If you were a fan of hip hop and R&B music in the early naughts, then chances are you know who Ciara is. The singer hit it big in 2004 with her debut album, Goodies. The lead single off the album, "Goodies", was the bop of the year, and seemed destined to solidify Ciara as one of music's leading ladies. She appeared on a song with Missy Elliot, opened for Gwen Stefani, and toured with Chris Brown and Bow Wow. In addition to her music career, Ciara has appeared in movies and television shows. Her career, while seeming to stall at times, has endured over the last 16 years, and we're still fans all these years later. But these days, Ciara probably gets more attention for her personal life. After a very public and very nasty split with her ex-fiance Future, Ciara seems to have finally find her groove with husband Russell Wilson. The mother of two, with another one on the way, gives us serious mom and wife goals.
Like so many of us, Ciara has endured some pretty nasty breakups.
Ciara and rapper Future were together for more than two years, and have one son together, Future Zahir Wilburn. They were even engaged, but broke up just a few months after their son was born amid reports that Future was unfaithful. Couples break up all the time, and although it's never easy, it doesn't have to be messy. But messy is exactly what the breakup between Ciara and Future ended up being. After their breakup in August 2014, Future aired many of his grievances on social media and in interviews, even going as far as calling Ciara a bad mother in a tweet. Eventually, it got to the point where Ciara could take no more, and she actually filed a $15 million defamation suit against her ex. Through it all, she remained composed and focused on protecting her son, which we have the utmost respect for.
Future didn't stop trying to bring Ciara down, even after she'd moved on with husband Russell Wilson, the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks. In an interview with Beats 1 Radio, Future criticized Wilson for "not being a man" and controlling how Ciara talks about her past relationships. Sounds like someone has a bit of a chip on their shoulder about letting a good one get away!
Ciara and Russell Wilson are serious relationship goals.
Ciara and Wilson began dating in 2015, got engaged AND married in 2016, and welcomed their first child together, daughter Sienna, just over a year later. The couple, who famously abstained from sex until they got married, have a very strong bond rooted in their shared faith and love and respect for each other. Marriage isn't easy, especially when you're in the limelight. But Ciara and Wilson carve out time for each other, with weekly date nights and plenty of time together as a family. Wilson makes sure to show his love to his wife every single day, pampering Ciara during her pregnancies and supporting her career.
In addition to welcoming their first child together just a year into their marriage, Ciara and Wilson are also raising Future Zahir, her son from her previous relationship. And that can add another layer of stress! But Ciara has said that Wilson fully accepted Future Zahir as his own from day one, and that's what made her fall for him. "I never had that feeling in my life...it was just calm," she said. "To love me, is to love my son. It's just a different level of love." The couple announced in January 2020 that they were expecting another child together.
We love the way Ciara has approached motherhood.
Becoming a mom is life-changing, no matter who you are! But to hear Ciara talk about motherhood, you realize that we all have more in common than not. The soon-to-be mother of three says she's learned that you "can't measure one baby by another" because each baby is their own individual, and as such she's taken a "roll with the punches" stance with her kids. She's relied on her own maternal instinct to figure this all out, and instead of doing what people think she needs to do, she follows a plan that works best for her and her kids and family.
She also makes it a point to surround herself with supportive people, from her husband Russell Wilson to her group of mom friends (yes, even stars have mom groups!). Ciara believes there's something special about doing this whole motherhood thing with people who understand what you're going through, so you can help each other and share notes and just commiserate with women who get it. That is the truth, Ciara! We can't wait to see how life changes for Ciara after baby number three, but we're sure she'll handle it with the grace and ease she's had through everything else.