Ciara

Ciara: "I'm Not Like Janet"

R&B sensation Ciara is sick of being compared with superstar Janet Jackson, and wishes the industry would stop highlighting similarities in the singers' careers. The Goodies hitmaker is known for her sexy outfits and energetic music videos, and while she is flattered by the comments, she wants to be known as her own person and not follow in Jackson's footsteps. She says, "I grew up loving and watching Janet, but because of all the comparisons to her, I don't want to emulate anything she's done.

Ciara’s second take

TWO YEARS AGO, SOME MUSIC critics and gay circuit queens called Ciara a one-hit wonder.
Her first track, “Goodies,” definitely seemed destined to join the long list of throwaways, but her debut
album wound up producing a string of highly successful singles, including the title track, “1,
2-Step” and “Oh.”
With the release of her sophomore follow-up, “The Evolution,” Ciara makes critics and fair-weather
fans eat some serious crow. The CD proves the barely legal hip-hop artist is no flash in the pan.
Despite her young age and having only one album under her belt, Ciara brings a clarity of purpose to her
work that much older and (supposedly) wiser artists would kill to have.
“I co-wrote every song and co-produced many of the tracks on this record so it really reflects where I am
as an artist,” she says of “The Evolution.” “I had an actual plan of what I wanted to hear and the sounds
I wanted on the record.”

TO THAT END, Ciara assembled a team of producers and songwriters to help her realize her vision and
to position “The Evolution” as a worthy follow-up to her Grammy-nominated debut. The Neptunes, will.
i.am, Rodney Jerkins, Lil’ John and Dallas Austin are among the big name collaborators who
shepherded the album to completion.
The first single from the album was “Get Up,” taken from the soundtrack of the film “Step Up.” Since
this track is pretty much a sequel to “Oh” from her debut, the sound is familiar and radio-friendly.
Ciara gets steamier on the second single, “Promise,” which has a sultry “take me to the bedroom and
seduce me” vibe. Ciara vows to “give her all” to her man, so the message of the track is clear: “You are
definitely getting lucky tonight.”
Crunk-meister Lil’ John rejoins his protégé on “That’s Right,” a bangin’ track made for hip-hop night
and guaranteed to pack the dance floor. You will shake your money-maker like never before, so consider
yourself warned.
“Make It Last Forever,” produced by Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, samples James Brown and “It Takes
Two” by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock. The track is mid-tempo, which is somewhat surprising
considering the sampled material. And, yes, Ciara does provide her own take on the trademark “It Takes
Two” rap:
“I came to rock right now/ I’m C.C. and I came to get down/ I am internationally known/ And I’m
known to rock a microphone/ Because my hips is crazy/ I mean outrageous/ Boys just love me/ ‘Cause
I’m contagious like/ The way that I rock at a show/ Shuts the place down and now you know so let’s go,
oh.”

“THE EVOLUTION” IS ALMOST a perfect album, but one disappointment is the track produced by
golden boy will.i.am, who lays a rotten egg this time with “Get In, Fit In.”
Also, Ciara falls prey to one of the more annoying trends in music — spoken interludes. To her credit,
Ciara only offers four that are (thankfully) short. But does the world really need to hear her wax poetic
about her thoughts on the evolution of dance, music, fashion and her growth as an artist? Probably not.
Unlike so many hip-hop albums, “The Evolution” only samples other work on three tracks, which might

be a record.
Ciara turns out a respectable album sure to spawn another series of chart-topping hits. “The Evolution”
is a testament to Ciara’s ability to deliver great music to a diverse fan base and should help her make it
past the dreaded curse of the sophomore slump.

Ciara Evolving at Age 21

At just 21 years old, Ciara decided to call her second album The Evolution. Isn't it a little soon to be calling your album The Evolution? "No," says Ciara, without a second of hesitation. "There's an evolution that's definitely taking place in my career." Well, maybe it's a bit early in anyone's career to boldly state that The Evolution is now (perhaps I Am Evolving would have been more appropriate, but it doesn't sound as good as a title). But with the technicalities aside, it is tough to argue with Ciara when she says that a change has occurred. It was about three years ago that her debut single, Goodies, began playing on the radio. Ciara was entering a music scene filled with 20-something female R&B artists, but she sounded different. With the help of producers Jazze Pha and Lil' Jon, she because the "First Lady of Crunk & B." Other hits with 1, 2 Step and Oh followed and her album, also called Goodies, sold over five million copies worldwide. She was shy, she was still a teen, and she was evolving. In December, Ciara released The Evolution, which debuted atop the Billboard chart, selling close to 350,000 copies. With the sophomore release, Ciara took a hands-on approach with all aspects. She not only co-wrote most songs, but she co-produced them as well. "It's funny because I learn more about myself every day," she says. "For example, I'm now coproducing, which is something new for me. I can really see myself going somewhere else with that and just taking that to another level for myself. And even as a writer, I'm just pushing myself harder and harder every day and really want to tap into different things." Ciara's also tapping into projects away from music. Like Gwen Stefani, an artist she has opened for, Ciara wants to start her own clothing line. But when she thinks of an artist who has succeeded at branching out beyond music, it's Sean "P. Diddy" Combs who comes to mind.

