R&B singer, lyricist Ciara was born Ciara Princess Harris on October 25, 1985, in Austin, Texas, to Carlton Clay Harris of the US Army and Jackie Smith-Harris, a member of the US Air Force. Because of the demands of the military, however, the Harris family lived in numerous locations, including Germany, New York, Nevada, and Utah.
Ciara’s teenage years were spent in Atlanta, Georgia; she attended North Clayton High School and participated in Track & Field, competing in the long jump and the triple jump. She transferred and graduated from Riverdale High School in Riverdale, Georgia, in 2003, where she was the head of the cheerleading squad and began writing lyrics. That year, she also signed with LaFace Records. Her debut album, Goodies, was released in 2004 by Jazze Pha’s Sho’nuff Records and LaFace Records, with the single sharing the same title that peaked at no. 1 R&B, no. 1 UK, and no. 1 Billboard Hot 100. Also, from the album Goodies were two other hits, “1, 2 Step” that reached no. 2 on Billboard Hot 100, no. 3 UK, and no. 4 R&B, while the single “Oh” reached no. 2 R&B, no. 2 Billboard Hot 100, and no.4 UK.
In 2005, Ciara was named Best New Emerging Talent is in Entertainment Weekly magazine and the following year, 2006, she received a key to the city of Riverdale and won a Grammy Award for “Lose Control” (with Missy Elliott & Fatman Scoop). Shortly after that honor, in 2007, Ciara released the single “Promise” that peaked at no. 20 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay. It remained charted for 11 weeks. The studio album, Ciara: The Evolution, appeared on 10 charts for 71 weeks, including peaking at no. 1, and remained charted for 24 weeks, no. 15 Swiss, no. 17 UK, no. 25 New Zealand, no. 32 Germany, and no. 49 France. It sold more than 1.3 million copies in the US.
Ciara and Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks quarterback, were married in Cheshire, England, on July 6, 2016. They are the parents of a daughter, Sienna Princess Wilson, and a son, Win Harrison Wilson. Ciara has another son, Future Zahir Wilburn, from a previous relationship.
Russell Wilson and Ciara in 2019 for a Drug Enforcement Administration PSA. Photo by Drug Enforcement Administration (CC BY 3.0)
In 2010, Ciara released three hits, “Pretty Girl Swag,” “Speechless,” and “Gimmie Dat,” all from the album Basic Instinct. She was nominated for a Grammy for the “Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals” for “Love Sex Magic” but the single did not chart well in the US and reached only no. 127 UK.
Ciara won the “Best Smile” award at the 2013 BET Awards and was nominated for an American Music Award at the America Music Awards for “Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.
In 2015, Ciara’s album, Jackie, produced two noticeable singles, “I Bet,” which peaked at no. 15 R&B and no. 43 on the Hot 100 chart and “Dance Like We’re Making Love” which peaked at no. 28 R&B and no.100 on the Billboard Hot 100. Three years later, in 2018, Ciara charted again with the single “Level Up” from the album, Beauty Marks. It peaked at no. 23 R&B and no. 59 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2020 Ciara co-hosted ‘Dick Clark’s Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve at Times Square in New York City and broadcasted by ABC television.
