Ciara may be best known for her music career, but she's so much more than just a Grammy
award-winning artist. From acting in movies to owning a beauty products line, the Goody's
singer is always exploring new ways to showcase her creative passions. Ciara's name has a fascinating origin, which she revealed to Women's Wear Daily in 2016
She told the outlet, My mom had been trying to figure out my name for a long time before I was born
It was two names. It was Bianca or something else. Her mother remained uncertain until her father, stationed at Texas' Fort Hood Army base at the time
returned home bearing a gift for his pregnant wife. She explained, The Sierra Fragrance by Revlon. And not only did he love this fragrance
but the name also really resonated with her and she ditched all the other names
Sierra came full circle when she became Revlon's spokesperson, as she believed her name had led to her eventual association with the brand
She told Women's Wear Daily, I think my mom was putting it into the universe. Your name will be Sierra
and one day you will have a Revlon campaign. Sierra charted her first single as a teenager, hitting number one in 2004 with the crunk-inspired
goodies. While that is impressive enough, she was already a music biz veteran as a three-year
member of a girl group called Hearsay. Hearsay had garnered enough buzz that a record deal was
on the table. However, internal strife among the members led them to go their separate ways
forcing Sierra to quickly pivot toward being a solo artist. She signed a publishing deal and eventually began working on the songs for her debut album
Goodies. In an interview with the Associated Press, Sierra had this to say about her songwriting
process. When the beat goes on, I let it hit me, and then I think about what I want to say
and there it is. As Sierra's fans are well aware, she worked with rapper Petey Pablo and
crunk trailblazer Lil Jon on Goodies. In the years since, she's made it a habit to collaborate
with other artists. And there have been a lot. She's worked with Ludacris on Oh and Ride
and with 50 Cent on Can't Leave Him Alone. Other collaborators include Nicki Minaj on I'm Out
and Justin Timberlake on Love, Sex, Magic. In 2023, she recorded How We Roll with Chris Brown
whom she'd previously worked with on 2009's Turntables. Sierra told Billboard, A lot of the best moments in my career have happened when it's organic. We got back together
this go-round and it just felt right. When things are organic and easy, that's when you know it's right
That's how we roll." In addition to her music career, Ciara has branched out into film and television
She was first cast in the 2006 TV movie All You Got then co in 2011 Mama I Want to Sing Ciara also had a supporting role in the Adam Sandler comedy That My Boy She portrayed the older version of Nettie played as a younger woman by Halle Bailey
in 2023's The Color Purple. As Ciara told Access Hollywood, she and the Chloe and Halle singer didn't film together. She said
When I was preparing for my role, they showed me some of her shots, so I could get a feeling of what she felt like
Back in 2010, when she had begun dabbling in acting, Sierra discussed her various creative
interests. She mused to Wonderland, Am I more passionate about music, films, or fashion
I'd say I was most passionate about Sierra. I've been lucky enough to achieve everything
I've wanted to do so far. In addition to making music and acting in movies
Sierra also owns a line of skincare products. In 2022, Sierra launched OAM, an acronym for
on a mission. For Ciara, that particular mission has been personal. She told Harper's Bazaar
When I'd go into stores, I didn't know where to start and stop. It was so overwhelming and I
thought, there has to be a simpler way to understand the steps I need to care for my skin
Ciara also said the most distinct aspect of OAM is the degree of hues available to match any skin
tone. She told the outlet, It's something we take pride in, and I believe it's one of the things
that sets us apart. In 2024, Ciara appeared on the PBS genealogy series Finding Your Roots
where she discovered a shocking secret about her lineage. During the episode, host Dr. William Henry
Gates Jr. said the DNA testing revealed that the man she believed to be her maternal great-grandfather
Willie Bubhead, had no biological connection to the man believed to be his father
Thanks to the show's resources, Gates' team discovered the true identity of her great-great-grandfather
a man named Walker Lafayette Head. Gates told Sierra, Further digging into the census of 18 Stephanie revealed that her biological great-great-grandfather
was the son of a landowner. Meanwhile, Nathan Head, who was the husband of Sierra's great-great
grandmother, was a sharecropper who worked on the land. Gates explained, At some point, when the men were about 40, Walker slept with Nathan's wife and conceived
your great-grandfather Willie. For her part, Sierra hoped that the circumstances of her
great-grandfather's conception weren't as awful as could be imagined. She mused, I'd definitely like to believe there was some connectivity that happened
In 2019, Sierra served as a judge on the singing competition show America's Most Musical Family
which aired for a single season on Nickelodeon. While speaking about the show for the Build series
Sierra shared her empathy for the contestants who didn make it to the finish line She said I really felt for the families that didn advance on but I also identify with them because I was that person I had some moments where it was supposed to be my big moment and
it didn't happen. That wasn't Ciara's only experience as a TV talent competition judge
In 2018, she was a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2009, Ciara debuted a superhero
character she called Super C. The character first appeared on her album Fantasy Ride
Super C reflected the confident persona she takes on when performing on stage
Sierra told Right On Magazine, Another person inside of me totally surfaces when it comes to performing
Sierra, bye-bye. Alright, Super C. Super C doesn't hold back. She is definitely aggressive
She goes hard. The album artwork featured an animated version of Super C that DC Comics artist Bernard Cheng created
As she explained in a video about the album's artwork, Years before Ciara's marriage to Russell Wilson, she was in a relationship with rapper Future
The two started dating in 2013, got engaged, and had a son, Future Jr., in 2014
Having my son has just changed my life in such a great way
They broke up that same year and had a contentious legal battle over Future Jr.
