Keeping Up With Ciora

With her seventh album about to drop, the sizzling singer/ dancer seems to have it all but wants more because “no dream is too big.” Here, she talks to Cosmo about faith, fitness, and her husband’s “goodies.”

- Marielle Wakim

For someone who rocketed into the public eye at age 19, cycled (somewhat contentiously) through a number of record labels, and went through a very public, scandalous breakup with the rapper Future, Ciara is remarkably joyful. Levelheaded. Optimistic. Projecting some serious serene goddess vibes. But don’t get it twisted. Although she’s earned it, she’s not content to sit back and relax.

“Every day’s a blur,” she says. “There’s so much happening when you have two kids and work.” Right now, the 32-year-old spends most of her days in Bellevue, Washington, where she and her hottie Super Bowl– champ husband, Russell Wilson, live with her 4-year-old son and their 18-month-old daughter. She splits time between family days at the Seattle Seahawks’ training camp and basking in the success of “Level Up” and “Freak Me,” two singles off her new album (their videos launched a pair of viral dance challenges on Instagram). She’s also been deep in tour-prep mode. And then there was her recent post-baby fitness routine: up to three workouts a day. “It was kind of like, wake up in the morning, breastfeed, eat a small meal, go train, come back in, breastfeed, eat another meal, go train, then come back, have another meal, and then a third training session at night,” she says, adding carefully: “It was a good challenge, one I set for myself, not for anyone else. Taking care of myself makes me feel really good. And I want to keep it sexy too, you know.”