In 2017, Ciara founded her own independent label, Beauty Marks Entertainment, following what she described as one of the "most disappointing" meetings with her former label's new CEO.[2] Through Beauty Marks, she released her seventh studio album, Beauty Marks (2019). In June 2022, it was reported she signed a joint-venture contract between Republic and Uptown Records, in collaboration with her label.[3] Under the agreement, the singles "Jump", featuring Coast Contra, and "Better Thangs", featuring Summer Walker, were released in July and September 2022, respectively; however, with the release of "Da Girls" in March 2023, copyright was credited solely through Beauty Marks. In August 2023, the extended play CiCi was released and featured the new single "How We Roll" with Chris Brown. During the summer of 2024, Ciara, along with Busta Rhymes, joined long-time collaborator Missy Elliott's Out of This World Tour.[4][5] That same year, "Run It Up" and "Wassup" were released in August and September, respectively. In April 2025, it was announced an extension of the 2023 extended play would release on July 11 of the same year, featuring all previously included songs, the 2024 releases, and five brand-new songs, including "Ecstasy".[6]
In the May 2025 issue of L'Officiel USA, Ciara discussed her career, her family, and all about the CiCi album; she revealed that she had collaborated once again with Jazze Pha, and there would be collaborations with rappers Tyga and Latto. She stated, "With this project, I want to say thank you to my fans. I've been doing things independently, running my own label, and it has not been the easiest journey by far [...] There are some amazing moments [on the album]—I've always wanted to work with Tyga; the way he rides the beat is so special. Jazze Pha produced a song for me, and we hadn't done a song together since my second album [...] to have Latto join us, it's super A-Town love. There's a bit of a nostalgic undertone that does happen throughout, and also meeting where I am now".[7] In a video interview with the magazine, she expanded saying that the "song of the summer" for her would either be single "Ecstasy" or the Tyga-assisted "Dance with Me".[8]
In a post on Instagram announcing the album and unveiling its album artwork, Ciara stated, "This album right here is my love letter. A celebration of the journey—and more importantly, a thank you to you, my Day 1s and Day 21s."[9][10] In conclusion, she teased the era was "just getting started" and revealed the album took five years "to build".[11] In June 2025, she announced the album's release had been rescheduled to August 22.[12] Speaking to the Associated Press, she revealed the album took nearly five years to complete, revealing: "I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, as they would say, into this project [...] I literally gave birth to two babies while I was making this project, too. So, a lot has happened."[13]
Artwork, title and composition
On May 1, 2025, Elite Daily posted an exclusive interview with Ciara, where she explained the album's title, stating, "That's my nickname my fans have called me since Day 1."[14] Three days later, she shared the album's artwork on her Instagram page.[9] The artwork features the singer standing against an all-red background, wearing a 3D-printed breastplate, with the album's title evenly split on either side of her; in response to the breastplate, she shared, "That's not just a fashion statement. That's my armor. A symbol of the strength I've had to summon, the boundaries I've had to set, and the power I've learned to wear with pride."[11] During an appearance on Keke Palmer's podcast, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, Ciara revealed the album would feature platform-specific content variations, "creating multiple listening experiences rather than a single unified version".[15] In August 2025, during an episode of Kylie Kelce's postcast Not Gonna Lie, she further revealed the standard edition of the album would be released on August 22 with fourteen tracks, with the deluxe edition following three days later.[16]
Promotion
"Ecstasy", was released as the album's lead single on April 4, 2025, alongside the Diane Martel directed music video.[17][18] Upon release, the song garnered positive reviews,[19][20] and debuted and peaked in the United States at number 11 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Songs chart.[21] A remix featuring Teyana Taylor and Normani was released on June 6.[22] "This Right Here", featuring Latto and Jazze Pha, was released on July 28, 2025, to celebrate the annual "Ciara Day" in Atlanta, Georgia.[23] A dance video for the previously released "Wassup" was published on August 16, 2025.[24] A music video for the Tyga-assisted "Dance with Me" was released simultaneously with the album.[25] On August 29, a music video for the Diamond Platnumz collaboration "Low" was released.[26]
Ciara headlined the 2025 edition of Mighty Hoopla on May 31.[27] She appeared on Today as part of their Citi Concert Series on July 11, 2025,[28] performing several songs from her discography, as well as debuting "Drop Your Love".[29] In speaking with Elite Daily, she also expressed her interest in touring, telling the platform, "I'm manifesting a tour coming sooner than later".[14]
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