About to Pop: Keri Hilson

Who: Keri Hilson
Album: 'In a Perfect World'
Video: 'Energy'
Hails From: Atlanta
For Fans Of: Beyonce and Rihanna

Why She's About to Pop:There's not much Keri Hilson can't do. At age twelve, the Atlanta native discovered her talent for singing and composing her own songs, working so tirelessly at her craft that by age 18, the southern beauty was arranging and engineering tracks in every local recording studio. Today, the 26-year-old boasts songwriting credits on hit singles such as Britney Spears' 'Gimme More,' Usher's 'Love in This Club' and, of course, Timbaland's 'The Way I Are,' which features Hilson's signature honeyed vocals. As part of the songwriting collective called the Clutch, Hilson has become a collaborative star. But now, with the help of super producers Timbaland and Polow da Don, she's ready to step out front and center as a solo artist with her debut album, 'In a Perfect World.' Showcasing her unique blend of pop, hip-hop and R&B, Hilson's LP is stacked with confessional lyrics -- like that of her first single, 'Energy' -- which everyone can relate to. Now, it's her time to shine.

Who was your favorite artist to collaborate with on the new album?

I co-wrote a song with Justin Timberlake. He is so much fun!

What are your fears about releasing your first solo record?

I really don't have any fears at this point. It's more like anxiousness; that soon the whole world will hear my music. Hopefully.

What do you think is your best song that you've written for another artist?

It's a toss up between 'Gimme More' and 'The Way I Are.'

Based on all the time you've spent working with Timbaland, what would people find surprising about him?

Tim's very mild mannered and quiet for the most part. He's quite the movie buff.

With all your experience with big R&B and hip-hop names, how do you see the scene evolving over the next few years?

Well, it's already staring to happen the way I predicted years ago. I see hip-hop merging with R&B. We have former rappers literally singing -- Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, T.I., etc. -- and R&B has become more hip-hop ever since Lil Jon's era. It's beautiful that music's always evolving.