which eventually resulted in joint custody. Ciara addressed her split from Future on the
Call Her Daddy podcast, admitting their breakup was both public and painful
When Ciara was asked how she knew it was over, she admitted it was an intuitive feeling, saying
When you know you're supposed to make a super-defined decision in your life
you know it from the head to your feet. It's almost like your taste buds change
You have a taste bud for a certain kind of thing, and then the taste buds just go
In addition to the son she shares with Future, Ciara has three children with her husband
Russell Wilson. Being the mother of four fulfilled her childhood fantasy. She told GQ
I feel like if I could look back in a crystal ball when I was a little girl
and I looked at the idea of my family and what it would be for me, it's exactly this
Sierra revealed to BuzzFeed that motherhood has changed her in ways she hadn't expected
For example, her kids have gifted her with a new level of patience. She told the outlet
I feel I've been a pretty patient person in life in general, but you're definitely going to have a
lot of patience after having kids because they throw you every curveball you could imagine
and sometimes they throw you a curveball every hour of the day. Her children have also given her a new perspective on what's truly important in life, shifting
the focus from the superficial to the meaningful. She said, Being the mother of four and maintaining a successful music career is no mean feat yet it a balancing act that Ciara has managed to pull off
She admitted to Forbes in 2018 that she makes it look easier than it is, and a significant
amount of effort is required. Ciara told the outlet, "...balance is probably the greatest challenge because I'm very ambitious and determined
to achieve my goals, and that takes a lot of work in itself
And then the job of being a mom is a whole different animal, too." According to Sierra, time management is key, with meticulous planning one of the biggest factors in
allowing her to achieve that balance. She said to Forbes, It's about putting together the best system and schedule that can allow me to be content in both
areas. What I've learned is that when things are right at home, with your kids and family
that's where it all starts, and then everything else will fall into place. I just wake up and just get ready to receive the love. That's all I need
As a military brat, Sierra and her family moved around before laying down roots in Atlanta
That was where she spent her formative years and launched her music career. Therefore, the city's music community holds an important place in her heart
Sierra credits its influence for making her who she became. She told Allure in 2022
There's so much sauce, so much character. The people, how we all talk
Sometimes when I go home, it's like speaking another language because of our southern drawl
You don't really know it until you see it. It's an energy. One person from that time who has remained a part of her life is the makeup artist Yolanda
Frederick Thompson. When Ciara was coming up as a singer, Frederick Thompson became her sounding board
giving the teenager advice on how to navigate the choppy waters of the music industry
According to Frederick Thompson, the positive energy Ciara spreads through her music and other
efforts is a direct outgrowth of being a part of that Atlanta scene. She explained
Atlanta has been a huge influence on her sound, and I think she's evolved so that it translates
outside of her community. There's no question Ciara has achieved a lot since dropping goodies
all those years ago. As an artist whose career has spanned decades, Sierra is no stranger to
the ebbs and flows of any showbiz career. Having experienced those peaks and valleys
she found herself on a major upswing in 2018 when her single, Level Up, became the focus of a social
media dance challenge that went viral. Through the good times and bad, Sierra has followed one
guiding principle that's seen her through tough moments and helped her appreciate the good ones
She told Refinery29, No matter what I've gone through in my life, I've always believed and always had faith
The most important thing is believing in love. Reflecting on her life, Sierra revealed the gratitude she felt, saying
I wake up every single morning knowing that I'm living my dream. It feels good to be in this place right now