Earlier this week, Avon put the rumors to rest and confirmed signing singer/songwriter Keri Hilson as the spokesmodel for Avon’s Imari fragrance and Color makeup collection (replacing Jennifer Hudson in the process). While we’ll have to wait until August to see the sure-to-be-stunning images from Hilson’s shoot, StyleList was able to catch up with the Grammy-nominated performer after the news broke to discuss her transition from self-described tomboy to the face of a major beauty brand.

StyleList: Did you ever think the day would come when you had a beauty contract?
Keri Hilson: I never thought I’d be the face of a beauty brand, but it’s kind of every female artist’s dream to exude beauty for a company known for that. They approached me and it wasn’t a hard decision for me. Avon represents so many women of every color, of every age. It’s been in business for over 100 years. I’m all about approachable beauty and approachable style. I didn’t want to do something that was so exclusive that no one would relate. So it’s an awesome thing for me to be a part of.

StyleList: Did you use Avon products before the contract?
KH: I remember Avon ladies coming to our door when I was a kid and I think my mom let me order a few things throughout the years. It was just really neat to see the box arrive and it was when I first started wearing lipstick. My mom still wears Avon.

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Keri Hilson talks with OK! Magazine about the last concert she attended that blew her away:

I can’t remember who I’ve gone to… Oh! It was Justin Bieber, just his effect on kids is like, what? We’ve performed on the same stage. I went on before him which first of all is amazing. As I’m up there and look around I see all these tie-dyed Justin Bieber shirts, and I’m like ‘Where’s a Keri Hilson shirt?’ and there wasn’t any in the crowd. He goes on stage after me and all he has to do is make this heart with his hands and those kids scream shriekingly loud, the kind where you can’t help but look like a kid. Wow, it was ridiculous and every time he did it, he would just stop what he was doing, smile and do it and the whole crowd was like ‘Ahh!’ and they were all doing it. I can’t wait to see him on tour in his own element.

Telling fans Keri was just happy to be attending the Grammy’s, let alone nominated, Hilson tweeted through much of the 52nd Annual Grammy Award festivities. “What can I say? I AM in the BUILDING,” wrote Hilson after loosing Best New Artist to Zac Brown Band. “That alone is a dream come true…but I won’t lie my heart was poundin like hell!!!” But, the night was not all about the awards for Hilson. According to the “Knock You Down” singer, picking a dress for the evening was a battle.

“This is MJ bad…I STILL haven’t decided which dress to wear,” Hilson told fans earlier in the evening. “its narrowed down to 2 but I can’t decide…wish I could let my fans pick!” Finally narrowing it down, Hilson hit the red carpet writing “if WE win for KYD (Knock You Down) I’m hittin a backflip in my dress!” In related news, Keri Hilson is fast at work on a follow up to “In A Perfect World,” her debut album. Sources say the album is poised for a Spring 2010 release.

Grammy nominees Akon and Keri Hilson have teamed up for a new charity single that will premiere online right before the Jan. 31 Grammy Awards ceremony. While the track ‘Oh Africa’ is a cross promotion with Pepsi-Cola International and will soundtrack their 2010 football ad campaign, part of the proceeds from the song will go towards Akon’s Konfidence Foundation and other charities Hilson has cherry-picked.

The Konfidence Foundation, spearheaded by Akon’s mother, Ms. Kine Gueye Thiam, has already remodeled schools in Senegal. Now, with the help of donations from the track, it hopes to create sterile mobile health clinics in remote African villages that will not only care for those in need, but also provide disease prevention education. “At present hospitals in Africa can literally make you sicker,” Akon said. “There’s a lack of equipment and medical care.” In addition to Akon and Hilson, ‘Oh Africa’ features backing vocals by two-time Grammy recipients the Soweto Gospel Choir and sixteen aspiring musicians from around the world. Following the Jan. 31 premiere on the ‘Grammy Live’ stream, the track will be available for download. Says Hilson, “I’m very glad that I could take part in doing something positive for people who I’ve never met and that’s always a great feeling.“

Singer Keri Hilson teams up with top producers for her untitled sophomore studio album and plans to keep the hits coming. Although the album is currently untitled it hasn’t stopped Keri Hilson, 27, from bringing on some of the most sought after producers such as Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, Polow Da Don, Danjahandz, Kanye West, Timbaland and others. The singer hopes that her album, which is slated for release on May 31st, does just as well as her last album “In a Perfect World” released March 24, 2009.

In addition to her album, the singer will be performing at the annual ESPN Super Bowl bash along with Ne-Yo come February 5th at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel. Now as Keri Hilson preps her sophomore album, singer Christina Aguilera shines not to far away with her upcoming album entitled “Bionic” which is being pushed for an April release.

