Ciara

Although the Caucasian-centric mainstream press tends to see the manufacturing of musical idols as primarily a pop-music phenomenon, it’s prevalent in hip-hop and R&B, too. Consider Ciara Princess Harris, who was given an ultra-promotable name at birth and subsequently developed the sort of tough-but-tender voluptuousness that created such a demand for Kelis’s milkshakes. As a de facto answer to the Petey Pablo blockbuster “Freek-a-Leek,” Ciara’s first single, “Goodies” (co-produced by crunkmeister Lil Jon and featuring Petey), was a can’t-miss proposition, and it laid the groundwork for “1, 2 Step,” a Missy Elliott-supported track that blossomed into an even bigger smash. As a plus, these tunes, as well as “Oh,” which pairs her with Ludacris, are irresistible in a heavy-breathing, pleasantly brainless sorta way. Building a long-term career may prove difficult for Ciara, who joins the Game, Busta Rhymes, Mario, Frankie J, Baby Bash and other notables at KS-107.5’s Summer Jam 2005. Still, she’s living proof that pre-fab R&B can be just as bubbly as its pop counterpart.