Hot Shots: Ciara Rocks Essence Festival With Headlining Set

Published: Monday 4th Jul 2016 by Sam
ci-essence1

Ciara brought her booming brand of stage-blazing to New Orleans last night as headliner at the final show of the 2016 Essence Festival.

The sassy siren’s set followed previous gigs from Maxwell and Mariah Carey at the three-day event.

During the 30-year-old’s show, which was watched by fiance Russell Wilson and close friend Kelly Rowland, she delighted with hits such as ‘Body Party,’ ‘Promise,’ and ‘Goodies.’

The coveted slot comes at an interesting time for the singer. She recently parted ways with Epic Records and has told fans she’s working on her best album yet.

Pending its arrival, peep more pics after the jump…

Your thoughts?

[Photo credit: Getty]

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  1. LmfaoHoe July 4, 2016

    Ciara at her best. This woman would’ve been bigger than she is had she made conceptually albums/videos tour and of course had the right material. With influences such as MJ, Janet, and Aaliyah Ciara should be huge star in her own right. I’m also still upset she didn’t release Overdose ?

    • jdek July 4, 2016

      i actually agree with comment. Its a shame she’s a flop. I wonder what her career would of ended out like with a good team/management.

    • Tori July 4, 2016

      They did release”Overdose” as 3rd and final single from “CIARA”, but after months of asking Epic waited until she was noticeably pregnant and couldn’t shoot the proper video. Timing was all the way and might be one of the reasons she decided to leave Epic besides being on the roster with Future.

      • FAF July 4, 2016

        Y’all have bits and pieces but not the facts
        Go girl was a conceptually timeless video

        She had an alter ego shoot and it was a triple disc

        Jive urban division folded

        She and Chris brown found new labels

        Vs feeding controversy and pity sales and releasing 326543 videos and albums just to get one or two platinum like Chris, she releases less quantity

        But this topic is about her performance, which was great as usual

    • July 4, 2016

      you mean if she kissed Rihannas @ss, because i notice that from she had that spat with Riri, things started to take a turn for the worse for Ciara, because people seems to can’t for give and forget.

  2. King Mark111 July 4, 2016

    She always say Best Album Yet and we never see it. Her timing is always off. But Goodluck, but I would let music be for a while.

    • #JACKIE July 4, 2016

      And you’re obsessed with her.

      • King Mark111 July 4, 2016

        I’m obsessed because I commented on a post about Ciara? Be happy she booked a stage since last year’s BET Awards.

      • #JACKIE July 4, 2016

        No b**** you’re obsessed because her name is ALWAYS in your h***** infested mouth. THATS why you’re obsessed.

      • Mark111 /.\ July 4, 2016

        You sound upset. Mad cause Rihanna and Ciara’s careers are polar opposite? #UpDown

      • Love July 4, 2016

        Lmaoo says the person with her picture as their profile picture

  3. jdek July 4, 2016

    lol i bet those whispering mouse vocals were mess

  4. Janyoncé Turrner July 4, 2016

    Just another model with a mic.

    • jdek July 4, 2016

      *hermaphrodite with a mic

      • Janyoncé Turrner July 4, 2016

        SCREAMSSSSSSSSSS

    • JOHNVIDAL July 4, 2016

      At least this model can DANCE. There are several out there in mainstream who offer NOTHING.

  5. #JACKIE July 4, 2016

    Ciara DESTROYS and is steadily BOOKING a stage. Stay mad haters. ?

    • Janyoncé Turrner July 4, 2016

      Ciara DESTROYS her career by playing herself as a fourth baby mama and booking stages passed on by Beyoncé, Rihanna, Katy, Taylor, Gaga, Mariah and Janet. Stop.

      • jdek July 4, 2016

        lol bish

      • King Mark111 July 4, 2016

        Lol, I’m dead!

      • #JACKIE July 4, 2016

        Yawn.

  6. jdek July 4, 2016

    She’s giving me “I’m finally ready for you to cut this off doctor” tease in that first pic.

  7. King Mark111 July 4, 2016

    12 Years a Lessor, by Ciara.

  8. BEYSTAN_ SINCE 1997 July 4, 2016

    Looks like she put on a great show as usual!

