Biography

Lil Jon produced her hit single "Goodies," a song about female empowerment whose verses ("If you're looking for the goodies keep on looking 'cause they stay in the jar.") tell guys that having bling and a cool posse aren't enough to get her into your car. Other songs on Ciara's debut album bounce with confident messages, dealing with real-life issues and giving a voice to young girls. And with only three years in the music biz, Ciara has lots of star power to her credit. Missy Elliott, Petey Pablo and Ludacris lend their voices to some tracks, and R. Kelly wrote "Next To You" for her. But she doesn't let her guests overshadow her own voice. "They spice a record; they add a little seasoning to it. I'm the dressing, and they put a little gravy on it," Ciara says.