Ciara

Ten years into her career and only 27 years old, <i>Ciara</i> reintroduces the youthful Atlanta R&B veteran in a refreshing new light. Although the first single was the scintillating “Body Party” (which brilliantly samples the Ghost Town DJs hit "My Boo" and has one of the year's most talked-about videos), <i>Ciara</i> favors thumping R&B-flavored singles over steamy ballads. Tracks like "Sophomore" and "Super Turnt Up" present a more forceful incarnation of the crunk/R&B fusion she embodied in the mid-2000s. Yet the most rewarding moments on her first self-titled album come with the collection's boldest risks, like the EDM touch of "Overdose” and a collaboration with her rapid-fire verse-swapping opposite Nicki Minaj on “I’m Out."