Z. B. Hill - Ciara

Ciara

by Z.B. Hill

Contents

Ciara

Mason Crest 370 Reed Road Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 www.masoncrest.com

Copyright 2013 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

First printing
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hill, Z. B.

Ciara / by Z.B. Hill.

p. cm. (Superstars of hip hop)

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-4222-2513-4 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4222-2508-0 (series hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4222-9215-0 (ebook)

1. Ciara (Vocalist)Juvenile literature. 2. SingersUnited StatesBiographyJuvenile literature. I. Title.

ML3930.C47H55 2012

782.42164092dc22

[B]

2011005427

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Interior Design by MK Bassett-Harvey.
Cover design by Torque Advertising & Design.

Publishers notes:

All quotations in this book come from original sources and contain the spelling and grammatical inconsistencies of the original text.

The Web sites mentioned in this book were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for Web sites that have changed their addresses or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher will review and update the Web site addresses each time the book is reprinted.

DISCLAIMER: The following story has been thoroughly researched, and to the best of our knowledge, represents a true story. While every possible effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher will not assume liability for damages caused by inaccuracies in the data, and makes no warranty on the accuracy of the information contained herein. This story has not been authorized nor endorsed by Ciara.

Hip-Hop lingo

Each year, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gives out the Grammy Awards (short for Gramophone Awards)or Grammysto people who have done something really big in the music industry.

The word celebs is short for celebrities, or famous people.

When someone has been nominated , she has been picked as one of the people who might win an award.

A duet is a song performed by two people.

R&B stands for rhythm and blues. Its a kind of music that African Americans made popular in the 1940s. It has a very strong beat. Today, its a style of music thats a lot like hip-hop.

Artists are people who create something. Some artists use their voices to make music.

Lyrics are the words in a song.

Mainstream music is music enjoyed by almost everyone.

A revolution happens when things suddenly change, or take a whole new direction.

It was the night of the 48th to appear.

Cameras flashed as a young woman stepped out of a car. She wore a beautiful white dress. She also wore a rhinestone belt that shimmered with every step. Her hair was pulled back to show her pretty, smiling face. Ciara had arrived at the Grammys!

It was a huge night for the young star. She had been on the music scene for less than two years. Nobody thought she could rise to the top so quickly. But she did. Now, she had been for four Grammy Awards!

She had been nominated for Best New Artist, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Best Rap Song, and Best Short Form Music Video. At first, Ciara hadnt even believed it was true. She told Rolling Stone about the day she found out about the nomination. I looked at my pager, and one of my old friends e-mailed me and said, Congratulations on your nomination. And I was like, Huh? What nomination?

with Adam Levine from Maroon 5. They sang a song called Everyday People.

Everyday People is a good song to describe Ciara. After all, just a few years before that night, she was far from famous. Ciara says that she hasnt changed. Shes still just an everyday person.

Im not a Barbie, she told Rolling Stone. Im just a regular around-the-way girl. I keep it cool. Keep it real.

Ciaras dad and mom both served in the army. Like most military families, they moved around a lot. Ciara went from one army base to another. She never stayed in one place long enough to make friends. But she did have music. From a young age, music helped her get through those hard times. When her family moved to Atlanta, she was ready to take that love to the next level.

Hip-hop and the music it influenced didnt stay in New York City, or even on the East and West coasts. It found its way to Atlanta, Georgia, where a young girl was growingCiara.

Crunk & B: Lets Dance!

Ciaras style combines music from and a fast, heavy beat. The goal of crunk is to get people on the dance floor.

Crunk began in the 1980s, but it only went . He told Artist Direct, Crunk & B songs are R&B songs that get you crunk. They make you wanna wild out.

Even so, Ciara does not think of herself as a crunk artist. Yes, crunk made her famous, but she says her style goes beyond just crunk. Her unique style is seen in her nicknames. Shes been called the Princess, Ci Ci, and the Princess of Crunk & B. Lil Jon called her The First Lady of Crunk & B.

Dreams Come True

Ciaras fame wasnt luck. She worked hard to get where she is today. Her hard work paid off. Ive been living my dream, she told her official website, CiaraWorld.com. Everything has been greatwinning a Grammy, having my first single go to No. 1, being named Entertainer of the Year at the Soul Train Awards.

Even with all her success, she hasnt slowed down. Ciara seems to be unstoppable. But where did it all begin? Who is this everyday girl?

Hip-Hop lingo

Melodies are the tunes in a piece of music. They are made by arranging musical notes in a pattern.

A professional is someone who gets paid money to do something shes good at.

To sacrifice is to give up something in hopes of getting something else.

A demo is a rough, early version of a CD before the real thing comes out.

A producer is the person in charge of putting together songs. A producer makes the big decisions about the music.

A label is a company that produces music and sells CDs.

A contract is a written agreement between two people. Once youve signed a contract, its against the law to break it. When a musician signs a contract with a music company, the musician promises to give all her music to that company for them to produce as CDs and then selland the music company promises to pay the musician a certain amount of money. Usually, a contract is for a certain period of time.

Ciara Princess Harris was born on October 25, 1985, in Austin, Texas. Both her parents served in the military. Her mother served in the air force and her father in the army. The family moved around a lot. Ciara lived on army bases in Germany, New York, California, Arizona, and Nevada. That didnt make it easy for a young girl to make friends.