Ciara says, ‘Mama, I Want to Sing!’

Singer will star in an adaptation of the gospel musical

Jason Decrow / AP

Ciara is preparing to film her first major movie role in an adaptation of the gospel musical "Mama, I Want to Sing!"

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updated 7:27 p.m. ET June 6, 2007

NEW YORK - As she prepares to film her first major movie role, Ciara remains calm. The hit-making singer, who will star in an adaptation of the gospel musical “Mama, I Want to Sing!” isn’t nervous — not now, at least.

“I don’t want to claim the word ‘nervous’ at all,” Ciara, 21, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Friday. “I’m thinking, ‘Ciara’s gonna go in, she’s gonna go hard, she’s gonna challenge herself, she’s gonna knock it out.”’

Any butterflies, she says, will arrive closer to the shoot, which begins this month in Baton Rouge, La. For now, she’s “excited more than anything.”

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Ciara, the voice of the chart-topping albums “Goodies” and “Ciara: The Evolution,” will portray Amara, a preacher’s daughter who transforms from church choir singer to international pop superstar. The movie, based on the hit off-Broadway production that opened in 1984, also stars Patti LaBelle and Lynn Whitfield.

“I want to learn as much as I can. ... I want to be a sponge on the set,” said Ciara, who has a singing scene with R&B legend LaBelle.

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“Mama,” which will be distributed by Codeblack Entertainment under 20th Century Fox’s FoxFaith label, is slated for release next year.

When approached to do the movie, Ciara was delighted because she had hoped to fit an acting gig into her schedule this year. “When this came, I was like, ‘Oh, perfect,’ you know?” said the singer-songwriter, who goes on tour next month.

She takes the craft seriously.

“I just want to be an amazing actress,” she says. “I’m looking forward to a great career and I’m looking forward to many more film experiences, you know, and definitely just becoming my own.”