Ciara

Not yet 20 years old when her debut single, "Goodies," hit number one on Billboard, former military brat Ciara quickly established herself as one of R&B's most promising young stars. Originally a protege of producer Jazze Pha, Ciara has since gone on to work with the biggest names in hip-hop and R&B, including R. Kelly, will.i.am, Missy Elliott, Lil Jon, 50 Cent, and Pharrell, among others. Ciara's next album, THE EVOLUTION, debuted at number one on the charts in late 2006, and marked a step away from the bubblegum sexuality she flaunted on her previous album and toward a more mature persona, both aesthetically and personally.

• pop
• r&b/soul
• hip hop/rap