Name	Keri Hilson
Height	5'11
Naionality	American
Date of Birth	October 27, 1982
Place of Birth	Atlanta, Georgia
Famous for

Have you seen that gorgeous model-looking chick that’s got Usher sprung in the video for ”Love In This Club?” Turns out, she’s a recording artist in her own right. Keri Hilson is about to be huge. And she's one of those rare people who deserve to be. For Keri, music was a childhood friend she kept throughout adulthood. "In school, I would get in trouble for singing all the time. I unknowingly hummed every chance I got. It got so bad my friend's nicknamed me 'Keri-okey'". She wears that name proudly on her sleeve, and in credits for every major hit she writes.

Destined for stardom since day one, the Atlanta native's determined spirit first materialized all before she'd turn a teenager. While performing in school plays and winning talent shows all around Atlanta, she taught herself how to write songs at twelve. Impressed with Keri's vocal ability, her piano-turned-voice teacher ushered her into a studio session where she learned the nuances of recording music. "That was when I really knew that I could take music seriously," she says. “But at the time, I didn’t know if there was such a job as production or songwriting.”

“I come across a lot of people who are opportunists and they’re like, ‘If it happens, it happens.’ I’m not one of those. I’m a go getter.” True to her words, by 18 she was arranging songs, cutting vocals and engineering sessions. While on her journey to making a name for herself as one of the strongest songwriters out there, Keri eventually ran into producer Polow da Don working in recording studios all over their hometown Atlanta. One afternoon, he asked her the pivotal question—"'What producer do you think would get you where you want to be as an artist? Who would musically inspire you the most?' I said, 'Timbaland- hands down!'" Little did she know, Polow had already been talking to the Virginia Beach producer about her potential. Polow called her one morning with the news that Tim wanted to meet her. Keri was elated. "I wasn't freaking out," she recalls of that morning, "I was prepared. While I had taken all this time to hone my craft as a songwriter, I always believed that I would eventually get to be an artist. Everything I experienced, everything I felt growing up, all the work…I was just like, 'Ok. Wow. This must be it. It must be happening.'"

It was definitely happening. As soon as Keri and Timbaland met there was chemistry. “A lot of nights we would just listen to other people's music and critique it. Not for the sake of study but to listen to it and discuss it. We don't agree all the time. Definitely not. But I think that's what happens when you get two strong creative minds in the same room."

Even better things happen when you get three strong, creative people in the same room. September 2008 will see the release of Keri Hilson's first album, “In A Perfect World…” It is being issued as a joint release from Mosley Music Group (Tim's label) and Zone 4 (Polow's label) as an imprint of Interscope Records (Jimmy Iovine's label). The album is about relationships, it's emotive, human, gorgeously and deliberately imperfect. "No human is exempt from the realities of life—heartbreak, love, failure, success—I want my album to convey a sense of reality. That's the standpoint that lent itself to the title. There will always be something you’d change if only you lived ‘In A Perfect World…’ and I’m no different.”

The highly anticipated debut features her indomitable songwriting skills, the genre-obliterating production of Polow da Don and Timbaland, and Keri Hilson's undeniably incredible voice. "I deliver my songs with emotion," she enthuses, "I don't like a lot of effects. It takes away from the emotion. Like the raspyness of my voice in 'Slow Dance' (written with Justin Timberlake) for example. I love the way I sound on that track—straightforward, throwback, and old school. I don't want that feeling taken away. I'm so particular about those emotions. I don't want anyone to walk away from my album just thinking, 'that sounds nice.' Anybody can do that. I’m much more concerned that they walk away thinking, 'that felt great.'"

