Say what folk will about Ciara, but there’s no doubt that she’s weathered the storm of the music industry and – despite obstacles – has retained relevance along the way.
This hasn’t been without hiccups though, including the loss of a number of potential hits.
Join us below as we countdown our top 5 underrated Ciara songs…
So Hard [2006]
For many, ‘Promise’ was the slow jam gem that shone brightest on ‘The Evolution.’ And while it was deserving, there was definitely more where that came from.
Also crafted by Bryan-Michael Cox, ‘So Hard’ had the same knock and soulfulness that made the piano ballads such as ‘Be Without You,’ ‘We Belong Together,’ and ‘Promise’ so successful in the mid 00’s.
Dropping it as a single may have been overkill, but it absolute sits “up there” with Mrs. Wilson’s finer moments.
******************
4. Turn It Up (ft. Usher) [2010]
For an act as high-energy as CiCi, her uptempo’s are oddly quite hit and miss. Indeed, despite pulsating beats, some songs skew so far in the direction of “gym music” that they lack viable radio hooks.
However, this was nowhere near the case for ‘Turn It Up.’
Featuring an on-form Usher, this was a smash-in-waiting.
With Dance dominating the climate at the time, this struck a cool chord between what was on-trend and what would appeal to Ci’s Urban core.
Word on the curb is that this was being readied for the single treatment and then the plug was pulled on ‘Basic Instinct.’
We’re still salivating at the thought of what the video could have been. Sigh.
******************
3. One Woman Army [2012/2015]
Lifted from the recording sessions that eventually ended up as the ‘Ciara’ album, this was left on the cutting room floor when the 2013 project swerved in a more Urban direction (see: ‘Body Party’).
Belief in it must have been as strong though, because this was actually announced as the title of the LP pre the switch.
And rightfully so! It hit oh so hard and had empowering, relatable lyrics.
In an interesting Britney ‘Radar’-like twist, this popped back up on the tracklist for follow-up album ‘Jackie’ three years later – and still sounded hot.
******************
2. Go Girl (ft. T-Pain) [2008]
The term “ahead of its time” is thrown around far too often, but it’s truly applicable here.
Sonically, the song sits at the sweetest intersection of traditional and futuristic – with its video solidifying the latter.
Sadly, this was relegated to buzz single status when it didn’t catch on as intended. But we wish she persevered with pushing it – if only to see her slay it live one time.
******************
1. Dance Like We’re Making Love [2015]
When the “right” single arrives at the “wrong” time…
Hindsight is, of course, 20/20 but we can’t help but feel this should have launched the ‘Jackie’ campaign rather than ‘I Bet.’
It was a magnificent marriage of the mature, the melodic, the current, and the danceable. And, in being so, ultimately harnessed a lot of what folk loved about CiCi and meshed it with the refined woman she is now.
In all fairness, she was between a rock and a hard place in that the masses wanted to hear her address her troubles with Future. Thus making ‘I Bet’ the logical choice.
This, though, was far and away the album’s best bet at a smash – had it been issued first. Especially with “that” video, which easily serves as one of her finest visuals yet.
******************
These all should’ve been singles
1/Turn it up
2/So hard
3/Echo
4/Livin it up
5/Overdose
SWEAT, HOTLINE, MY LOVE, THATS WHAT IM FEELING, PICK UP THE PHONE, LOVER’S THANG……
”Dance Like We’re Making Love” it’s a fantastic bop, I don’t understand how she didn’t choose it for Jackie’s first single!
Good Top 5, but ”Overdose” should be in there.
I agree for Overdose
I wish that I could rework her single choices from each era. She has some really good album cuts. Thug Style, C.R.U.S.H., Make It Last Forever, My Love, I Proceed, High Price, Like a Surgeon, G is for Girl, Tell Me What Your Name Is, Yeah I Know, Shut Em Up, Overdose, One Night with You, Lullaby, Kiss & Tell.
Her last album was one of the worst albums I’ve ever heard. Just awful. Her last good album was Basic Instinct. I did like Super Turnt Up from the album after Basic Instinct.
I totally agree with “Go girl” being pushed away too soon. Ciara is always ahead of her time though. She was ahead with “Sweat”. If you listen to Rihanna’s “Bish better have my money” and Beyonce’s “Formation”…. the same formula was used beat wise. They both sound A LOT like Ciara’s “Sweat”. So yea, I too wish “Go girl” took off. The video amazing and YES, I know she would have killed this song LIVE .. DEFINITELY a NOW lost gem… ?..
–
Come back CiCi!!!! I think she’s going R&B/Hip-hop this time.. idk… but I got a feeling.. lol. #SpeakItIntoExsitence ?
Not with warners
Why you say that?
“Sorry” is Ciara’s most underrated song.
I couldn’t agree with you more!
If ANYONE needs to know why Ciara is still relevant today and just got a new record deal, here’s all the proof you need.
The reason she gets resigned has nothing to do with her musical output, but her celeb status. Do you really think the first thing on a label’s mind is that Go Girl was so underrated?
Celeb status means nothing if an artist cannot deliver, as she does in these videos, and she certainly delivers. Ciara is a talented, “marketable” artist. Yes, here celeb status does help with the marketable part.
For me:
#5 Dance Like We’re Making Love
#4 Work
#3 I’m On (from Fantasy Ride)
#2 One Woman Army
#1 So Hard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h881k_NJyRs
I forgot ”Work”! She slayed in that video ??
Dance like we’re making love is not the business at all.
Living it up had single written all over it as did where’d you go.
