Ciara is proud she and her now-husband Russell Wilson managed to stick to their abstinence vow before marriage, because it created a "strong foundation" for their romance.
The Goodies star already had a baby son with her ex-fiance, rapper Future, when she and American footballer Wilson started dating in 2015, and they decided early on in their relationship to take sex off the table so they could really get to know each other outside the bedroom.
While they were dating, both Ciara and the Seattle Seahawks quarterback admitted staying celibate was tough, but the singer, who is now pregnant with their first child, wouldn't change a thing.
"I really believe that when you focus on a friendship, you have the opportunity to build a strong foundation for a relationship," she tells Cosmopolitan South Africa, "and once you know you're really great friends and you're what we call 'equally yoked,' where you share the same values or the same outlook on life, it kind of sets the tone.
"Knowing that you'll always have the friendship and that you can always go back to it is very important, and very powerful."
Russell proposed to Ciara last March (16), after less than a year of dating, and they tied the knot in England in July (16).
The 31-year-old, who went public with her second pregnancy in October (16), reveals the conversation about celibacy came up as they discussed the "intimacy part" of life, and she is thankful to Russell for proposing they not have sex before marriage.
"I have to give credit to my husband for sharing those views," she explains. "It's awesome how it all worked out."
The couple is clearly still enjoying the honeymoon phase of its romance as Russell credited his wife with helping to lift his spirits after his team lost a key NFL play-off game against the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday (14Jan17).
Sharing a picture of himself and Ciara kissing in the snow on his Instagram page after the loss, Russell wrote: "I will forever win bc (because) I get to come home to you every night. The love of my life. I love you.
"This past year has been full of so much joy & happiness. From getting Married to having our little one on the way, to your constant endless love. I couldn't be more grateful to have you in my life Mrs. Wilson. You make everyday a perfect day."
