Ladies and gentlemen, she is back again. Ciara Princess Harris, or just plain Ciara, is gearing us up for her long awaited third album release entitled, “Fantasy Ride” a three disc album. She’s been called the “Princess of R & B,” amongst so many other titles, and makes you wonder what will be noted as her defining work. This album just might be it. In order to know where this album will take you, you have to know from where she has brought you.
Ciara is long, lean, and has dance moves that turn heads at a break neck speed. Looking at her from a distance, we all knew that she had the “Goodies,” but when she dropped her first album with the “Goodies” song and video, we all came to know Ciara as a talent that would stay around for quite a while. She confirmed it with the singles “1, 2 Step” and “Oh,” featuring Missy Elliot and Ludacris. Her beauty and fierceness were laid down, and she put everyone on notice to her greatness.
Her next album, “Ciara: The Evolution,” came out in 2006, just months after splitting from rapper boyfriend, Bow Wow. This album showed personal growth and much emotion and left you the impression that she had matured. Often artists will say they have grown, but few deliver that in their work but Ciara does. There was “Promise,” “Can’t Leave ‘Em Alone,” and the original “Like a Boy.” I look at this album as a turning point in the growing confidence of women overall. Ciara showed the multiple elements of a woman. The fierceness, beauty, pain, and strength all wrapped into one woman and one album.
“Fantasy Ride” is her third compilation. It was pushed back from its December release date to April of this year. Its format is similar to Beyonce, in that it is a multi disc release and like Beyonce’s alter ego, “Sasha Fierce,” Ciara will be putting “Super C” on display in her new work. It’s hard to believe that Ciara could be better than she has been but she will surely try her best. So far she has a new hit, “Go Girl,” with arguably the hottest voice around in T-Pain and “Never, Ever” on the way, featuring one of President Obama’s biggest fans, Young Jeezy. Furthermore, Ludacris and Missy Elliot both return to collaborate with her, along with The-Dream and Chris Brown. With the name of her discs being “Groove City,” “Crunktown,” and “Kingdom of Dance,” she definitely will be looking to bring some awesome dance vibes back to the forefront.
You’ll have plenty of time until its April release to get ready for “Fantasy Ride,” which is going to be Ciara’s hallmark, the best work at her peak, her “Purple Rain,” her “The Carter III,” if you will. Also, she is going to put a lot more heat on Beyonce and all other female artists to step up their game in the New Year. Ciara, welcome back to the game, you’ve been missed.