What’s plagued Ciara’s career has been a poor choice of singles and creative direction. The abandonment of the fantasy ride concept and leaked material from that album really threw a spanner in the works. Basic instinct was a no-no from start to finish. The label never properly supported Ciara nor did they follow through with promo
Those records were potential to slay the charts. However Ciara went through label issues and lack of support. Y’all need to put “High Price” on the list too. Ciara has always been innovative and she has experimented with her records as she definitely should. She needs a better management to promote herself and her new material. I’m excited for what she’s going to bring and with everything I read it’s overdue for Ciara to slay us! Some people want to discredit my Ciara but regardless as the article mentioned she stayed relevant. I think she’s going for that urban and pop direction because there’s no doubt. Her albums consist of those elements. I want for her to get innovative and just go for it because she actually has bops for sure. “Sweat” is just a beast with the production itself and this is what Ciara needs to go for on this next material. She was in the right direction with this record. I think the general public expects Ciara to follow the trend in records but I notice she always wanted to stand out and experiment with her records. All I want is her new material to have that “dance” that she explained regardless of the genres. She can do a variety but it has to be “Ciara” that’s all.
So true and High Price was the SH!T!!!!
Wow Sam, I completely agree with this article. All were great in their own rights, This girl has consistently pushed through though. Gotta love that.
One woman army is an anthemic BANGER do u hear me?! SORRY was amazing heartfelt with a great video….Where you go was a beautiful song with undeniable catchiness….Run it Was sexuality sensuality and personality…shut em up is a BANGER Shout out to sounds 4 the production I’ve seen the club go ham to that one 1st hand its CRIMINAL she left that off basic instinct.
In my opinion it is like that:
5. Echo ft. Young Jeezy
4. Shut em Up
3. Cool on you
2. Sweat ft 2Chainz
1. Overdose
My most underrated
1. DUI
2. Flaws and all
3. Sorry
4. My Love
5. Cool on you
6. Heavy Rotation
7. Go Girl
DUI is hot as he**. I STILL rock that song.
5. Yeah I Know
4. My Love
3. That’s How I’m Feeling
2. Go Girl
1. Sweat
Go Girl was my joint!
Sad at the lost of good music.. smh.. that girl image was so fresh.. but she abandoned it.. i find it hard to even believe she will be where janet was… maybe she can come back and breakout to be a superstar in her 30s like jlo did.. but sigh.. no one has even come close to ciara.. these new girls cant even get a fraction of ciara’s success.. this last album jackie was horrible.. the performances were tragic… even the national athems.. just no.. then getting the DOME at ESSENCE but performing sloppy and with no great production.. just sad.. the 17 year old music got stale.. now she is more known for her man or drama with future smh
She’s known for her accomplishments and let’s not get so much into her personal life. She went through issues just how any other artist have. Some people act as if she didn’t achieve success. Yet they try to discredit what she already accomplished. She has proven again and again to keep going despite the challenges. She still remained to have longevity. I recall during her third and fourth eras “Fantasy Ride” and “Basic Instinct” some bird chirping mofos thought she wouldn’t put out another album. She went through label issues and moved on to Epic. I thought that label would invest her but she left and now she’s on Warner Bros label. And there is NO comparison to her and the other female artist. There’s room for them as well. They had issues as well with their labels and the lack of investment. These emerging female artists are doing their own thing and it’s unnecessary for the general public to pit them against each other. People aren’t supporting them as much either and I’m talking about the majority of the general public. Of course they have solid fanbases that do support but it’s the backwards mindset that only one of two female artist can have success. Ciara went through this as well but still managed to sell millions of records and has a grammy. That’s a lot to be thankful for on her part. She really is one of these female artist that has the overall package but the issue is she needs management to INVEST in her. She already established herself. I’m just staying positive and she always had my support. I’m excited for this new era. I’m ready for Ciara to storm through and slay! #C-SQUAD
Flaws and All
Sorry
Blauw
Dance like we’re makin Love
Rehab feat Ciara.. Get up
So hard and dance like we’re make no love are great however I didn’t really appreciate the others. Ciara is definitely underrated even by myself. I feel she just seems too fall short.
So hard was classic Brian Michael C** 00’s R&B
No love for Turn Tables? Ciara, Chris, and Danja on the beat … I still blast it while at the gym!
Tell me what your name is —- One of Ciara’s finest songs. Should have been a huge hit.
lol Ci has a LOT of damn songs that were hella underrated. First and foremost is “That’s Right”. That song still is the f****** business and goes hard as hell from the minute the beat drops. The lil snippet that she performed at the 07 EBT Awards gives more evidence to that. I totally agree with “Go Girl” because I was ready for that single to get motion behind it in 2008. I’m still trying to figure out how “Got Me Good” didn’t get the ground it should have had. Granted it was a popish song, it was classic pop Ciara and sonically sounded amazing. Also other tracks that people need to not forget their “dopeness” …. “C.R.U.S.H”, “Make It Last Forever”, “I’m On”, and “Addicted”
1. High Price
2.Turn it Up
3. Where you go ft, Future
4. Gimmie Dat
5.Pucker Up / Got me good
Ciara has quite the catalogue. There’s A LOT that was slept on:
From Goodies: Thug Style (should have definitely replaced “And I”)
From Evolution: C.R.U.S.H. and So Hard
From Fantasy Ride: Ciara to the Stage and Turntables (video would have been Iconic)
From Basic Instinct: I Run It, Wants For Dinner, and Turn It Up (if only there was a video for this)
and “Goodbye My Dear” and “King & Queen” with T.I., Blauw, and Sweat.
More than Five but…. 🙂
Disagree 1. Sophomore 2. One Woman Army 3. My Love 4. Work 5. Livin it up
the video & choreography in “go girl” are FIRE
Go Girl is an AMAZING song