Ciara Fantasy Ride Songs

[Mellissa Sprock]

FantasyRide is the third studio album by American singer Ciara, first released on May 3, 2009, by Jive Records, LaFace Records and Sony Music Entertainment. The album was recorded between 2007 and 2009. Ciara was executive producer on the album along with co-executive Mark Pitts and, Ciara worked with several record producers, including Blac Elvis, Benny Blanco, Blade, Jasper Cameron, The Clutch, Darkchild, Danja, Dr. Luke, Jason Nevins, Jim Beanz, Los da Maestro, Ne-Yo, Osinachi Nwaneri, Polow da Don, The-Dream, Tricky Stewart, Justin Timberlake, T-Pain. The album featured several guest vocalists, including Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, Chris Brown, Young Jeezy, The-Dream, Missy Elliott.

The album combines R&B and hip hop sounds from her previous albums along with a new pop and dance direction. Fantasy Ride received generally mixed reviews from music critics, who complimented its slow jams and the club tracks, and Ciara's vocal performances, with some critics calling it "a consistently sexy listen" with other critics calling it "Ciara's smoothest ride ever". However, some critics found the album to be a "dud" and others saying "Ciara seems to go almost unnoticed". The album debuted at number three on US Billboard 200. Fantasy Ride became Ciara's third consecutive album to debut within the top three on that chart, making her only the fourth female artist to do so during that decade.

The album was supported by three singles: the US R&B top ten "Never Ever" with Young Jeezy, worldwide hit "Love Sex Magic" with Justin Timberlake, and "Work" with Missy Elliott, which reached the top 60 on international charts. A compilation EP titled Fantasy Ride: The Mini Collection was also released internationally in late July, the album also garnered numerous accolades including one nomination at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, and one nomination at the 52nd Grammy Awards.

At the start of 2008, Ciara began working on her third album. She became executive producer of the album, with LaFace Records A&R coordinator Mark Pitts. The first recording sessions saw her working with producers Tricky Stewart, Danja, Jasper Cameron, and The-Dream.[3] In an interview from a concert, Ciara stated that she worked on two tracks with Justin Timberlake[4] and his production team The Y's which will appear on the album.[5] Spike Stent was involved in mixing tracks for the album which Ciara recorded at Chalice Studios.[6]

Ciara stated in 2008 that she wanted her third album "to take fans on a musical journey".[7] Billboard magazine initially reported that the album would be released across three discs, each representing a different theme and featuring stylistically similar songs.[3] Danja executively produced the Crunktown and Kingdom of Dance cuts while the Groove City offerings were overseen by Tricky Stewart and Jasper Cameron.[3] The Groove City recordings were intended to remind fans of the Evolution era. The first single "Never Ever" (featuring Young Jeezy) falls under this theme and is similar to previous single "Promise". Crunktown tracks are remincent of single "Goodies" and the trademark genre that Ciara is associated with. "High Price" (featuring Ludacris) was the original lead single and an example of what Ciara had created under the crunk theme. The final recordings where up-tempo pop-tinged, house, and freestyle cuts under the theme Kingdom of Dance which can be heard on the album's second single "Love Sex Magic" (featuring Justin Timberlake). However, during an interview the editor of Vibe in April, magazine Ciara confirmed that along with changing management she had dropped the three disc idea. The editor previewed six of the songs recorded for the album.[8]

"Super C is a character that people will learn more about on this record. That is my alter ego. Super C doesn't hold back. She is definitely aggressive. She goes hard. Super C can do some magical and funky things. She works hard. She dances to the 10th power. She does everything to the 10th power."

Fantasy Ride also introduces Ciara's comic book character, "Super C". Ciara said that Super C is her "inner strength and aggressive persona". She is a futuristic, superhero-esque Ciara, loosely based on the robotic character Ciara portrayed in the "Go Girl" music video.

DC Comics artist Bernard Chang helped Ciara create the character for the album artwork. Ciara said she worked on the artwork about nine months to a year.[10] On April 5, her official website posted the new album covers (purple Super C for the standard edition, red Super C for the deluxe edition). Speaking on the images, Ciara stated, "Super C is my super hero name. It's who I am. It's the inner strength and drive that enables me to overcome any obstacles and who I have to be in order to accomplish my dreams and survive in this tough world." Her official website confirmed that in North America the album will feature the super hero covers whereas international markets will receive the human cover featuring Ciara on a faded white background.