For her humility, the album is as dizzyingly good as it should be. It's a watershed moment that meets both goals—it sounds and feels great. The songs are unconventional. It's universally appealing in its pop offerings (infectious hooks are plenty) but the arrangements are challenging in how many layers there are to listen to. Heavy synth-laden basslines to the classical guitar in the tensely urgent Polow-produced "Ready to Fall," Keri anchors it all with a pitch-perfect voice that is refreshing in its versatility. From the sweeping cinematic orchestration of Timbaland's "Mic Check" ("I loved harnessing all that aggression in my voice.") to the speedy cascading electro bassline of "Return the Favor." The mutual trust between artist and producers allows them to take bold risks. Keri shouts out all the “fly girls” on her song “Get It Girl”. “A ‘Get It Girl’ is focused on getting everything she wants out of life. She is strong, independent, determined, loves to have fun, always stays fresh - and no matter what, accepts no limitations.”

“In A Perfect World…” represents a world where music is music and you can’t put it in a box. It’s a catalyst for Keri to defy categorization, “I want to be a point of reference” states Hilson. “Hip-hop has become pop; pop is hip-hop. Music is definitely changing. I want to be the crux of that. I want to be a reason, not a result.”Keri Hilson has been writing music for individual artists since 2001. She has written music for Britney Spears, Toni Braxton, Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Ciara, Usher, Teairra Mari, the Pussycat Dolls, Danity Kane , Avant, Ruben Studdard, B5, Diddy, Chingy, LeToya, Ludacris, Rich Boy, Jennifer Lopez, Shawn Desman, Kelly Rowland, Nicole Scherzinger, Lloyd Banks, Keke Palmer, Omarion, Tiffany Evans, and Timbaland. With many of the songs Hilson takes part in writing, she also does background vocals, such as in "Runaway Love" and "Wait a Minute".

Hilson has also made a name for herself as an arranger and background vocalist lending her talents on many of the songs she's written. Hilson had remained behind the scenes for the most part until 2004 when she was featured on Xzibit's single, "Hey Now (Mean Muggin')", for his album, Weapons of Mass Destruction. She made her performing debut at the 2004 MTV Europe Awards in which she performed the song with Xzibit.

In 2006, Hilson reappeared on the music scene in the video for Nelly Furtado's single "Promiscuous". Since then Hilson has signed with Timbaland's new label Mosley Music Group which is in association with Interscope Records. The pair are currently working on the singer's debut album, which is expected to involve further production by Timbaland, Danja, Xzibit, Polow da Don, The Underdogs, Organized Noize, Bangladesh, Tha Cornaboyz, Tony Dixon, Eric Dawkins, Tank and guest appearances by Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, and Justin Timberlake. The same year, she was featured on "Help", the second single from Lloyd Banks' Rotten Apple.

In 2007, Hilson has had several appearances on Timbaland's solo effort, Shock Value. She is featured on "The Way I Are", "Scream", and "Miscommunication". On international versions, she is also featured on a track titled "Hello". She was also featured in "Lost Girls" and "Good Things" on Rich Boy's debut album. On Britney Spears' 2007 album Blackout, Hilson is credited as a writer and backing vocalist. Hilson is also set to work with Spears on her upcoming follow-up to Blackout.

A promotional video of her song "Where Did He Go" has leaked recently. It is unknown if this is going to be released as a single or if it is even to appear on the Album. Hilson recently released a single entitled "Get It Girl" with Timbaland. The single was recorded for a Verizon Ringtone. It is available through iTunes.[1][2]

She also played the lead role in Usher's music video "Love in This Club", and was originally on the remix, which she was replaced and Beyonce was added to give the song more exposure since Beyonce is a more known name. Keri appeared on Nelly's "Party People" music video wearing a T-Shirt which says 'Hip Hop aint dead'.

Keri Hilson previously collaborated with Justin Timberlake on a cover of LL Cool J's "Headsprung". The song charted on the Bulgarian National Top 40 and so far it peaked at number 31.[3]

She also featured on the lead single, "Hero", to Nas' album, Untitled. The single was released on June 23, 2008.

Keri Hilson's debut solo album In A Perfect World... will be released in the fall of 2008. The album's first single is entitled "Energy". The music video for "Energy" was released July 14, 2008.