Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B recording artist and songwriter. Born and raised in Decatur, Georgia, Hilson made herself a name as a songwriter, penning tracks for several artists in the mid-2000s as part of the five-person production/songwriting team known as The Clutch. In 2006, she signed a recording contract with Timbaland's label, Mosley Music.

Hilson released her debut studio album, In a Perfect World... in March 2009, which peaked within the puncak, atas five of the Billboard 200 albums chart and featured the hit singles "Knock anda Down" and "Turnin Me On". The album reached number one on the US puncak, atas R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was eventually certified gold.[1] Hilson earned two Grammy Award nominations for the album including Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Knock anda Down", which features Kanye West and Ne-Yo. A reissue of the album, included previously unreleased songs such as "I Like". The song became Hilson's first number one hit in Germany and certified platinum there. As a prominent guest vocalist in both the contemporary R&B and hip hop genres, Hilson has been featured on over a dozen singles oleh other artists, including the number-one hit single "The Way I Are" with Timbaland.
Contents

* 1 Life and career
o 1.1 1982-2000: Early life and career beginnings
o 1.2 2001–2007: Songwriting with The Clutch and solo ventures
o 1.3 2008–2009: In a Perfect World
o 1.4 2010–present: No Boys Allowed
* 2 Discography
* 3 Awards
* 4 References
* 5 External links

[edit] Life and career
[edit] 1982-2000: Early life and career beginnings

Hilson was born in Decatur, Georgia.[2] She attended Tucker High School in Tucker, Georgia. At the age of 12, Hilson began piano and bernyanyi lessons.[2] During her mid to late teens, Hilson began her career as a songwriter and background vocalist, working under producer Anthony Dent.[2] After trying and failing with two girl groups, Pretty Toni and D'Sign, Hilson enrolled at oxford College of Emory universitas in Atlanta while still pursing a musik career.[3] Hilson cites Janet Jackson as a major influence in her career.
[edit] 2001–2007: Songwriting with The Clutch and solo ventures

Hilson began menulis musik for other artists in 2001 as part of the five-person production/songwriting team known as The Clutch.[2] She also made a name for herself as a song arranger and sung background vocals on many of the songs she had written for artists such as Usher, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, and Ciara.[2] Hilson's songwriting was responsible for numerous hit singles, including Mary J. Blige's "Take Me as I Am", Omarion's "Ice Box", "Crazy in Love, the Pussycat Dolls' "Wait a Minute", Britney Spears' "Gimme More" and also Ciara's "Like a Boy".[2][4]

She remained mostly behind the scenes until 2004, when she was featured on the single "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)" oleh the rapper Xzibit. Hilson made her performing debut at the 2004 mtv eropa musik Awards in which she performed the song live with Xzibit.[2] In 2006 she signed as an artist to Timbaland's record label, Mosley Music.[5] In 2007 Hilson made several appearances on Timbaland's solo effort Shock Value, including the singles "Scream" and "The Way I Are" which reached number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.[2] Furthermore, she was featured on the track "Lost Girls" on Zone 4-labelmate Rich Boy's debut album and its detik single "Good Things". Hilson was credited as a writer and backing vocalist on Britney Spears's album Blackout. She made several appearances in musik video for singles such as "Love in This Club" oleh usher and also in the musik video for Ne-Yo's single, "Miss Independent".[6]
[edit] 2008–2009: In a Perfect World
Main article: In a Perfect World...
Keri Hilson and Lil Wayne performing at General Motors Place in Vancouver January of 2009.

After several pushbacks, Hilson's debut album In a Perfect World... was released in March 2009.[7] According to the singer, the judul of the album is her way of "saying nothing in the world is perfect and no person in it is, either. None of us are exempt from certain hardships and heartbreaks and we all have something about our lives that we'd change if only we could - be it body image, financial status, cinta life...[8] It was really important for me to write songs that women can relate to from real situations. I didn’t want to do an album that painted myself as perfect because no matter how things look, no one is.[9] I called it that with the ellipses - dot dot dot - because it's an incomplete statement. I wanted to talk about how nobody's exempted from the realities of life and all those things."[10] It was executively produced oleh Timbaland and Polow da Don. In a Perfect World... debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 and at number one on the US puncak, atas R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart with first week sales of approximately 94,000 copies,[11] and earned generally favorable reviews from musik critics who noted it a "seductive debut CD full of slick, radio-friendly cuts."[12] and was eventually certified emas oleh the RIAA.[13]

