Ciara Is in Her Rhythm

PHOTOGRAPHY Emman Montalvan

 STYLED BY Elie Merveille

Christmas 2004, freshman year of high school. Between squeaks of Happy Birthday, Jesus! my sisters and I greedily ripped into our presents. Beneath the green-and-red wrapping paper were two albums by soft jazz singer Diana Krall. It was a Christmas miracle—I had gotten exactly what I asked for. My father, stirring the shit, asked if there were any albums I wanted by, you know, Black people. “Well, what I really wanted was Ciara’s Goodies, but I knew you wouldn’t buy it for me,” I retorted, and he agreed. Sure, I was corny, but whose fault was it?

Since she first came onto the scene, Ciara, now 39, has been an unstoppable force, so cool and self-assured and comfortable in her sexuality that even my parents couldn’t deny it. In the 20 years since, the star—born Ciara Princess Harris—has maintained the sort of career that the contemporary R&B girls are clamoring for: Grammy nominations (five, with one win); her own record label (Beauty Marks Entertainment, founded in 2019); and a flurry of certified gold and platinum singles, as well as an impressive acting resume (she starred in the 2023 film adaptation of The Color Purple). But what’s most envy-inducing? Her staying power—even though she’s no longer just a singer and a dancer, these continue to be areas in which she excels. Her forthcoming LP, CiCi, is a steamy, sultry romp through the fundamentals of R&B. The title is a nod to the family nickname that’s been co-opted by super fans, and the album itself is full of classic Ciara material: humility, self-love, yearning, stacking paper, beats, and, of course, a song so sexy you almost understand why your parents would balk.

Now a mother of four herself, she’s created one of America’s most charming families alongside her husband, New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson. She’s FaceTiming me from her home in San Diego, where she and her family live when Wilson is in the off season, and a grid of tasteful black-and-white family portraits is on the wall behind her. She tells me that they were mostly taken by her husband, who’s “so creative,” she glows. It feels less like an interview and more like a dish session, punctuated by affirmative yelps of Periodt!. Over the next hour, I chat with CiCi: an artist, businesswoman, and mother still beaming from meeting with her kids’ teachers.

L’O: I’ve heard you talk about how your dad introduced you to Tupac, who you call one of your biggest musical influences. What do you take from his style?

C: Tupac is probably my favorite rapper of all time. He was a true lyricist, but his melodies were so incredible and infectious. He would be deep through his lyrics, but his songs would resonate with everyone—it was music for the world. He always had a very clear perspective on what he was writing about, and I have a great appreciation for that. When I write songs, my strong suit is melodies. Tupac was just the epitome of the ultimate artist and entertainer. He was very bold in his choices. He seemed unapologetic in his choices, and like he knew who he was. All of these things, to me, really describe what a true artist should look like.

L’O: He was unapologetically political and personal—his lyrics are so personal, as are many of yours. Do you process emotions through songs?

C: It’s a combination of everything. On my new album, the first song, “Made It,” is a bit more personal for me. It’s funny starting the album off with a slow song—I’ve never done that before. I want to make the audience dance! But I also want to make sure that when I’m writing songs, there is a sincerity that comes through my lyrics, because I think that’s important. I am so grateful for the platform that I have, and I don’t take lightly that God gave me this opportunity. I do use life; I do use my story. I think it’s a gift to be able to do it through song. Sometimes I’m feeling something, and I’m like, I gotta write about this. “Made It” is a song full of gratitude for me and my growth.

L’O: There’s so much honesty in your lyrics, but also there’s this humility, which is so appealing. Do you think that’s part of your relationship with your fans?

C: One hundred percent. It’s important to me to connect with my fans as best as I can, because that relationship is essentially everlasting. It’s so amazing when you hear people talking about how a song made them feel a kind of way—that is so powerful to me, when I know my songs can inspire someone and impact—or be the soundtrack to—their life. Music marks time, so I feel grateful that I’m about to do it. I ultimately want to make the world dance and have the time of their life, but I hope to inspire, to impact someone that’s looking for something by listening to my music.

