Ciara Princess Harris (born October 25, 1985), known
mononymously as
Ciara (pronounced , ), is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in
Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, eventually moving to
Atlanta,
Georgia where she joined the girl group Hearsay (not to be confused with the British group
Hear'Say); however, the group disbanded after having differences. It was at this time Ciara was noticed for her songwriting. In 2002, Ciara met music producer
Jazze Pha. With his help, she signed a record deal with
LaFace Records.