In September 2008, Ciara promoted the forthcoming release of the album at Austell's Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park, with her parents and fans in attendance. For the day, the roller coaster Goliath was renamed Fantasy Ride. Ciara also met fans and signed autographs.[11] She also released a promo single for the album, titled "Go Girl", which featured T-Pain on September 30, 2008. Ciara made her first stage appearance performing at Media WildJam '08, where she previewed a few unreleased tracks from the upcoming album, as well as performed past hits. Performances included new songs "I'm On",[12] "Go Girl",[13] "Ciara to The Stage", and "High Price".[14] For a limited period of time UK and European customers at Foot Locker were given the chance to download an exclusive remix of "Go Girl" and had the opportunity to win a meeting with Ciara in person.[15] Ciara announced that she would release a Fantasy Ride mixtape in anticipation for the album. However, only two tracks were made available, "Slow Down", featuring rapper 50 Cent and a cover of "Diva" by Beyonc.[16]

On Monday, February 23, 2009, Ciara made an appearance on BET's 106 & Park. There, she promoted the album, the new singles, and answered selected online fan questions. Ciara spoke about the controversy surrounding the track "Turntables" featuring Chris Brown, saying that it will be on the album, but that it might sound different in a good way.[17] On Tuesday, February 24, 2009, Ciara was a special guest on Snoop Dogg's MTV show, "Dogg After Dark"[18] although she did not formerly promote the album. Ciara confirmed on April 2, 2009 that she has many promotions coming up for the album including performances live in the UK and US including appearing on Good Morning America and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[19] On April 25, 2009 during the UK promotions, Ciara performed "Love Sex Magic", "Never Ever", "Goodies" and "1 2 Step" at London's G-A-Y nightclub.[20]

Ciara appeared on BET's 106 & Park on May 6, 2009, where she formally promoted her album, displayed some of her album artwork and co-hosted.[21] On May 9, 2009, during an edition of Saturday Night Live hosted by Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel, Ciara performed a special rendition of "Love Sex Magic" (featuring a James Brown interlude) with Timberlake and later appeared solo to perform "Never Ever".[22] During the week of the album's release, Ciara promoted the album on numerous shows, including Good Morning America and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

"Go Girl", which features T-Pain, was originally released as the album's lead single. However, it was only included on the album version in Japan. The single reached number seventy-eight in the United States, and charted on the US R&B chart at number twenty-six and on the US Pop chart at number eighty-eight. A music video was made for this song and released in October 2008.

"Never Ever", which features Young Jeezy, was released as the first single in the United States on January 19, 2009, and reached number sixty-six on the Hot 100, but had more success on the R&B chart, where it reached number nine, becoming Ciara's eleventh top ten hit on that chart. Despite, not officially being released internationally, due to strong digital sales, it was able to chart in some countries, including Sweden and Russia, where it reached the top forty and top fifty, respectively.

"Love Sex Magic", which features Justin Timberlake, was released as the second US and first international single on March 3, 2009, and reached number ten in the United States, becoming Ciara's eight top ten single there. It became her biggest international hit to date reaching the top ten in over twenty countries, including India, Turkey, and Taiwan, where it reached number one. The song was nominated at the 52nd Grammy Awards for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals".

"Ciara to the Stage" charted on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 at number four the week following the album's release. "Turntables", which features Chris Brown, charted at number eighty in the United Kingdom, due to strong digital sales. The song uses a sample from the Hindi song "Kehna Hi Kya", from A. R. Rahman's soundtrack to the 1995 film Bombay. "I'm On", a deluxe edition bonus track, charted in Canada at number seventy-nine, due to strong digital sales. "Like a Surgeon" was planned to be as a single in North America, but its release was cancelled.[23] Despite this, it peaked at number fifty-nine on the US R&B chart.

Ciara was the support act for Britney Spears for the eight London concerts of The Circus Starring Britney Spears tour in support of Fantasy Ride.[24] The shows took place in June 2009 at the city's prestigious The O2 (London).[25] On August 14, 2009 Jive Records released a press release about the then upcoming second-leg of the Circus Tour which revealed that fellow label mate Jordin Sparks was replacing Ciara as the opening act along with newcomer Kristinia DeBarge. In September 2009, it was revealed that Ciara had been in the studio recording her next album with Tricky Stewart and The-Dream during time which she would have been on tour.[26]Ciara went on a 6-date tour in support of Fantasy Ride, titled Jay-Z & Ciara Live with Jay-Z during the summer.[27] The dates were announced on Ciara's official website.[28] She would later go to announce plans for her own world tour at towards the middle or end of 2009 in support of the album.[29] However, with the production of the fourth album underway from Summer 2009, rumors were put to rest.[30]

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