L’O: What have you been listening to lately?

C: I’ve been going old school a lot. I’ll give you an old-school song, just for the fun of it. This isn’t something I’m going through, but “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” by Al Green, is my favorite song. There’s a song called “Yamore” [by MoBlack and Salif Keita]. I’m a little obsessed with Afro beats, and I like the Euro dance energy. I like [DJ and producer] Kaytranada. I love gospel, too. There’s also a song called, “Lord You Are Good,” by Todd Galberth.

L’O: Speaking of Al Green—what do you make of the conversation that R&B is dead? I remember, for example, the media coverage surrounding Usher’s Las Vegas residency that questioned: “Can R&B be saved?”

C: If you check the stats and the facts, it is really thriving. R&B can never be dead. There are so many great artists out there that speak to that: I love Coco Jones; I love Ella Mai. You have so much greatness and so much unique, up-and-coming talent that is making that clear. And for this project, I love that I have such an R&B core. Sometimes, when you want to speak to the world, you think that you have to do something beyond the normal. And it’s like, no, my roots have always had an R&B core. Sometimes I call my music “ghetto pop,” or “R&B pop.”

L’O: That’s why I liked this album so much—it’s so classically R&B that it almost feels nostalgic, like returning to a comfort meal. How did it come together?

C: With this project, I want to say thank you to my fans. I’ve been doing things independently, running my own label, and it has not been the easiest journey by far. But I’m so grateful that my fans have stayed on this journey with me. There are some amazing moments [on the album]—I’ve always wanted to work with Tyga; the way he rides the beat is so special. Jazze Pha produced a song for me, and we hadn’t done a song together since my second album. And then, to have Latto join us, it’s super A-Town love. There’s a bit of a nostalgic undertone that does happen throughout, and also meeting where I am now. CiCi is the name of the project—when I see my fans, they call, Hey, CiCi! It’s the sweetest thing, because I feel like that’s a personal connection that we have.

L’O: Even though your style has evolved through the years, it’s still—to borrow your phrase—R&B at its core, which is very sexy. How has your relationship with sex and sexuality changed?

C: There will never be a CiCi project without one nice baby-making jam. Especially after the first album, when CiCi was grown up—now she done growed all the way up! Big CiCi, not the little one!

L’O: I’m assuming you’re talking about “Ecstasy,” which is maybe one of the sexiest songs I’ve heard.

C: “Ecstasy” is a super feel-good song. There is something beautiful and empowering about tapping into the sensual side of yourself. I look back on my evolution as a woman, and there are things you start to become more comfortable with. I like where I am. I like my curves. The video [for the song] is like the big sister to “Ride” [2010] and “Promise” [2006]. I actually shot it with [director] Diane Martel, who did “Ride” and “Like a Boy” [2006]. We’re probably like 19 years deep, and I felt like only she could do this thing how I wanted to do it.

L’O: We’ve established that there’s an R&B core to this project. What’s the emotional core?

C: When I was reflecting on my journey—and I’ve been through some things; sometimes you’ve gotta fake it till you make it—there were these moments of being questioned and feeling like I’d been doubted. I remember a woman asking me, “How are you going to stay relevant?” Because, obviously, I wasn’t 19 anymore. I thought that was so weird. Do we really just want to ignore the journey that I’ve gone on up to this point? Someone else asked, You’re a mom and a wife, and you have all of these things going on—how are you going to tell that story? They were basically saying that an artist can’t do all those things. But it motivated me, because I’m like, Why can’t I go be a great artist and a great mom? It’s really fascinating when you realize that some people just see success from one point of view, and then typecast you because of the dynamic of your life. Because my husband plays football and he does very well for himself, all of a sudden I’m just a “football wife”? At this stage of my life and career, it’s like…what? So, with this project, I’m just fully comfortable and confident with who I am. I haven’t accomplished everything that I want to, but I do believe I’m on my way.

This is the L'OFFICIEL May 2025 cover story. Buy the issue here.