Ciara levels up HIV awareness through music

Like just about everything from the early 2000s, Ciara’s forever iconic hit, “1, 2 Step” is back and the Grammy-winning artist is using it to create public health awareness.

At SXSW 2026, the multi-platinum R&B icon joined medical experts and cultural influencers to explore how music and media can spark conversations about HIV prevention, especially for women and communities disproportionately affected by the epidemic.

The event marked Ciara’s first foray into HIV prevention—and she brought a creative twist.

Her classic hit “1, 2 Step” has been reimagined as “One2PrEP,” part of a campaign to raise awareness about long-acting HIV prevention options like Yeztugo, the first-ever approved twice-yearly PrEP shot.

HIV remains a pressing public health issue in the US. Every week, new diagnoses occur, yet preventive options like PrEP are underutilised. Only 9 per cent of PrEP users in 2024 were women, even though women accounted for 19 per cent of new HIV diagnoses.

Black and Latino communities are similarly underrepresented among users: just 14 per cent of PrEP users were Black and 18 per cent were Latino, despite these communities representing 38 per cent and 34 per cent of new HIV cases, respectively.

Roughly 600,000 people in the U.S. used some form of PrEP in 2024, yet the CDC estimates that up to 2.2 million individuals could benefit from preventive HIV medications.

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Stigma, lack of awareness, and misperceptions about the virus and prevention tools remain significant barriers—but as Ciara explained, open conversations can change that.

Reflecting on her own upbringing in the South, Ciara recalled how conversations about health and sexual wellness were shaped by culture and region. “I remember when I was younger, there were conversations that were rising about HIV,” she said.

“So, when they asked me to be a part of this incredible campaign, I thought this was such a cool opportunity to use the power of music and media to influence and impact.”

For Ciara, the evolution of a dance floor anthem into a public health message is more than symbolic—it’s transformative. “If this campaign becomes part of someone’s journey toward learning more about HIV prevention, that would be so great.”