to curate and set the tone of my subsequent music chapter with this EP. This venture is the beginning of actually thrilling issues to return, however most significantly, I need my followers to know that the Ci Ci they’ve all the time beloved is in her R&B bag,” she concludes.
Stream Ciara’s new EP CiCi beneath.
