NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� , Barack Obama was in the second year of his first term as U.S. president, the iPad was released and Instagram was brand new.
鈥淥n some days, I鈥檓 like that was just a blink away. But for the most part, yeah, it feels like a long time because I鈥檝e been waiting. I felt stagnant, I felt stuck for a while, and conflicted,鈥� said the two-time Grammy-nominated artist. 鈥淚鈥檓 very much approaching this like I鈥檓 starting over because that鈥檚 how it feels to me. I鈥檝e lived nine lives since I last released 鈥� I鈥檓 a whole different person.鈥�
Hilson, the 42-year-old R&B star known for late 2000s hits like 鈥淜nock You Down,鈥� featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo. and 鈥淧retty Girl Rock,鈥� . It's her third album, following 2010鈥檚 鈥淣o Boys Allowed,鈥� and is the first of a trilogy set for release this year. Led by the sultry single 鈥淏ae,鈥� the nine-track album delves into romance and introspection.
鈥淚 feel resolved, both with the art and within about stepping back into the light. So, I think that resolve kind of had to be found before I felt confident enough to release the body of work and also unleash myself to the world again,鈥� explained Hilson, who said she鈥檚 never stopped recording. 鈥淭here were songs in my past that I felt were political moves, songs I didn鈥檛 really love that I had to sing 鈥� I didn鈥檛 want to feel like that this time around.鈥�
THE DISAPPEARANCE
One of those songs was a leaked remix to her popular 2009 single 鈥淭urnin Me On鈥� featuring Lil Wayne, which peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lyrics included
Hilson, who had yet to drop her introductory album, 鈥淚n A Perfect World,鈥� which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 and No. 1 on Top R&B albums, claimed that she was forced to sing the lines, 鈥淪he can sing / But she need to move it to the left, left,鈥� assumed to reference Beyonc茅鈥檚 鈥淚rreplaceable.鈥� She says she was threatened her album might not be released if she refused.
Last week, Hilson trended on social media following an interview with iHeartMedia鈥檚 鈥淭he Breakfast Club鈥� after recalling the incident. While she has talked about it several times in the past, during that interview, the singer publicly named those involved, including producer Polow Da Don who she was signed to. She did not name singer-songwriter Ester Dean. However, after social media users tagged Dean in posts, she later identified herself.
The ending of a decadelong relationship, a lack of control over her career and the intense, never-ending backlash from the BeyHive triggered depression and led to her retreat from music.
THE COMEBACK
During her time away, the Georgia native embarked on a journey of healing that included therapy, journaling and spiritual retreats.
鈥淭here were some perspectives that I needed to uncover ... untruths, beliefs that I kind of picked up or inherited about myself,鈥� said Hilson, who shifted to acting.
Her comeback has included very selective press, avoiding what she describes as 鈥渘ew media鈥� outlets such as social media-driven platforms, saying monetization can reward the promotion of gossip or incentivize the creation of lies. The salacious blog culture of the 2010s was a driving force in fanning the flames of her perceived beef with Beyonc茅, who has never publicly commented on the situation.
Hilson 鈥渃an definitely operate and navigate within the realm of R&B. She has a fan base,鈥� said Keithan Samuels, founder of the popular website RatedRnB.com. 鈥淗er core fan base has matured 鈥� she can navigate within this new era of R&B where there鈥檚 a lot of diversity and sound.鈥�
THE MUSIC
Crafted with unofficial writing camps and records created throughout the years, 鈥淲E NEED TO TALK: LOVE鈥� finds Hilson delivering vulnerable and flirty lyrics over a wide range of R&B sounds. Writing on all but one song, she avoided current R&B trends that developed during her absence, citing individuality as a key to her early success. She also believes algorithms have created a culture of musical homogeny, rather than creativity.
There are quintessential 鈥淢s. Keri Baby鈥� songs like the fun, Pop&B styled 鈥淪omethin (Bout U),鈥� but there鈥檚 also the introspective 鈥淣aked (Love),鈥� and 鈥淪ay It,鈥� in which she expresses, 鈥淚 won鈥檛 say I love you / 鈥榯il you say you love me.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 very 鈥榞irl boss鈥� in my life, right? When it comes to relationships, I prefer to be a lady. I prefer to be approached. 鈥� I prefer for the man to say 鈥業 love you鈥� first. I just prefer for a man to lead,鈥� said Hilson. 鈥淚鈥檓 really a damsel 鈥� without the distress.鈥�
The bedroom mood is set on the sexy slow jam 鈥淪cream,鈥� while the bright 鈥淲hatever鈥� floats with beautiful stacked harmonies.
鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 something I would have written for Whitney. And I actually wrote a song for Whitney that she never was able to record,鈥� said Hilson, who began her career as an in-demand writer whose credits include songs for Chris Brown, Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears. 鈥淭his reminds me of a Whitney Houston record, where I think she would be now.鈥�
Samuels of RatedRnB.com says this project is evident of the newfound control Hilson has over her career.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely not, to me, an attempt to have this commercial comeback 鈥� it feels more personal,鈥� said Samuels. 鈥淭he other two albums, I feel like were more catered to what was current then.鈥�
THE FREEDOM
Hilson says she鈥檚 still open to writing for other artists and giving away songs that may not fit her current musical era. She also has a new Lifetime movie, 鈥淔ame: A Temptations Story,鈥� co-starring Keshia Chant茅, premiering April 26 at 8 p.m. EDT. Hilson says acting is now an equal part of her career.
Though Hilson may be cautiously re-emerging musically, fans are welcoming her return. After The Breakfast Club interview, fans flooded her with sympathy and positivity, possibly due to a combination of her finally telling her side of the story in detail, as well as the passing of time. Some fans said they forgot about the incident or were too young to know about it.
鈥淚 just control what I can control 鈥� I control what I allow to bring me up or down. These are realizations that I鈥檝e had since I鈥檝e been away,鈥� said Hilson. 鈥淚 feel unburdened 鈥� I鈥檓 not projecting too much of the past onto now, and all of that is freeing.鈥�
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Follow Associated Press entertainment journalist Gary Gerard Hamilton at @GaryGHamilton on all his social media platforms.
Gary Gerard Hamilton, The Associated Press
