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MUSIC

Girl got her swag on

Keri Hilson is more than Cher Lloyds inspiration
hen Keri Hilson towers into the room in postbox-red stilettos and cut-o BOY London t-shirt, shes not someone to mess with. If I could have called my album No Bullshit Allowed, I would have, she says pointedly. Despite the pop star entrance, the average music fan might not be able to pick Keri out of a diva line-up. Its no disservice to her to say that her songs are better known than she is. Before coming to prominence guesting on Timbalands The Way I Are, she was a behind-the-scenes kind of gal, songwriting for Britney and Usher. This is the woman responsible for Gimme More. There are no words. That was my hustle! she smiles. I would do two or three sessions a day while I was in college, running to my car between classes and trying to nish writing a song. And despite one solo album under her belt, Keri really came to prominence in the UK through Cher Lloyds X Factor cover of her cover (still with us?) of the Soulja Boy track Turn My Swag On. So what did she think when Cher Lloyd walked onto the X Factor stage and covered Turn My Swag On? I

applauded her gall to be able to do that, says Keri in full-on serious-face mode. I was blown away because thats denitely not an audition song. Im not intimidated by her, though my song charted, hers didnt. Although she says shes kidding, its obvious theres a grain of truth there. This girl is feisty. As the chorus for Keris current single, Pretty Girl Rock, goes, Dont hate me cause Im beautiful. Girlfriend practices what she preaches. What you might hear is a super-conceited bitch, but I want you to feel the condence, to feel that way about yourself, Keri says. I dont even have that condence most days I have to listen to my own song! In the video for Pretty Girl Rock Keri raids the dressing-up box to emerge as seven of her heroines: from jazz-era star Josephine Baker to the Diana Ross of the 60s, a Rhythm Nation-era Janet and T-Boz in silken pyjamas. Each woman represents a certain inner condence to me, she explains. In the 20s, Josephine Baker was a black woman who danced too raunchy and dressed too scantily-clad, but she was bold enough to be herself. Keri Hilsons new album, No Boys Allowed, is out now

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