Keri Hilson on Verge of Global Breakthrough

Up until the release of her debut album, In a Perfect World..., earlier this year, American recording artist Keri Hilson was best known for her featured spot on mega-producer Timbaland's 2007 hit, "The Way I Are," which she also co-wrote. She has been featured on various singles, including "Hey Now (Mean Muggin)" by Xzibit, "Hero" by Nas (the lead single off his 2008 untitled album), and "Superhuman" by Chris Brown. More to her own credit, she is part of the songwriting group known as The Clutch and has had writing credit on Britney's "Gimme More," Omarion's "Ice Box," Mary J. Blige's "Take Me as I Am," and Ludacris' "Runaway Love," all of which were big hits. With all her songwriting chops, experience, connections to big name producers, and looks, it was only a matter of time before she was going to break out as a solo artist.

Turnin' Her Game On

After a number of delays due to budget cuts and lackluster chart performance by the album's first two singles, "Energy" and "Return the Favor," the album finally saw a March 24 release stateside. Not surprisingly, its most impressive debut impression was here in the States, where it came in at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with more than 94,000 copies sold. Most of these sales were fueled by third single, "Turnin' Me On" featuring Lil Wayne, which reached No. 15 on the Hot 100. Regarding the single, Vibe Magazine accurately stated that Hilson "shines best when she lets her feminine swagger strut."

Following up on that single's U.S. success, fourth and current single, "Knock You Down," was released on the same day as the parent album and has already become the album's biggest single. In the U.S., the single has out-charted "Turnin' Me On." Elsewhere, the single shows signs of a global hit in the making, which would be a first for Keri. As the second single off the album in the U.K., it has already debuted in the U.K. Singles Chart at No. 24. The single became her first No. 1 in New Zealand, after unseating Eminem's "We Made You" and has become her biggest hit in Canada as well.

Expect this single to lift the album back up the worldwide charts. And expect the roughly 300,000 copies of the album sold in the States to warm up. Considering the album was originally slated for a 2007 release and that "Knock You Down" is the fourth single off an album that was released a little more than two months ago, it's about time.