For The Record: Quick News On Katharine McPhee, Christina, Diddy, Paula Abdul, Nelly Furtado, Madonna & More

Katharine McPhee will make a guest appearance on TV's "Ugly Betty" two days after her debut album drops. The "American Idol" runner-up will play herself on the show, which will air February 1 on ABC. Her self-titled LP drops January 30. ...

Until they come up with a way to bottle her voice, Christina Aguilera fans have to settle for perfume. The singer has teamed up with Procter & Gamble to create a fragrance line. "I love trying new things in my music and in fashion," Aguilera said in a statement. "To have a perfume of my own is the beginning of an exciting adventure." ...

Even more presenters have been announced for the Golden Globe Awards, even though the ceremony is right around the corner. Diddy, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Steven Spielberg, Renée Zellweger and Jessica Biel will participate in the show, to air live on NBC Monday at 8 p.m. ET. ... Paula Abdul will have her hands full with "American Idol" and an upcoming movie based on the popular doll line Bratz in the coming months, but she's still managed to find space for a reality show based on her life. The new Bravo series has a working title of "Hey Paula!" and is set to debut later this year. ...

Nelly Furtado stopped by the fictional town of Llanview, Pennsylvania (located in a New York studio), last month to film a guest spot on "One Life to Live." Furtado — who recently played the daughter of immigrant parents on the Portuguese soap "Floribella" — will appear as herself on "One Life," performing the songs "Say It Right" and "Promiscuous." The singer will also have a speaking role, and she said she plans to fit in more "little acting things" in between stops on her world tour, which launches February 16 in Manchester, England. "I've gotten to come closer to a lot of my dreams coming true this year, and this is a goal of mine that's slowly coming true," she said. "I'm just getting my feet wet acting, but I love it. I'm really thrilled, because it's challenging and different. I like anything that makes me feel that fear, where I have to push myself. I'm on cloud nine!" Furtado's "One Life to Live" episode airs February 23 at 2 p.m. ET on ABC. ...

Playing a princess in the animated film "Arthur and the Invisibles" was a very new experience, Madonna told "Today" on Thursday. "I just loved the idea of playing a character where I can create a fantasy world that has nothing to do with who I am or what people associate with me." An artist, a mother, a hard-working Michigan native? Not exactly. "They perceive me as a queen, not a princess." Later that day on "Late Show With David Letterman," the singer addressed the queen-size outcry over her adoption of a Malawi boy. "There's over a million orphans in Malawi, and in my opinion the laws need to change because these children need to be rescued," Madonna said. "My social worker said, 'Good luck. You're going to be making it up as you go along.' She didn't say don't do it, but she just said expect challenges, and, boy, did we get them." ...

The 5-year-old son of James Brown is not included in the late singer's will, The Associated Press reports. Attorneys for Brown confirmed that James Brown Jr., the singer's son with partner Tomi Ray Hynie, was not named in the document, which provides for six of Brown's children. The will was read Thursday in South Carolina but has not been filed in probate court. ... Ciara has sorted out her next single. She'll shoot a video for "Like a Boy" later this month, and the track is scheduled to hit airwaves in early February. An R. Kelly remix of "Promise" debuts on radio next week. ... Rev up the treadmills. OK Go will shoot the video for their next single, "Do What You Want," in Los Angeles next weekend, with singer Damian Kulash directing the clip. The band guests on an episode of NBC's "Las Vegas" Friday (January 12). ...

In March, MJS Music Publications will issue "A Vulgar Display of Power: Courage and Carnage at the Alrosa Villa," a book that examines the murder of Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and the events of December 8, 2004. The book "peers into the twisted mind and background of [Nathan Gale,] a killer intoxicated by psychotic rage and driven by the voice of the beast inside his head," and "attempts to make sense of what appears to be a senseless act," according to a press release. The book will also concentrate on "the inspirational selflessness of those who died trying to help others" during the fatal shootout. ... Chevelle will release their third major-label studio album, Vena Sera, April 3. Michael "Elvis" Baskette, who produced 2004's This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) and 2002's Wonder What's Next, returned to helm the project, which includes the first single, "We Enough Alone." ...

