Keri Hilson on balancing her songwriting efforts with the rigors of touring and performing

​Keri Hilson (due at Comfort Dental Amphitheatre tonight with Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, the Far East Movement and Lloyd), the gal with the sweet face and grown woman lyrics, first made a splash with the release of her debut album, In a Perfect World in 2009, with features from Kanye West, Ne-Yo, and others, and her star has continued to rise since then.

In addition to writing songs alongside Timbaland and penning tunes for a number of other artists, and co-starring as the sexy vixen for artists such as Usher and Trey Songs, Hilson has worked hard to establish herself as the ultimate performer. In advance of her show tonight, we caught up with Hilson for a quick chat about how she balances everything.

Westword: It seems like you've been going non-stop since first coming on the scene as a songwriter. How are you balancing everything?

Keri Hilson: You know, I just stay thankful and stay humble. I love what I do, so being able to write songs that show who I am and then being able to perform those songs alongside artists I admire is tremendous for me. I'm always busy. I'm in the middle of a crazy workout right now, actually, but I love it.

Do you feel like you've successfully carved out your niche amongst other R&B girls, especially with landing the tour alongside Lil Wayne?

I don't ever really compare myself to other girls who do R&B, or even other girls from Atlanta, which is what I feel like always happens. I just do what I do and create a relationship with my fans that keeps me going and continues my movement. I'm always looking at the bigger picture and focusing on my goals. Being on the tour with the guys is of course something I'm thankful for and we've been having a great time at the shows. I'm always stepping my stage show up and working hard on what we bring to the table.

Are you finding time to write as much as usual?

Being on tour, it's so busy right now. I'm working like, every moment. Of course, I always find time to write when I can. It's my outlet. Performing has become as strong an outlet as writing for me, too. I can express myself on stage with my dancers and the band, as well as when I write. I'm able to balance and do both, because I love doing it.

In the beginning, you were known mostly as a songwriter. Have you stepped completely into the spotlight as an established singer as well?

Writing songs is something I've been doing since I was a child. I always wrote songs and would sing them and put my own touch to whatever story I was telling. For me, the transition is an easy one because really, I've always been doing both.

What can we expect from your Denver performance?

You should expect a lot of high energy. We always bring the tightest stage show possible, and this show will be no different. The more I work at it, the better it seems the shows are. The fans will most definitely enjoy it and those who know and love my music, especially. It's going to be a great time. I'm working hard to making it that way.

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