Singer Ciara, 40, has hinted at the gender of her unborn baby after revealing to fans earlier this month that she is pregnant with her fifth child. The R&B artist showed off her growing baby bump on Tuesday during an appearance at the iHeart Music Festival, where she participated in a panel discussion focused on women's health and HIV prevention sponsored by Gilead.
Following the event, Ciara shared a series of photographs on Instagram alongside the caption: "Soft girl. Full house. Full heart." The choice of phrase "soft girl" led fans to speculate that the musician is expecting a baby girl, though the term also refers to a popular social media fashion and lifestyle trend that emphasizes hyper-femininity, self-care, and a gentle approach to life.
The subtle hint follows another clue fans spotted when Ciara first announced her pregnancy on September 6. In her announcement video, she wore pink rollers in her hair, which observers noted could be another indication that she is expecting a daughter.
During her Tuesday panel at the festival, titled Love, Lately with Loren Lorosa, Ciara wore a dark gray hoodie and skirt. Her low-cut white top showed off her baby bump nicely as she accessorized with silver necklaces. She was joined on stage by podcast host Loren LoRosa and Dr Contessa Metcalfe, with all three women laughing as they sat side by side to discuss health awareness.
Family expansion and pregnancy announcement
The upcoming arrival will be Ciara's fifth child overall and her fourth baby with her husband, former NFL superstar Russell Wilson. The couple are already parents to daughter Sienna, nine, son Win, six, and daughter Amora, two. Ciara also shares her eldest child, 12-year-old son Future Zahir, with her former partner, the rapper Future.
Ciara initially shocked her fans with the news of her fifth pregnancy in a playful social media video. The clip began with a camera panning over white shirts hanging from an outdoor clothesline. Ciara was then seen hanging a small onesie at the end of the line before cradling her bump, holding up five fingers to indicate her fifth child, and pretending to hide from the camera.
Dressed in a white tank top and low-waisted denim jeans with her hair in curlers, the singer flashed a wide smile for the camera. Another slide in the post showed her posing next to the clothesline, where four shirts displayed the names of her children, while the front of the onesie remained blank.
Wilson also featured in the announcement, filming himself strolling past the line of children's shirts before approaching his wife. The couple then cozied up together for a sweet selfie video in their spacious backyard, where Ciara paused for more photos while resting her hands on her stomach. She captioned the Instagram carousel: "One more person to Love." Reps for Ciara have been reached out to by Daily Mail for comment.
Celebrity reactions and support
Friends, celebrities, and social media followers quickly flooded the comment section of Ciara's post with congratulatory messages. Television personality La La Anthony wrote: "Another beautiful blessing!!! More to love!!! Making space over at Auntie La's house. love my family. I'm just over here cheesing so hard. CINCO!!!" Rapper Latto commented: "Congrats Ci," followed by a red heart emoji, while comedian Jessie Woo added: "When God said to be fruitful and multiply, yall took that PERSONALLY!!! congratulations."
Singer Kehlani penned: "he was never playing a single game w u," and former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger wrote: "Omggg congratulations." Singer Major Girl offered her own gender prediction, sharing: "Congratulations..that's a lil boy there...," while the official iHeartRadio account added: "OMGGGGG SO EXCITED!!!"
Russell Wilson's hopes for a fifth child
The pregnancy comes after Wilson publicly expressed his desire to expand their family earlier this summer. In July, the sports star revealed during an interview with E! News that he was hoping to convince Ciara to have another baby. "We have four amazing kids and I'm trying to convince Ciara to have a fifth," Wilson told the outlet at the time. "Cinco, you got to be on the way soon."
Wilson added during the same interview: "I want to have five, Ciara does too. We'll see. Hopefully, I can convince her." The couple tied the knot in 2016 during a romantic ceremony held at Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, England.
Parenting philosophy and career balance
Ciara has previously spoken about the realities of managing a large family while maintaining her entertainment career, describing her daily routine as "organized chaos." Speaking to USA Today last year, the Level Up singer emphasized the importance of structure for her children. "I am a big believer in having some kind of schedule, especially for kids," she explained. "Having them on sleep schedules and having order for them because they function so much better when they have an idea of what's happening and what to expect, for the most part."
The star acknowledged that raising a large family requires flexibility, noting that "there is no perfect way to do it." She also described having Wilson as a partner in parenting as "a blessing," explaining how they work together as a team. "We are tag teaming on how to make the world better for our kids," Ciara told USA Today. "And from a love perspective, that actually brings us closer because you are kind of doing everything together, and that is kind of sweet."
NFL retirement and social media tribute
The news of their growing family comes shortly after a major milestone in Wilson's athletic career. In June, the veteran quarterback announced his retirement from professional football after 14 years in the NFL. Following his announcement, Ciara paid tribute to her husband on social media, writing: "The best in the world! There's only one, 3! Always so proud of you! It's a true blessing to go on this journey with you! My greatest inspiration! I love you so much!"
Ciara, full name Ciara Princess Wilson, rose to fame in the early 2000s as a Grammy Award-winning R&B artist known for hit tracks such as 1, 2 Step and Goodies, in addition to her 2018 hit Level Up. Wilson had a 14-season career as an NFL quarterback, most notably leading the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl championship. Gilead Sciences, the sponsor of the festival panel, is an American biopharmaceutical company known for developing therapeutics and public health awareness campaigns.
