Keri Hilson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keri Hilson
Hilson in 2022
Born	Keri Lynn Hilson (1982-12-05) December 5, 1982 (age 42) Decatur, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter record producer actress
Years active	2002–present
Works	Discography production
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Mosley Zone 4 Interscope

Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American singer and songwriter. She was born and grew up in Decatur, Georgia. Keri started her music career in 2002. She wrote songs and sang backup for other artists.

At age 14, Keri got a record deal with a girl group called D'Signe. The group later broke up. While studying at Oxford College of Emory University, she wrote songs for famous artists. These included Britney Spears, Usher, Ciara, The Pussycat Dolls, and Mary J. Blige. In 2004, she joined a songwriting group called The Clutch.

Later in 2004, she sang on the song "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)" by Xzibit. This was her first song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2006, she signed with producers Polow da Don and Timbaland. She wanted to start her own singing career. In 2007, she was featured on Timbaland's song "The Way I Are." This song became a huge hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped charts in eight other countries.

Her first album, In a Perfect World..., came out in 2009. It included hit songs like "Energy" and "Turnin Me On" (with Lil Wayne). The album was very popular and reached number four on the US Billboard 200 chart. It also sold enough copies to be certified gold. Another hit from the album was "Knock You Down" (with Kanye West and Ne-Yo). This song was nominated for a Grammy Award. Her second album, No Boys Allowed (2010), featured the platinum-certified song "Pretty Girl Rock." Keri Hilson has also acted in movies and TV shows.

Keri Hilson's Life and Career

Early Life and Music Beginnings (1982–2007)

Keri Lynn Hilson was born on December 5, 1982, in Decatur, Georgia. Her mother ran a day care center. Her father was a developer and served in the Army. Keri grew up in a middle-class family. She has a brother named Kip and three sisters: Kelsee, Kye, and Kaycee.

From age 12, Keri wanted to be a singer. She watched TV talent shows like Star Search. Her mother hired a piano teacher for her. But Keri used these lessons to learn singing instead. By age 14, she had a record deal with a girl group called D'Signe. The group later broke up.

Keri's first official songwriting job was for a Japanese singer named Michico in 2002. She spent her teenage years working with producer Anthony Dent. She wrote songs and sang background vocals for many artists. These included Usher, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, and Ciara. After high school, Keri went to Oxford College of Emory University. She studied theater for three years. She kept writing songs and singing backup during college.

Keri later started working with producer Polow da Don. She also joined a songwriting team called The Clutch. They wrote songs for Mary J. Blige, Omarion, Ciara, The Pussycat Dolls, and Britney Spears. In 2006, Polow da Don introduced Keri to rapper and producer Timbaland. Timbaland signed her to his record label, Mosley Music Group. In 2006, Keri was featured on rapper Lloyd Banks' song "Help."

In 2007, Keri was featured on three more songs. One was Timbaland's "The Way I Are." This song was a huge hit around the world. It topped nine different music charts.

In a Perfect World... (2008–2009)

Keri Hilson in 2009

In 2008, Keri Hilson appeared in music videos for Usher and Ne-Yo. Her first album, In a Perfect World..., was released on March 24, 2009. The album featured pop and R&B songs. Keri wanted to make sure the album was perfect before it came out.

In the United States, In a Perfect World... reached number four on the Billboard 200 chart. It sold 94,000 copies in its first week. By October 2009, the album was certified gold. This means it sold over 500,000 copies. The first song from the album, "Energy", came out in May 2008. It reached number 78 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Keri also sang on three other songs in 2008. These included "Hero" with Nas and "Superhuman" with Chris Brown.

"Turnin Me On" featuring Lil Wayne was another popular song from Keri's album. It reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also certified platinum, selling over one million copies. Keri and Lil Wayne performed the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

The next song, "Knock You Down" with Kanye West and Ne-Yo, was even more successful. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified two times platinum. This song was popular in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Keri and Kanye West performed "Knock You Down" on the Late Show with David Letterman.

Keri Hilson toured with Lil Wayne on his I Am Music Tour. At the 2009 BET Awards, she was nominated for four awards. She won the award for Best New Artist. In 2009, Keri was featured on five more songs. These included "Number One" with R. Kelly.

