Ciara says she blocks out opinions of her and that Vanity Fair dress

Ciara is living stress-free when it comes to other people’s opinion about her.

With a career that spans 20 years, the singer tells TODAY.com that she’s focused on being authentic and wants to do things "that I’m genuinely connected to (and) genuinely believe in," whether it’s dropping female-empowerment anthems like her recent single "Da Girls" or wearing a sheer dress to the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party.

When she was criticized for her see-through crystal-embellished gown to the 2023 post-Oscars bash, she posted a TikTok joking about wearing a bed sheet that fully covered her body to next year’s party. (She also proudly wore the dress in her music video for "Da Girls.")

"What I’ve learned over the years of being an entertainer, there’s gonna always be commentary. People are always going to have an opinion. I think you have to block out the noise," Ciara said. "In many moments in our lives, that applies."

"I think that if I would have listened to a lot of opinions from when I first started, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she continues. “You have to have that mentality. And as long as you’re confident in your expression and you’re proud of it, and you’re enjoying yourself, for me, that’s what matters most."

The entertainer and entrepreneur credits that mindset with being surrounded by "really amazing women."

"There’s nothing better than building a community of women and having that support," she says. "That support also pours into your confidence."

Ciara, 37, says maintaining a strong friend group has also helped her maintain perspective when it comes to aging.

"If we start thinking heavily about the changes and the transitions of our bodies, I think we start to make things way more complicated than they need to be," she says. "And we create way more stress on ourselves than we need to, versus just giving ourselves grace."

For the moments when her nerves do start to take hold, the Grammy winner said she's known give herself a "whole pep talk" when nerves or worries about other's opinions takes hold.

“From being mom to being on the stage and especially in those really, really special, big moments,” she says, “I can get a little worked up.” She added that she will give herself a whole pep talk.

Ciara spoke to TODAY.com while promoting her partnership with Degree and its launch of Unlimited by Degree line, a technologically-advanced antiperspirant that responds to body heat and moisture. The product, which comes in a solid antiperspirant or dry spray, has five gender-neutral fragrances, which Ciara calls “game-changing.”

“I love being a part of game-changing partnerships and relationships. That’s my mission,” she says. “And I’m always trying to figure out how I can keep changing the game.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com