Ciara talks about upcoming show with Jay-Z
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Confidence is a recurring theme with Atlanta R&B singer Ciara. Two and a half years ago, chatting about the release of her sophomore CD, she spoke of her growing confidence, which she also considers the strongest aspect of her third recently released CD, “Fantasy Ride.”
With each new experience, it seems the 23-year-old pop princess (as in Ciara Princess Harris) feels more secure, which may be less about the music and more about growing up.
Jay-Z with Ciara and Fabolous
7:30 p.m. Sunday. $53 - $253; Chastain Park Amphitheater, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta; 404-233-2227, www.chastainseries.com
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Having recently completed a tour run with Britney Spears in the UK, Ciara comes home to change it up a bit for a performance with Jay-Z. Here’s what Cici had to say about all the shapeshifting she’s been doing lately.
Q: Are you looking forward to performing with Jay-Z?
A: I’m looking forward to it. It is taking me back to the beginning, the old days for me. I remember being on tour with 50 Cent, Ludacris and Lil Jon, and the one thing I said at that moment was I never want to lose the opportunity to be able to rock in front of a hard-core hip-hop audience. I feel blessed to be able to do it again, especially in my hometown.
Q: Do you change your act when performing with Britney Spears vs. Jay-Z?
A: You definitely have to change it up. Jay-Z is a bit more gritty and street. With Britney, I get to pop it up a little bit more. It is OK to do a pop-heavy record in that world. When I’m with Jay-Z, I really turn into hard-core Cici.
Q: Now that your new album, “Fantasy Ride,” is out, what would you say has emerged as its strongest point?
A: It would be more than anything the confidence that is being built throughout my process over the years. My confidence is growing so much stronger … I’m learning a whole lot. These are days I know I’ll remember. Most important for me is building fans right now, building a tour. I did the UK run with Britney and now I will be working with her in the U.S.
Q: How are you different as a singer?
A: This is the most fun I have ever had out of releasing albums one, two and three. I can be very, very, very hard on myself. I create the pressure for myself. I’m just trying to be the best I can be, and I don’t believe you can do that easily. Lately I’m having fun.
Q: A reviewer recently characterized you as “adaptable” in that you seem to become a different Ciara with each song on “Fantasy Ride.” What are your thoughts on that characterization?
A: Music is a way of expressing yourself. On my album, some records I am more cocky and aggressive than I have ever been, but I’m just really having fun and enjoying it. Whenever I do a record, it is important to me that the record is a reflection of me in some type of way. Everything that I sing doesn’t happen to me, but it really comes from a place within me. This album is a representation of my personality as a whole and the many different sides of me.
Q: There are a lot of young, attractive, single-name female singers out there right now. What distinguishes you from the pack?
A: It is always an awkward question for me about what makes me so different. It is important to me to say who I am. Musically, I always try to give something different than what is out there. When I focus on me and focus on making every step better than the last one, that is the way I try to compete. With artists we all have our own distinctive styles, like with Beyoncé or Rihanna, they have their style and I have mine. It’s doing me to the best of my ability. Music is supposed to be fun. You are supposed to enjoy it. It doesn’t have to get messy.
Q: What is the single biggest challenge to being Ciara right now?
A: The challenge for me is about balance. Balancing everything I want to do while maintaining it all. I am now starting my dance company and I want to make sure that continues to grow in the right place. That is a strong characteristic of Scorpios. … I like to do a lot of things so its about balancing all of those things at one time.
Q: What do you do for fun in your downtime?
A: I relax. I just sit in the bed. Surf the Internet. Maybe I go to the movies. I am such a lazy bum, but I always make sure I get up to go eat.
