We’re some lucky some days.

Early last Tuesday morning, we had a chance to sit in on a phone conference with Ciara on the release of her new album, Ciara: The Evolution. With a Grammy and a triple platinum debut album under her belt, shorty’s sophmore album hit the charts in full force, landing @ number one on Billboard’s charts. Mixing her voice with an affability that could swoon anyone, the young lady has a huge potential for growth. Sky’s the limit, word to Notorious B.I.G.

15 Minutes with Ciara

Words By Cam Bulgari

Ciara on the instructional dancing dvd that comes with her new album…

It’s a limited edition. It’s funny because this morning I had a little confusion with understanding if they did a set DVD shipment for both Target and Wal-Mart, but I do know for sure it’s in Target. But I think there’s an even smaller number of the limited edition cd’s. Basically what I’m doing is showing you some of the different routines from both “Get Up” video, “Pick It Up” video, and “Promise” as well.

On the audience she had in mind for the dvd…

Everybody. You know, I don’t think you can just think of one person because the cool thing is everyone loves to dance. You know, I’ve realized that. And it’s a part of what I do and I realize that more and more everyday, you know, first with me doing it, I was younger I wanted to dance and now I’m older and I still love it. My mom loves to dance, my dad loves to dance and they’re much older than I am so it’s definitely for everybody. I think everyone can get in there and actually, like, work it out. It’s funny cause I always hear people—like dancing is one way to do cardio and all kind of cool things so you know if you’re trying to work on like dropping some a little bit, dropping a little weight you probably can just keep on trying it and then it’d be like starting you know. It’s like dancing to me is something that’s really cool when you’re trying to work out and just trying to get together like for me it works out really good for me so I think the people will enjoy it.

On being a member of the new generation of R&B artists, & comparisons to Janet and Aaliyah…

Well it’s funny because you know, one I can definitely say that I grew up—first I have to say my ultimate inspiration is Michael—but Janet was definitely one person I that I loved to watch growing up and I think she’s such an amazing performer and she’s contributed so, so many great things to the musical trend, you know, because of that I am inspired by her as an artist. When I get the comparisons to Aaliyah I can definitely say that I get touched more than anything when people tell me that I remind them of her on a personal note because all I heard was people saying a lot of great things about her so I take it as a big compliment in that sense. And going back to Janet as well someone told me that worked with her they said that they see, that the reason why they feel we’re similar is because of our energy and that I only can say that we both do a tremendous amount of dancing. At the same time I feel like all three of us have our own sound.

I think that we all have our own sound when it comes to music and videos and things and just dancing period. I think you can definitely find some similarities but I don’t think there’s anything forced, at least me,on my end. I’m just being me and if some of the things remind you of whoever then I guess that’s just how it flows. But I can also say that I do get a little like—it kinda gets to me a little bit because I’m like I don’t want to be like, you know, when I’m on stage I become my own. I really want for people to see me as me. And even with Janet in particular that’s one that I hear so, so much out of all of the comparisons it’s like I don’t want to do anything she’s done. I don’t want to emulate anything she’s done at all. But I’d love to have much of the success that she’s had in her career. That’s one thing you cannot say, you can’t take away. I think that she’s once again contributed so much to music. She’s really a legend and I would love to be that one day, I’d love to be an icon. But just definitely do everything in my own way.

On when we’ll see her on the big screen…

I’ve had my first film experience for an MTV film called “All You’ve Got” and it was straight to DVD, and straight to the network, the actual network. But now I do have plans to do things on the big screen. I’m definitely ready to grow with that and I also want to take my time with that and perfect it. Just the same way I try to perfect my music so that when you do see me in that light you know to the difference between me as an artist and an actress.

On the collaborative process with will.i.am…

Well I gotta say working with will.i.am—the song I co-produced with him is called “Get In, Fit In” and we also did another song called “Do It” which is released on the international album. And working with him is a lot of fun, he’s such a sweet person. He has so much energy and his story, his life story to me is so intriguing and it’s just really cool to see him come up. We just had a lot of fun. We talked aobut so many different things in life. We cracked up. We danced around. It was a lot fun and definitely an energetic session. And I remember the first time when we were doing “Do It”, I actually wrote that song late in the morning and I remember he was actually coming off touring, you know I think he was doing international touring and when he got back it was like the only chance that we both had to try and get together and I really wanted this to happen and I know that he did as well. And we went in to write “Do It” I was like up like starting at 12 o’clock and finished writing at 3 o’clock in the morning. But it was amazing how we just made it happen so fast so we definitely work quick together as well.

On the seemingly unusual collabo with Field Mob for the track “So What”…

Well, you know my first cousin is in Field Mob. He’s known as Smoke in the group and it was a lot of fun. That was a big record and it definitely was a blessing to be a part of that. I actually wrote the bridge on that song. That was something cool for me too. Just definitely happy to be a part of it, you know. The record, the melody to me I really loved and the instruments was also really, really great. So, I enjoyed being part of it.

Ciara: The Evolution is in stores now. Cop it.

For more on Ciara, visit www.Ciaraworld.com