  9. LB July 4, 2016

    I was listening to The Evolution the other day and she slayed with that album. Promise is my fav song on the album.

    If she can go back to that consistency, she can regain her fanbase.

    • Mark111 /.\ July 4, 2016

      Her best work, even tho it’s so Janet themed. I was playing her self-titled a few days ago. It’s seems that Ciara and Jackie should had swapped places.

      • LB July 4, 2016

        I totally agree, I think Jackie should have come out before Ciara. I also think Ciara is one of her best work too, she should have scrapped Fantasy Ride and Basic Instinct and just moved on to Jackie and then Ciara, it is so good.

  10. Mark111 /.\ July 4, 2016

    lol, she doesn’t have the blond hair backup dancer bc she’s on the Formation Tour. lol Another thing Beyonce stole. lol

    • jdek July 4, 2016

      loool but seriously damn I didn’t know that. lawsuitonce is ridiculous.

    • LB July 4, 2016

      Wow, Yonce is kind of obsessed with her. Remember when she stole Love, S** and Magic music video, also one of Ciara’s best work.

    • UPGRADEBOY July 4, 2016

      Y’all so dumb, Beyoncé gave that dancer her first worldtour with IASF tour, she is happy to be back at home , you tried it , and have somme culture thé crazy horse inspired partition

  11. Gsyyyyy July 4, 2016

    She needs to do r&b hip hop type music and she’ll succeed songs like dance like we’re making love is trash and is inauthentic

    • Janet1814 July 4, 2016

      DLWML is one of the strongest tracks on Jackie. Even my friends who didn’t know Ciara love that song!

  12. #PRAYFORBAGHDAD July 4, 2016

    Ciara stans playing victim as usual even though they go around talking s*** about others faves

    • #JACKIE July 4, 2016

      CLASSIC. What other R&B b**** is doing it? Tamar?!

      • Bey-Minaj July 4, 2016

        BEYONCE

  13. The Kpop Guy, Matt~ July 4, 2016

    Hyomin’s video for “sketch” says hello to that photo and performance

  14. THE WORLD LOVES SLAYANNA!!! July 4, 2016

    Awww! My fave just did a souldout stadium venue @ Wembley! ! Now she headed to Italy for 2 sold out shows

  15. Black power July 4, 2016

    See and they’re saying she’s going to release another album at the end of the year… My only thing with her is Ciara TAKE YOUR DAMN TIME and put together a solid body of work. She always scraps together an album as long as she has a good lead she’ll put it out that’s why she flops… I know she’s garnered a lot of attention lately but the proper way to make s strong come back is to have a solid album with multiple hits.

  16. Jay Jay July 4, 2016

    I used to be a Ciara Stan but I just lost interest in her (musically). She says the same things over and over and never executes on her promises. I don’t know if the label is to blame or her management but she had the same problem/ executed for years now. It’s sad b/c shes more known for her failed attempts rather than her own accomplishments and success.

    For her next record, she should stick to urban (R&B, urban pop, mid tempos etc) she’s more known for that. Leave the Generic Pop, for the generic pop girls

  17. Rihboy July 4, 2016

    d rLol. That same tired routine. Outfit. This is painful to watch. It’s like no growth occurred.

    • Ayyseify July 4, 2016

      I agree.. I actually didn’t mind her back in the day. I feel like her best work was her debut and evolution.

  18. Drizzie July 4, 2016

    I went through all of Ciara’s albums and Jackie had to be her weakest followed by fantasy ride. The rest of her albums were pretty good. Evolution, Goodies, basic instinct, then Ciara in that order.

  19. Danzou July 4, 2016

    I love you ciara. I do. But I’m tired of not knowing who you are. I cannot for the life of me CONNECT with her. I’m sick of it. She’s so very talented and unbothered but I want her to win so very badly but i tend to feel let down by her. Her Evolution album was FIRE from top to bottom and tbh THAT was her lane. She was that girl who could dance her ass off then sing about love and heartbreak in the same album. She did it for two albums straight. then fantasy ride came and she tried to be more creatively in control of her craft which i respect but she just…went left.