"Energy" was released as the album's lead single on May 20, 2008. It reached a peak of number seventy-eight on the US Billboard Hot 100,[1] number twenty-one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart,[1] and achieved minor success in the UK.[14] The song became a success in New Zealand, where it reached a peak of number two and gained a emas accreditation there.[15] In October 2008 Hilson collaborated with fellow singer Chris Brown on a song titled "Superhuman", which reached the puncak, atas twenty in Ireland and New Zealand.[16] "Return the Favor" which features Timbaland was released as the album's detik single. It peaked within the puncak, atas twenty in the UK,[17] Ireland,[18] and Belgium.[19] "Turnin Me On" which featured Lil Wayne became Hilson's first puncak, atas twenty hit as a solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100, where it reached number fifteen on the chart.[1] The song reached number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Hilson's first puncak, atas five hit on the chart.[1]

"Knock anda Down", a collaboration with Kanye West and Ne-Yo, was released as the album's fourth single. The song has proven to be Hilson's most successful worldwide single to date. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for three non-consecutive weeks and topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[1] It additionally appeared the in puncak, atas ten of five other countries and certified platinum in New Zealand[20] and emas in Australia. The song received a nomination for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 52nd Grammy Awards. A reissue of the album, included previously unreleased songs such as "I Like". The song was used for the German film Zweiohrküken[21] and became Hilson's first number one hit in Germany[22] which certified platinum there.[23] Meanwhile Hilson continued appearing on single releases oleh several artists throughout 2009 including Plies' single "Medicine", Fabolous' "Everything, Everyday, Everywhere," Nas' "Hero" and Sean Paul's "Hold My Hand".
[edit] 2010–present: No Boys Allowed
Main article: No Boys Allowed

In January 2010 Hilson guest featured on Akon's charity single "Oh Africa". She was also part of the extended A-list of musical artists during the recording session of "We Are the World 25 for Haiti". Hilson also made guest features on other singles including "Million Dollar Girl" oleh Trina and T.I's "Got Your Back". In April 2010 it was revealed she was the new face of Avon, replacing singer Jennifer Hudson.[24]

Her detik studio album No Boys Allowed was released on December 21, 2010. Hilson explained that, "No Boys Allowed is a deeply personal project designed to bring women to their feet. The provocative title, is not what anda may think. It's not about excluding men. It's lebih about women understanding that there comes a time in your life when anda want a man. A real man. A grown up. Not a boy. And that's not a bad thing. I write from a female perspective, but I'm also telling men what women are really thinking and feeling about them."[25] The album debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200 with 102,000 copies sold. Though it sold 8,000 copies lebih than her debut album, In a Perfect World..., it failed to match that album's debut chart position of number four.[26]

"Breaking Point", produced oleh Timbaland was released as the album's lead single in the United States on September 7, 2010. It reached a peak of number forty-four on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[27] "Pretty Girl Rock" was released as the detik single on October 12, 2010.[28] It has reached a current peak of number ten on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart[29] and peaked at number thirty-one on the US Billboard Hot 100.[30] The musik video for the song has received critical acclaim and praise for its homage to musical icon of the past such as Josephine Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, The Andrew Sisters, Diana Ross, Donna Summer, Janet Jackson and TLC. Hilson appears as each singer in a well-known scene from the era depicted. Keri, is now preparing for a Spring tour also will be in the studio working on her 3rd album
[edit] Discography
Main article: Keri Hilson discography

* In a Perfect World... (2009)
* No Boys Allowed (2010)

[edit] Awards
tahun     Type     Award     Result
2007     MTV Video musik Awards     Monster Single of the tahun ("The Way I Are" with Timbaland)[31]     Nominated
2009     American musik Awards     Favorite Female R&B/Soul Artist     Nominated[32]
Breakthrough Artist[33]     Won
BET Awards[34]     Best New Artist     Won
Viewer's Choice ("Turnin Me On") with Lil Wayne     Nominated
Best Collaboration ("Turnin Me On") with Lil Wayne     Nominated
Best Female R&B Artist     Nominated
Urban musik Awards     Best Album (In A Perfect World)     Nominated[35]
Best Female Act     Won[35]
MOBO Awards     Best International Act     Won[36]
Best R&B/Soul Act     Won[37]
Soul Train Awards     Best New Artist     Won[38]
Song of the tahun ("Turnin Me On") with Lil Wayne     Nominated[38]
Record of the tahun ("Knock anda Down")     Won[38]
Best Collaboration ("Knock anda Down")     Won[39]
2010     Grammy Awards     Best New Artist     Nominated[40]
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("Knock anda Down")     Nominated[41]
NAACP Image Awards     Outstanding New Artist     Won[42]