This is the most Ciara track ever.
Ciara is officially stepping back into her bag. On “This Right Here,” the latest single from her upcoming album CiCi, she links up with her longtime collaborator Jazze Pha and Atlanta firestarter Latto for a track that’s heavy on nostalgia, but not without its flaws. It’s a record that pulls directly from Ciara’s heyday — the early 2000s era of snap beats, colorful videos, and b-boy energy — but whether it truly brings that energy into 2025 with freshness is debatable.
If you were around for Ciara’s “1, 2 Step” days, “This Right Here” will feel instantly familiar. The track’s production — anchored by a supersonic, chest-thumping, electro-funk beat — echoes the kind of dancefloor-ready sound that made Ciara a household name. There’s a futuristic bounce to it, and you can tell Jazze Pha had his fingerprints all over the sonic direction.
Ciara herself is clearly having fun. She delivers a high-pitched, animated vocal performance, straddling that thin line between singing and rapping — a hallmark of her earlier hits. She bounces through verses with b-girl swagger and cheerleader charm, making it clear her mission is simple: get people up and dancing.
Latto steps in with a brash, confident verse laced with Atlanta flavor, fitting right into the track’s party atmosphere. Her flow is assertive, her punchlines cocky, and her references rooted in the kind of bossed-up femininity that’s helped her rise in the rap world. Her standout bar? A clever boast about her man’s face card never declining.
Still, while the track hits the right nostalgic notes, it doesn’t always feel as inspired as it sounds. The structure is predictable, the lyrics occasionally lean into cliché, and there’s a sense that we’ve heard this kind of song before — maybe a few too many times. It’s a double-edged sword: on one hand, the familiarity is part of the charm; on the other, it makes the record feel a bit safe and generic.
That said, “This Right Here” fits comfortably alongside the other singles we’ve heard from CiCi so far — the sultry “Ecstasy” and the vibey “Wassup.” Taken together, they hint that Ciara is looking backward to move forward, revisiting her roots while inviting a new generation into her world.
Whether CiCi ends up as a full-fledged comeback or a celebration of what made Ciara special in the first place remains to be seen. But with “This Right Here,” she proves she still knows how to get the party started — even if the party sometimes feels like a rerun.
Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.