Toni Braxton is suing ex-manager Barry Hankerson, claiming he owes her $10 million after convincing her to leave longtime label Arista and sign to his Blackground Records, AP reports. Hankerson used "underhanded double-talk" to convince the singer that "Arista was not interested in working with her anymore, while telling Arista that Braxton no longer wanted to record for Arista." A telephone listing for Blackground was not in service, according to AP. ... Dispatch have become the first independent band to sell out New York's Madison Square Garden. The jam group, which broke up three years ago, is getting back together for two benefit concerts to be held at the venue. "Dispatch: Zimbabwe" will be held July 13-14, and all proceeds will go toward fighting disease, famine and social injustice in the country. ... The Allman Brothers Band will continue their long-running spring tradition of performing at New York's Beacon Theater with 13 shows there from March 22 through April 7. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famers are hoping to make the shows available online via a live multi-camera webcast. ...

The debut album by Perry Farrell's latest project Satellite Party has shifted from a March release to May

15. The LP has also been renamed: Satellite Party is now Ultra Payload. It features Fergie, Flea and many others. ... LCD Soundsystem have pegged March 20 as the release date for their new LP, Sound of Silver. The band's sophomore effort was recorded last summer at a farm in upstate New York and includes "North American Scum," "Get Innocuous" and "New York I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down." ... Yours to Keep, the debut solo album from Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr., has been out in the United Kingdom since October, but it's finally hitting U.S. shores. The disc, due March 6, will feature a dozen cuts, including "Cartoon Music for Superheroes," "Call an Ambulance" and "Postal Blowfish." ... Ex-American Music Club frontman Mark Eitzel has a quick tour mapped out, playing four dates in New York from January 18-21, a pair in Massachusetts the following two days and additional

shows in Philadelphia (January 24) and Arlington, Virginia (January 25).

It's 2007 and Ciara's Bringin Sexy Back ... Not

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Like many of you, I have made my resolutions for the New Year that I’m almost sure I’ll break after a few months. Mine are the usual bullshit ones – Work out more, stop smoking so much herb, be kinder to people, blah, blah, blah. But, my most important resolution this year is to make the Sohh.com Atlanta blog the best and most sought after blog on this site. So far you’ve all experienced the poppin or floppin videos; We’ve kicked off the Atlanta’s Own new talent showcase; But we also got a whole lot more coming this year with celebrity interviews, contest giveaways, and much more. Stick with ya homie and I’ll be sure to take you on one wild ass ride this year. Look whose trying to bring sexy back, (sorry I couldn’t resist), non-other than sexpot wannabe Ciara. I think she’s cute; however this new mature look her people are trying to throw on her just isn’t working. On Ciara’s first album the powers that be made sure that she stayed youth-spirited with a slight sex appeal. But on her new album they got her looking like a broke down Aaliyah. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t look to Ciara to be super sexy. To me, sexiness is subtle. When you try too hard it comes off as just that, trying too hard. The new Vibe magazine cover has her looking more like a Pussycat Doll reject, rather than the princess of crunk music. It’s even billed after their smash hit “Don’t You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me.” And don’t even get me started on her new album that dropped from number 1 to number 11 in only three weeks. I hope you find yourself, Ciara, because this new look isn’t you.

Officer Ciara Beseler, 5th Precinct

For saving the life of a despondent woman and her 4-year-old child, Police Officer Ciara Beseler was
named Suffolk County Fifth Precinct's Cop of the Month.
Last month, Beseler was driving a woman and her 4-year-old back to their home from the precinct after
the woman had given a statement on a domestic-menacing incident.
Child Protective Services asked Officer Beseler to check out their living quarters to make sure it was
habitable.
If it wasn't fit for the child, they would both have to go to emergency shelters.
"It was a warehouse, with two beds inside the doorway and a microwave and a stove. It did have a
bathroom, but I told her that they would have to go to emergency housing," Beseler said.
The woman became upset at the thought of leaving, said Beseler, and she grabbed a knife, putting it
against her chest.
The woman, who Beseler said didn't have a good command of English, also put the knife up to her
daughter's chest and said, "I kill her."
Beseler reacted immediately, shoving the woman up against a doorway and banging the hand with the
knife into the wall until the woman dropped it.
"The little girl was screaming the whole time," Beseler said.
The officer called for assistance. The child was taken by Child Protective Services, and the woman was
taken to a nearby hospital for psychiatric services before being charged with endangering the welfare of
a child and resisting arrest. Beseler had a sprained wrist from the incident.
Beseler, who has been with the department five years, had previously received a Letter of Appreciation,
a precinct-wide award.

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