In January 2010, a new version of In a Perfect World... was released. It included the song "I Like." This song reached number one in Germany, Poland, and Slovakia. At the 52nd Grammy Awards, Keri was nominated for Best New Artist. She was also nominated for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Knock You Down."

No Boys Allowed and Acting (2010–2014)

Keri Hilson performing in 2010

In 2010, Keri sang on songs with rappers Trina and T.I.. In April 2010, she became the new face of the cosmetics company Avon.

Her second album, No Boys Allowed, was released on December 21, 2010. Keri described it as a "girl power album." She said the album was about women wanting "a real man, a grown up, not a boy." The album featured R&B and pop music.

No Boys Allowed debuted at number 11 on the Billboard 200. It sold 102,000 copies in its first week. The album's second song, "Pretty Girl Rock," was very successful. It reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum. Keri performed "Pretty Girl Rock" on TV shows like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

In 2011, Keri was featured on British rapper Chipmunk's song "In the Air." She also toured Australia for the Supafest music festival. At the 2011 BET Awards, she was nominated for Best Female R&B Artist.

Keri Hilson made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film Think Like a Man in 2012. She also appeared in the science fiction action film Riddick in 2013.

Third Album (2015–Present)

Keri Hilson performing in Washington, D.C. in 2018.

In October 2011, Keri Hilson announced she was working on her third album. She said the album would be very emotional. She was trying a new sound, mixing her first two albums with some surprises.

In 2016, there was news that her third album would be called L.I.A.R., which stands for Love Is a Religion. It was said to include songs with Chris Brown and Timbaland. Keri later said that some of this news was not true. She confirmed the album would be called LIAR and that "Again" was a song title.

In July 2017, Keri was featured on Zambian singer Tiwah Hillz's song "Beautiful." Keri announced in 2019 that she would release new music. She performed on the Femme It Forward Tour with other artists like Mya and Brandy. In October 2019, she said her album was almost finished. As of 2023, no more details about the album have been released. In April 2020, Keri was featured on Ghanaian musician Stonebwoy's song "Nominate."

Keri Hilson's Music Style

Keri Hilson's music is mostly R&B, hip hop, and pop. Her first album, In a Perfect World..., had a pop/R&B style. Many of the songs were about relationships and attraction.

Her second album, No Boys Allowed, showed many different styles. These included pop, R&B, hip hop, and soul. Keri said this album was "more self-assured" and "a lot more aggressive."

Keri sings with "smooth vocals." Some critics have said her voice is strong but not always unique. Keri says her family influenced her music. Her grandmother sang in the choir. Her father sang with a quartet in college. Her father also introduced her to artists like Sade and Stevie Wonder. Keri also looks up to Michael Jackson, Lauryn Hill, and Aaliyah.

Helping Others

Keri Hilson has been involved with many charities. In January 2010, she worked with Akon on the song "Oh Africa." All the money from the song helped young people in Africa. The next month, Keri joined many artists to record "We Are the World 25 for Haiti." This song helped victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

In May 2010, she performed at a concert to help Haiti. In October 2010, Keri visited a high school in Chicago. This was part of a program to help students finish high school and college. She received an award for her work with this program in 2011.

In 2011, Keri helped fight AIDS. She posed for a clothing collection called Fashion Against AIDS. A part of the sales went to charity. In June 2011, Keri became an ambassador for MTV Staying Alive. This group helps raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.

In September 2011, she supported US First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign. This campaign aimed to fight childhood obesity. Keri made T-shirts that said "Pretty Girls Sweat." She also exercised with young women in New York City. In November 2011, Keri visited an orphanage in Africa. She gave "care" packages to children who lost their families.

In April 2012, Keri worked with DoSomething.org. She encouraged young people to donate books to those in need. She said, "Providing access to those who want to learn is the key to bettering lives around the country."

Discography

Studio albums

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

Filmography

Tours

Headlining Tours

• European Tour (2011)

Supporting Tours

• I Am Music Tour (2009) (with Lil Wayne)
• I Am Still Music Tour (2011) (with Lil Wayne)
• Femme It Forward Tour (2019) (with various artists)
• The Millennium Tour: Turned Up! (2022) (with various artists)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Keri Hilson para niños