+1 today 🙂↔️🎈
As a survivor of all the things that tried me last year, I think I’m doing pretty dang good. Grateful for the friends and family who never let me go through the day without a lil love and support. From LA to Lagos to Cape Town, my heart is full. Thank you everyone. My new year officially starts now. ❤️
Season 2 of Level Up Radio is officially a WRAP! ✨
Big Ci + seven episodes + iconic guests = pure magic. Much love to @AppleMusic and all the artist teams who made this season possible.
@Ciara , you DID that. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Normani, Glorilla, Nora Fatehi, Victoria Monét, Kelly Rowland & LaLa Anthony, Tyga, Jennifer Hudson — thank you all for showing up with so much heart and the willingness to get LOW!
Executive Producer + Mgmt: @Dimplez 🙋🏾♀️
Talent Relations: @Ola.tomi.wa@DJReflex Editorial: @FancyDomo Creative: @FontaineAlexis Production: @Shanny.W@LaurenWilkinssss@Eashooo@CatDinius Marketing: @Danavia@Thee.Fredd
Styling: @heyimdeo
Makeup: @yolondafrederick
Hair: @iamdavontae@kiyahwright1
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! All the episodes of Level Up Radio are now available on demand only on @AppleMusic 🎶
Did the scary thing.
Oftentimes when someone dies, people underestimate the load that those of us who remain have to carry. In addition to the grief, we wind up spending months (if not years) putting a bow on someone else’s life.
In my case, tying the bow has taken, and continues to take, time.
My dad died in September (2024), but we weren’t able to lay him to rest until December 6th (a year ago today). A lot went into the delay, predominantly navigating taking his body home, but when that was done and I finally returned to the states, the mortuary that helped me with the overall process shared a copy of his fingerprints.
They usually keep them on file in the incidence that the family wants to make some kind of keepsake.
But what was I to make? How do you make something befitting of someone you love? How, beyond continuing to live, do you honor them?
There’s a quote that goes, “our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we’ve touch.” So I took my dad’s fingerprints and made a pendant which won’t ever fade.
In the carousel there are two renders of post-mortem impressions embossed in gold. One, the one I ultimately landed on, feels as though he pressed his finger into the mold himself — weighted, with depth and an imperfect oval stonelike figure. The second, a more dog tag style variation, comparable to a tile, with grooves but no rounded weight.
The idea took about 8 weeks from concept to execution, but I am so glad that we did it.
Thank you Zenobia @SevenJuneJewelry who held my hand through this entire process, and helped me make something I truly am proud of.
The future of music + film in Africa? Bright. 🌍✨ Had the honor of speaking at Columbia Business School, alongside some real heavy hitters. Love moments like these — and even more special having my mom front + center, cheering us on💐❤️
Thank you for having me @cbs_abc@isioma.png 🤝🏾
👗 @kemi__threading
Life is funny. One of its greatest ironies is that we grow up and eventually become our parents. I remember when I was younger my dad used to send money home to Nigeria. He had visions of building up the community that he came from. Even though, living abroad, we weren’t the most affluent, he had his plan maped out. He used to tell my mom all the time that he would build a plaza named after me. Apartments on one side, storefronts on the other.
A year ago today, my dad died. And grief has a funny way of pushing you into action, because in the months that followed after his burial, my mom and I quietly picked up the mantle of his plan. Before he died, he had already finished the apartments and had tenants who knew of me and his vision. And now, we are working on completing the storefront.
This last year has been one of the most sobering years of my life. I miss my dad. Losing a parent is not easy. And I am still not used to talking about him in the past tense. But I don’t cry as much anymore. And I am overwhelmingly grateful for the community of friends and loved ones that surround me, prop me up when I need it, and give me reasons to smile.
The biggest lesson that this year has taught me is life is for the living, and it doesn’t stop for anyone.
Ijeoma Plaza coming soon. Rest easy, Dad. 🕊️🙏🏾
One thing’s for certain, the team has been WORKING! Proud of the squad. Proud of what we’re building. One helluva run 🏃🏾♀️more to come 💥
You are truly 1 of 1 @ciara 🥳 #CiCi8 #CiCiDeluxe
48 hours in Benin 🇧🇯 From meeting his excellencey President Patriece Talon to all the creatives (artists, stylists, designers, cultural historians, linguists… etc.) we got to meet, we had an incredible time. Very grateful for everyone who had a hand in putting this trip together. Thank you 🇳🇬🫶🏾🇧🇯
P.S. My mom’s WhatsApp has been going crazy for weeks. She gets to tell the world her daughter met the President of Benin. 😅
