Keri Hilson talks boys, love of Atlanta

For those who know 28-year-old Hilson, this is hardly breaking news.

The glamorous songwriter-turned-performer unabashedly adores Atlanta. The people. The culture. The food.

Seriously, the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce might want to ring her next time they need a city endorsement.

“When I’m not home, I miss everything there is to miss about Atlanta,” she said last week, calling from the bunk of her tour bus en route to an appearance in Washington, D.C. “I miss seeing my people. I can blend in anywhere, but when I come home, it feels like home.”

Hilson is on the front end of promoting her just-released second album, “No Boys Allowed.” It’s a polished, radio-friendly effort spearheaded by the moderate hits “Breaking Point” and “Pretty Girl Rock,” which features a water cooler-worthy video of Hilson portraying an array of famous females.

Hilson talked about the creation of the clip, as well as the challenges of swapping a low-key songwriter’s lifestyle for one of a highly visible performer during the conversation.

Q. How much fun did you have filming the video for “Pretty Girl Rock”?

A. It was a two-day shoot and every hair and makeup styling was so specific because these were actual people and we tried to get everything as close as possible [to the originals]. The only thing I went into it knowing was that I wanted a video that wasn’t about a conceited Keri Hilson. That’s what you hear on the surface, but the song was so much more about the confidence undertone that you’re beautiful, no matter what. I chose those specific women not because of what they looked like – though obviously they were all beautiful – but they were all fearless and bold. Josephine Baker, being black and performing the way she did, she defied society’s standards, going all the way up to Janet [Jackson] and TLC. They all defied the odds.

Q. Tell me about the album’s title [“No Boys Allowed”]. Have you gotten much flak from guys?

A. It’s less about alienating the male population and more about empowering women to feel strong and take control over our lives and our bodies. It’s my version of girl power.

Q. What did you want to do differently with this album, compared to your debut?

A. It was never a conscious effort to change anything about myself; it was more about wanting to grow and show more sides of me. I struggled with, what can I reveal this time since I did so much on my first album? I realized there’s more to me and I can dig deeper. I’m often misunderstood because of my confidence, and I don’t understand why because I show vulnerable sides as well. I talk about mistakes I’ve made and I don’t approach things to make myself look perfect. I can only be me.

Q. Has it been hard for you to go from being a behind-the-scenes songwriter to a performer?

A. You get people who say, ‘She should stick to songwriting,’ but a lot of people don’t know my journey and I feel they judge me differently. If I make a song they don’t like, the first thing they say is, ‘She should stay behind the scenes’ and that hurts. There are other artists that, it doesn’t matter who wrote the song. But, because I’m writing the stuff, I have a certain emotional attachment to it.

Q. You’ve worked with a ton of people, but who else is on your wish list?

A. My wish list grows every day. Michael Jackson was at the top, of course. Robin Thicke, Bruno Mars. Andre 3000. I don't know him, but I love him. I know Big Boi, so if I could ever collaborate with both of them, that would be awesome.

Event preview

Keri Hilson

9 p.m. Thursday. Free. DTLR, 3614 Marketplace Boulevard, Atlanta. 404-629-5783. Bring a toy for Toyz in the Hood and purchase “No Boys Allowed” at store for priority access to performance and autograph signing.