The 'Like a Boy' singer fills RWD in on Bow Wow, Rihanna, 50 Cent and why she was never really interested in Aaliyah! Interview by Archna Sawjani
Good Morning. How are you?
I am great. How are you?
Let me first just say congratulations on last year. Are you happy with the way your Sophomore album has been received?
I am definitely very thankful for everything that has happened so far. I do wish that I could have done a little bit more touring with this album internationally, I really didn’t get to do as much as I had wanted to. But you know I’ve sold two millions records with this album in the current climate in the music industry where everyone is downloading and everything, plus I didn’t even really do as many singles as I really wanted to so yeah I am very, very happy about how well its been received.
So are you still currently promoting this album or are you now looking to start working on your next project?
I’m just finishing a few tour dates but as soon as that’s done; I am definitely looking to head straight into the studio and I really am looking to release something at the top of this year; so early 2008. I am really excited to get back into the recording process. It’s definitely time.
The music industry is a very fickle industry, your only as good as your last record; you could have countless of great albums but if you release a bad album you suffer the wrath of the media. So…
Absolutely. I couldn’t agree more
Right, so where is your head at. Do you have an idea what direction you want to go with your next project?
Of course. Like you said your only as good as your last record. I’ve definitely got some ideas on the direction I want to go. I mean first and foremost I want to have fun with it. I know a lot of my fans love to see me dance so I am definitely going to give them tons of that. It’s going to be very upbeat. I think music should make you feel good so that’s what I want to do with the new album.
I was really surprised that you opened up for Rihanna during her UK tour as your just as successful, if not more in terms of sales. I wouldn’t think you would be her opening act?
You know what, I honestly don’t look at it like I am opening for her. I look at it like a special opportunity for the fans in the UK to see the two of us and the fact I haven’t toured in the UK this is a perfect opportunity for me especially. In my eyes I look at like a real cool show with the both of us. I don’t see myself as the opener. I think the fans are going to really love it.
I read in a recent interview that you conducted that next year you would like to do more movies, an album, a tour, a fashion line and a book! Do you think you can really focus on all those projects and give them the time they deserve…
Well I have a brilliant team and I’m young so I think this is a time where I can tour and do other things without getting too tired. I have so many goals I want to achieve and I don’t want to wait too long, I have the opportunities available too me now. I definitely will give it my all.
When we last spoke you mentioned how you wanted people to see you as your own person and not constantly compare you to Aaliyah. Do you think you have now achieved that?
Absolutely. I’ll be honest prior from me being a artist; I didn’t really look at Aaliyah’s work as much as I have done so now only because I wanted to see why people compared us so much. I was definitely a fan of Aaliyah’s music but the performances that I was looking at when I was growing up were Michael Jackson and Janet. So I’d see Aaliyah’s videos on MTV and so on, but it wasn’t like the same admiration I had for Michael and Janet. I didn’t really follow Aaliyah’s career like that.
Talking about performing; I know this was a while ago but I loved your performance at last year’s BET Awards…Oh wow. Thank you so much.
I also saw you dancing in front of Bow Wow… The blogs were saying you did that on purpose.
Oh god. [Laughs]. That’s so funny. I honestly, you know when you’re performing you kind of don’t notice anything around you. I heard after the performance from people “You know you were dancing right in front of Bow Wow”. So I had a look at the footage and I was like “Oh god”. That honestly wasn’t my intention. I honestly didn’t even realize he was sitting there, I was just giving my performance my all at that moment.
Are you and Bow Wow friends now?
Well I haven’t spoken to him in a very long time. I mean if we bumped into each other then we could definitely say hi and keep things moving but it’s definitely not a real friendship at this moment.
You know I got to deal with the rumours…
Ok go ahead…
Are you dating 50 Cent?
No, no, no. [Laughs] No we’re cool. I’m so focused on things ahead but we’re cool though.
If he asked you out then what would your answer be?
Oh no. I cant answer that [Laughs]. I cant answer that. We’re just cool.
Did you spend the holiday season with him?
No, not this time around. The cool thing about us, is that we really get on and we can hang out but Christmas I’m always with my family.
Which album did you prefer; Kanye’s or 50’s?
I liked both of them honestly. I think that Kanye did a very, very great job as far as production. He’s a producer I would really love to work with definitely. With 50, he always does a great job with putting songs together and catchy hooks and melodies. Both did a great job.
Recently there were rumours in a British Paper that 50 lavished with gifts for your birthday…
[Laughs] That is funny. I read that. No that is not true [laughs]
source- http://www.rwdmag.com/articles/6610/...-to-Ciara.html