Music lovers who’d written off Grammy winning stageblazer Ciara after the unforgiving dismissal of her third and fourth albums, ‘Fantasy Ride’ and ‘Basic Instinct’ respectively, were in for a rude awakening when her self-titled project dropped in 2013.
A return to prominence of sorts for the dancing diva, the album waltzed its way to a top 5 debut on the Billboard 200 courtesy of the modern-day slow jam ‘Body Party’ and other supporting cuts. The truest test of her commercial relevance in the day’s music market, however, would be passed if the reignited momentum could carry on to its follow-up. The answer to the challenge would arrive in a somewhat unlikely single choice: ‘I Bet.’
Perceived as a clear clapback to her highly publicized relationship woes with former fiance/rapper Future, ‘I Bet’ was greeted with mixed reviews as some praised the singer for the tune’s brazen content while others expressed disappointment over its dated sound. A slow, but steady climb up the Billboard Hot 100 (thanks to promotional appearances and radio play) would prove ‘I Bet’ a sure bet – a “winner” in some contexts given the unfavorable treatment “pure R&B” tracks were receiving on the pop charts in 2015.
However, that relative “win” would not be enough to launch the song’s parent album, ‘Jackie,’ to the heights of any of its predecessors:
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