• Carrie Underwood:  Underwood was one of many of Ciara’s collaborators on the 2008 charity song Just Stand Up!.  Other performers included Beyonce, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, and many more.
• Bow Wow:  Ciara dated rapper and actor Bow Wow from 2005-2006, during which time they recorded the single “Like You” for Bow Wow’s album Wanted.  Bow Wow later recorded a song about their break-up, “Outta My System”, with T-Pain and Johnta Austin.
• Usher: Rapper/producer Lil Jon first picked up Ciara’s demo of “Goodies” because of its similarity to Usher’s smash-hit “Yeah!”  Ciara later appeared in the music video for Usher’s 2010 single “Lil Freak” featuring Nicki Minaj.  She will also sing on his track “Hot Toddy”, featuring Jay-Z.
• T.I.: Ciara headlined the Screamfest ’07 tour with T.I., also featuring performances by 50 Cent, Tiffany Evans, Lloyd, and more.  Ciara featured on Tiffany’s first single, “Promise Ring.”  Ironically, Tiffany’s second single, “I’m Grown”, featured Bow Wow.
• Gwen Stefani:  Ciara was an opening act for Gwen’s first solo concert tour.  Other opening acts at various dates were the Black Eyed Peas, M.I.A., and Ladytron.
• Fantasia Barrino:  Ciara wrote the song “Free Yourself” for Fantasia’s 2004 debut even before her own was released.  Another of Fantasia’s songs, “Don’t Act Right”, featured rapper/producer Jazze Pha, who would produce Ciara’s early demos and first album.

But Ciara’s got another film that’s been stuck in limbo for the past year with no word as to why.  That movie is Mama, I Want to Sing!, based on the gospel stage musical that has been running off-Broadway.  Ciara plays main character Amara Winter, the daughter of a famous gospel singer, who wants to create her own success in the secular musical world.

The movie also features dramatic performances by other music stars, including Patti LaBelle and Marvin Winans.  Notable actors Billy Zane (Titanic) and Hill Harper (CSI: NY) also have prominent roles.  So with all this star power, why haven’t we gotten a chance to see it yet?

The movie was finished in June 2009 and the official trailer was released in September.  Though it was on the schedule for the 2009 Urbanworld Film Festival (an indie festival located in New York) but was cancelled due to technical difficulties.  Since then, 9 months have gone by without more information.  Fans are hankering for its release on sites like IMDB’s message boards.  Maybe the release of Ciara’s album Basic Instinct in August will spur the filmmakers to get the movie out.  Until then, we can only dream of Ciara’s performance—and of course, enjoy the roles she plays every time she gets out on the stage.

Ciara’s first musical output was as part of a similar girl-group called Hearsay, but like Destiny’s Child, they eventually disbanded due to individual conflicts.  Ciara’s first hit song was one she wrote for Fantasia Barrino, which appeared in 2004–the same year as Ciara’s own debut album, Goodies.

Everybody remembers Goodies for its two big hits, the title track and the electro-inspired “1, 2 Step”.  “Goodies” stayed at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for 7 weeks, a record tied only by Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” in 2008.  However, the album as a whole was also well-received, with Entertainment Weekly comparing it to a progression on the late Aaliyah’s sound.  Ciara also became notable for her early tomboy style—she usually appeared in baggy jeans with strawberry-blond hair, making her easy to recognize.

Since then, Ciara has released two more albums (with one upcoming) in a constantly evolving style.  She has also appeared on a number of collaborative tracks, the latest of which are “Ride” featuring Ludacris for her 2010 album Basic Instinct as well as the track “Hot Toddy” on Usher’s album Versus.  Her fashion style has caught on, too: she signed a contract with Wilhelmina Models in 2009 and has appeared in the German and French editions of Vogue.  Ciara’s star shows no sign of fading anytime soon, especially if she continues to bring her own distinctive flair to everything she does.

Despite that, the album’s cover is relatively mysterious, simply showing one of Ciara’s steely eyes, the other being covered by her flowing hair.  That same attitude comes out on the second single, “Gimme That”, which will be released July 27.  Far from slow, this song is full of energy and fast beats, with Ciara screaming over it all.

Ciara is helping to produce the album herself, with assistance from The-Dream, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, and Tricky Stewart.  Tricky has said this album has more substance than earlier records, but with the same upbeat tempo.  The only collaborations on the album known so far are “Ride” (featuring Ludacris) and the upcoming song “Speechless” (featuring The-Dream).  Other info is being locked up tight to prevent leaks in the manner of earlier album Fantasy Ride.

Basic Instinct could also refer to Ciara’s natural ability to bust out hits that make everyone get on the floor.  Tricky says that Ciara’s sound on this album hearkens back to the days of “Goodies” and “1, 2 Step”, eschewing the more electro and house sounds of Fantasy Ride.  Our guess is that fans should eat this one up.  Check Basic Instinct out when it drops in October, and check back here for our review.  From what we’ve heard so far, it should be a killer.

• Keri Hilson:  Hilson’s actually written hits for Ciara, along with Britney Spears, Usher, and Ludacris.  It’s no surprise that her 2009 debut In a Perfect World… has the same infectious energy, backed up by futuristic electro beats.  The single for her new album, featuring Lil Kim, is due in August.
• Kelly Rowland: Rowland’s group Destiny’s Child was a major inspiration for Ciara.  While Kelly hasn’t hit the same solo popularity as Beyonce, her two albums, Simply Deep and Ms. Kelly, offer something out of the ordinary.  Simply Deep is a more pop-rock-oriented record, while Ms. Kelly sounds more urban and personal.  Her 3^rd self-titled album will feature a dance flavor and is set to be released this fall.
• Teairra Mari:  This young star has already experienced the dark side of the music industry, being dropped from her music label before her graduation after lackluster sales of her debut.  However, that album, Roc-a-Fella Presents: Teairra Mari, features the hit “Make Her Feel Good” and another winner, “No Daddy”.  There’s a lot to like on the rest of the album, too, so it’s a good thing Mari’s bounced back and is releasing her second album, At That Point, soon on the Fo’Reel Entertainment label.
• Electrik Red: Following in the same R&B girl-group sound that first inspired Ciara, this group is also produced by Ciara’s collaborator, The-Dream.  Their 2009 album How to Be a Lady: Volume 1, has gotten high reviews for its blend of electro and R&B.  Check it out while waiting for the second volume to be released later this year.