In the 2000s, Keri Hilson was the talented American singer-songwriter who stole many hearts with her voice, her charm, her amazing hooks, her performances, her penmanship, her music and her good looks ‘In A Perfect World.’
While the Theatre Arts major had been a hot songwriter for Mary J. Blige, Britney Spears, Ciara and more, most of us only got to know her on Timbaland’s 2007 album, Shock Value.
She featured on the smash hit ‘Way I Are’ alongside D.O.E, ‘Scream’ alongside Nicole Sherzinger and ‘Miscommunication.’ But by the middle of 2008, she had been rolled out as a solo act. Songs like ‘Turning Me On’ featuring Lil Wayne, the soulful R&B ‘Energy’ and ‘Return The Favour’ launched her into stardom.
Soundtracked by Timbaland, Danjahandz and Polow Da Don, the Zone 4/Mosley act wiped the floor with the best. She also became a sex symbol for young men across the world. Her smash hit single, ‘Knock You Down’ was a smash hit in Nigeria amongst younger millennials who were discovering autonomy and were going through the harsh realities of love.
At the 2010 Grammy Awards, she was nominated for Best New Artist. Her sophomore album, No Boys Allowed on more expansive sounds and the topics were more political/empowering.
“I do feel like a pioneer of certain vanguard sounds actually, but I didn’t want to admit it for a while,” she jokes. “I like experimenting in the studio..”
When this writer questioned Hilson about what her 2000s sound could have been like without Timbaland, Polow Da Don or Danja, she says, “I don’t know. I think they produced a lot of ‘In A Perfect World,’ but not as much on ‘No Boys Allowed.’ I think it was just all just a way to experiment with R&B/Pop and I think I achieved that.”
Hiatus and mental health
In 2011, she took a break from music at the peak of her career and stardom due to her mental health.
“My battle with depression was very dark - I couldn't get out of bed at times. I knew something was wrong before then, but I had to keep going,” she tells Pulse Nigeria. “It was tough, but I just knew I had to get away from the pressure of it all. I found healing because I did the things I wanted to do, not things I felt I had to do. I thought it would be short, but I needed that time.”
At the time, there was talk about how she dissed Beyonce on ‘Turning Me On [Remix]’ in 2008. Tension had sprang up after Usher replaced her with Beyonce on ‘Love In This Club [Remix].’ In a 2009 interview, she rejected the idea that ‘Turning Me On [Remix]’ was a diss, but she did admit that it was Polow Da Don’s idea to record the song - Polow has also admitted the same.
She has also spoken about the toll that the breakup of her 11-year relationship took on her.
New music, acting and COVID-19
Her releases over the past 10 years have been sparse, but she tells Pulse Nigeria that, ”I didn’t feel like releasing any music at time. When I feel like releasing new music, I will release new music. But I can’t tell you when that will be [laughs]. 2020 has been a really strange year - I actually just lost my father. I don’t think I will release music anytime soon.”
She has also said that she is looking forward to acting. In 2011, she said that she would want to work with Quentin Tarrantino. This year, she says, “I would still like to work with him, I think he’s brilliant. 2011 is a long time ago though - now, I would also like to work with black filmmakers. I love acting.. It makes me feel like a student again.”
She says the highlight of her year was filming a movie during the pandemic. She says, “We had to get tested every other time, which I hated [laughs] but it was a lot of fun.”
While most people are scared of coronavirus, she says that she was never scared of the virus. She opines that the virus is not what they tell us it is.
“I think very few people understand the virus,” she says. “I think there is then another side that they are portraying and using as a tool to do other things. That’s all I have to say [laughs]. It’s not just what I believe, it’s what is happening. The biggest lesson from it all for me has been discernment. That’s what we can learn in this ‘new world’ [smiles].”
She continues, “It’s the only way to tell light from dark or deceit from reality for ourselves. We have to vibrationally be in contact with things.”
Africa, Nigeria and Pan-Africanism
In 2019, Ghana had a year of return. Earlier in 2020, Charlamagne became one of the many African-American celebrities to purchase property in Africa. Keri Hilson is looking to follow suit and acquire property in either Cape Town, South Africa or somewhere in Ghana.
“What has happened in 2020 has made me more resolute in my intention to flee America [laughs]. I’m looking to purchase a property in either Cape Town, South Africa or Ghana,” she jokes. “I like Nigeria - I’ve been there like four times, but I don’t think I’ve really experienced or seen a lot of it. I have some connect on some land in Ghana and South Africa. I don’t have one for Nigeria, but I would like one.”
Keri Hilson feels African-Americans are “displaced people.” And due to that, they don’t have a sense of identity. But over the past 10 years, Hilson has been able to evade that because she has regularly travelled to more than 14 African countries. She then feels like most African-American people should find something similar.
“There’s a sense of belonging you feel when you’re on the ground in an African country. There’s also this discontent that heals in you,” she says with a bright smile.
Religion vs. Spirituality
Over the past few years, Hilson has slowly become more spiritual than religious. She still believes in God and still identifies as a Christian, but she hasn’t really been going to church as she used to.
“I believe in Jesus Christ and all the disciples, but I just don’t feel like God is limited to the four walls of every church,” she says. “I’ve been to a lot of churches, but I don’t know if I have felt God in all of them [laughs]. Truth be told, only you can create a relationship with God. Only you can create that alignment and discern it.”
Keri Hilson is as warm as ever, still wears that glow and smile and she is aging like fine wine.