Lately, there's been quite of a buzz in the music world surrounding one of R&B's fastest rising young stars. This talented young woman has written songs for the likes of stars such as Usher, Chris Brown, Ciara, and even Britney Spears. This undeniable talent that I'm referring to is none other than Keri Hilson, whose debut album, "In A Perfect World," hit stores on March 24.
Although Hilson represents the new generation of R&B, she's no stranger to the world of music. The Decatur, Ga. native grew up with music in her heart, taking piano lessons and vocal lessons in her early years.
She also was a member of an Atlanta girl group called D'Sign. Some of her biggest musical influences include Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and even some hip-hop artists like Diddy and Ludacris.
Her new album, "In A Perfect World," was produced by some of the most renowned producers in the music industry such as Timbaland, Polow Da Don, Danja and The Runaways. The album also includes writing contributions from major artists like Ne-Yo and Justin Timberlake.
When listening to the album, its thorough production is evident. The intro invites listeners into a melodic adventure, in which Hilson gives a brief, yet stimulating synopsis how she got where she is, as well as an insight into her complex personality. An amazing aspect of this hard-hitting intro is that it sparked my interest more than some recent hip-hop albums have.
A cluster of hits are present throughout the album, such as the smash single, "Energy," "Turning Me On," which features the self-proclaimed "Best Rapper Alive," Lil Wayne, and "Knock You Down," which features two musical geniuses, Kanye West and Ne-Yo.
Usually, any track that West or Ne-Yo touches turns into gold, this song is no exception. "Knock You Down" is basically is an inspirational song which speaks to anyone dealing with the dramatic (and sometimes traumatic) effects of love.
The uplifting message of the song plus the musical talents of Hilson, Ne-Yo and the undeniably bold artistic expressiveness of Kanye West all make this track a remarkable stroke of genius.
Another major track is "Slow Dance," a potential club banger which shows a more sensual side of Hilson. This song has more of an old-school sound and is a smooth dance anthem. The calm beat and the rhythmical flow of the 808s are key ingredients to this song's success.
Two standout tracks with related subject matter are "Intuition" and "Tell Him The Truth." Both songs deal heavily with the topic of relationships. The latter, "Tell Him The Truth" is basically an ode to honesty in a relationship; another positive message given throughout the album. "Intuition" on the other hand, is song expressing a woman's doubts in a relationship based on trust issues, a theme to which many women can relate.
Of all of the songs on the album, the best one in my opinion has to be "How Does It Feel," another turbulent relationship-themed hit. In this song, Hilson's message is all about men valuing the women with whom they are in a relationship, similar to the theme of Beyonce's "Irreplaceable."
The beat of this track is an absolute mind-blower and the song has a hyped tempo as well. This is one song which is sure to be replayed by many listeners.
Overall, In A Perfect World is an outstanding album. The successful collaborations, great production, and remarkable hits all make this album to be potentially one of the best albums of the year.
However, there are other major keys to Hilson's success. One is her ability to relate to her fans almost on a personal level. Another reason is because of her edgy, yet classy attitude which is reflected in this album as well.
As long as she maintains her personal edge and her relationship with her fans, Keri Hilson is destined for superstardom.
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