  20. Danzou July 4, 2016

    I want Ciara to admit that her album sales and her career failures are affecting her. It’s obvious in her interviews but I want her to admit that pain. Use it to her advantage and i GUARANTEE she’ll go platinum. Frank Sinatra suffered from a career failure for a very long time before he struck gold so she should take a page from his book. He suffered for about ten years then started releasing his best work. Ciara should do the same.

  21. 4everBrandy_Ci July 4, 2016

    Ciara SLAYED last night and she didn’t make anyone disappointed from what I saw. For those people that lost connection with her as an artist I see what’s the issue. The issue is Ciara is grown up and she’s thirty years old. She has to make records that SUITS her style and evolution. However I saw a few comments as I scrolled and I have to address this by saying that whatever she does from now on you are HERE for her or not. That’s just the bottom line. She’s not going to please everyone. For people that think she’s lost herself with her artistry I think DIFFERENTLY. Ciara didn’t get the proper support during her last two underwhelming eras such as “Fantasy Ride” and “Basic Instinct”. Let’s not act she had it difficult to PROMOTE her albums and of course it resulted in poor sales. BUT that didn’t stop her from doing what she loves and she continues to PREVAIL despite what others think. I find it funny how some people label her as a “flop” and “failure” BUT did y’all go out and SUPPORT homegirl when she released her albums? How about when she was going through a messed up label at the time (Jive) that didn’t want her to move forward and instead tried to ruin her career. BUT she kept it moving. Seriously some people don’t know what they want from her. BUT they always use this “she doesn’t know what she’s doing” or “she doesn’t know what to do”. Ciara is six albums in her career and more are on the way. People need to have an open mind when it boils down to her and instead just wish her the best. That other extra s*** can go. Regardless Ciara is going to do her. SLAY my Queen!!!!!! #C-SQUAD

    • Danzou July 4, 2016

      I completely disagree. People know exactly what they want from Ciara and they aren’t getting it. THAT’S why she’s losing fans. This many albums in and we still don’t know her. Not to mention she’s not giving visuals. That CIARA album went down the drain and I am completly disappointed. It’s not about the fact that she can’t please everybody. That’s obvious. It’s about the fact that she doesn’t always show respect for the craft. Why wasn’t there way more than two or three videos for her last two albums? We want visuals!!!!!!!!

    • Rihboy July 4, 2016

      Ciara had plenty of opportunities and platforms to market herself. She should have stayed true to her sound. She isn’t one of those artist who can dabble into different sounds in my opinion. Ghetto pop was her thing. I mean I banged with body party. That’s the type of sound that she needs to recreate for her new album. Honestly she has had chance after chance. With the new streaming rules she may possibly be able to ascend higher than her normal bar. With all these new artist coming out of the wood works with just as much tenacity and a little more vocal control will only push her further into oblivion. Her self titled was actually not a bad album at all. And what did she do? Drop it like a hot potato. Maybe it had to do with her pregnancy or whatever, but if she had time to make teasers for the songs, she had enough time to drop full on visuals. Her teams creative direction is just deplorable. I feel like she needs to go back through older files and come back to her true sound versus trying to be this splice of Janet/Mike.

  22. S****** Blonde July 4, 2016

    This woman is amazing, I don’t care what anyone says, she is fire, all she needs is a team ala Rihanna or Beyoncé, she is gorgeous.

    • BEY>RIH July 4, 2016

      It’s sad how you constantly drag Beyoncè like she doesn’t beat everything Ciara does besides dancing. Beyoncè can sing, can dance, can perform, and is gorgeous yet you would never call her amazing.

    • JOHNVIDAL July 5, 2016

      Wow s******! I´m really surprised you like Ciara. Had never seen you interested in her.

  23. FC/JC July 4, 2016

    She recently registered a new song on ASCAP, She is coming!!

  24. Kitty Puurrzz July 4, 2016

    Every album is her best yet & it seems like they get worst & worst …!

    • Jay July 5, 2016

      *worse

  25. ow Reddish tran ivy blokz Need UK timely Ukuyi July 4, 2016

    Nice

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