sold 208,000 copies in the United States. Background Under LaFace Records (and later Jive Records), Ciara released her 3× platinum-certified debut album Goodies (2004) and its follow-up, the platinum-certified Ciara: The Evolution (2006). Album three, Fantasy Ride (2009), was plagued with issues which resulted in Ciara changing management part way through the album's production and dropping the idea of a 3-disc concept album. Additionally many of the records leaked online prior to the album's release; as a result, Basic Instinct (2010) was recorded in strict confidentiality. Basic Instinct sold just 37,000 copies in its first week in the United States, and became Ciara's first album to miss the top-three on the Billboard 200. At the time, Ciara said that she wasn't interested in first week sales or the album's commercial performance, but rather in building her brand as an artist. According to the Los Angeles Times Gerrick Kennedy, the lack of commercial success with Basic Instinct was attributable to multiple pushbacks, and the leaking of material from the album's recording sessions. In February 2011, Ciara revealed that her relationship with her record label was not on positive terms; Jive had not properly financial supported Fantasy Ride or Basic Instinct. Ciara self-funded some of the albums promotions, including her last single "Gimmie Dat" and in the end wrote a public letter asking to be released from her record obligations. Several months later in July of the same year, it was revealed that Ciara would be reuniting with L.A. Reid by signing to his Epic Records label. Reid had previously signed Ciara to LaFace at the start of her career, and played a role in executively producing her debut album Goodies (2004). Billboard magazine officially confirmed Ciara's signing to Epic in September 2011. During an interview with Sway in the Morning in February 2012, Ciara revealed that she would be taking her time recording her fifth studio album. In June 2012, Ciara spoke about the album saying "It really is just me pouring my heart into the record, and I think my fans deserve that. I really had to be in a comfortable place, and I really am and I'm excited about it, that's the beauty of music. Music is like really being able to express yourself. I wanted to make sure that I expressed myself in the best way that I could, and I let the music also be a healing