Keri Hilson has been given an extra Holiday gift thanks to music fans in Germany. According to Billboard, the “In A Perfect World” singer’s soundtrack featured single “I Like” reached no.1 on the German Singles chart over the weekend ! Taken from the motion picture “ZweiohrkĂźken,” “I Like” becomes Hilson’s first ever no.1 on the German chart, following the success of singles like “Knock You Down” and “Return The Favor”. Penned and produced by David Jost and Robin Grubert, “I Like” is also no. 7 in Austria. A revamped edition of the Grammy nominee’s debut album, titled the “I Like” edition of “In A Perfect World” is due to be released January 8.

The popular 30-day Christmas Carnival in the Ancient City of Calabar in Cross River state will be redefined as entertainment group, Storm 360, working with BounceBack Media and the Cross River State Government, has concluded plans to showcase star artistes starting this weekend. This year’s Calabar Christmas Carnival will feature among others notable African-American R&B star, Keri Hilson who is performing at the Stadium in Calabar on December 21, to rock the city. The massive talent will be delivering all of her hits for the first time in Nigeria.

“Try and come out to Calabar this Christmas but especially on December 21,” said Obi Asika, boss of Storm 360, the company at the front seat of happenings in the entertainment industry in the country for more than a decade. Keri is beautiful, talented and an impressive performer and this will be a special performance. She will be bringing the roof down,” said Asika

It seems like celebrities even turn to Twitter to make birthday wishes come true. Drake turned 23 years old on October 24, and one of the gifts he asked for was a serenade from Keri Hilson. Drake posted the request on Twitter, saying, “I wish Keri Hilson would call me and sing ‘Slow Dance’ to me for my birthday. That’s my jawnt.” Ms. Keri spoke to MTV News last week and assured us that she definitely tried to grant Drake his request, but the Young Money young gun would not answer the phone.

“I tried,” Hilson explained. “Drake … for his birthday he asked me to sing my latest single ‘Slow Dance.’ I just randomly saw it. I rarely check my updates, but I did. … You know, Drake rarely tweets. That’s why I said, ‘It feels like my birthday with you tweeting and all.’ He said, ‘For my birthday, I really wish Keri Hilson could sing me “Slow Dance.” ‘ So he said, ‘Keri, you should call me and sing “Slow Dance” a cappella.’ So I was like, ‘He’s gonna call me out?’ So I called him and [the phone] went straight to voice mail. I tried. I told him I tried and he put on Twitter, ‘She actually tried.’ ”

Four top South African dance crews are to battle it out for the chance to perform alongside recording act Keri Hilson when she tours the country next week with star John Legend – and the competition will be aired on DStv’s Channel O. Hilson is hot property on world charts since the release of her 2008 album, In a Perfect World. She and Legend will perform in Cape Town on October 15, in Durban on October 17 and in Johannesburg on October 18. Known as The Ultimate Keri Hilson Dance Challenge, the Channel O contest will see four dance crews vie for the opportunity to join Hilson on stage at Joburg’s Coca-Cola Dome concert. The crew that wins the challenge will rehearse with Hilson in Durban when she appears here.

Footage of the dance crews battling it out will be sent to Hilson in the US, where she and her choreographer will judge the entries. Already the competition is sizzling hot, with three of the four entrants having won previous contests. They are MO5 (Channel O Urban Dance Competition champs), Freeze Frame (Masters of Rhythm Champs) and Reptiles (Strictly Hip Hop Champs). These crews will be joined by the Clinch Crew in competing for The Ultimate Keri Hilson Dance Challenge winner’s crown. Channel O viewers will be able to be part of the blood, sweat and tears of this amazing dance challenge with a two-part series to be aired on the channel. Episode one, featuring Hilson and her choreographers deciding which crew has what it takes to be on stage with her, will air at 9pm next Thursday. The second episode, featuring the winning crew in rehearsal and performance with Hilson, will air at 9pm on Thursday, October 22.

And the buzz won’t stop! The Desi Hits! official remix of Sean Paul’s “So Fine” hit Bollywood earlier this week and superstar Sonu Niigaam gave his opinion on it, saying it was “the future of music.” Before her solo career took off with a bang, Keri Hilson wrote songs for pop stars like Britney Spears and Ludacris. So what did one of the best in the music biz have to say about Baba Kahn, Lomaticc and Sunny Brown’s Desi Hits! Official remix of Sean Paul’s “So Fine?”

“I actually just did a record with Sean Paul, called ‘Hold My Hand.’ I love his music. Indian Music has always fascinated me. One of the songs on my album ‘In a Perfect World,’ called ‘Intuition,’ has Indian influences, not to mention I love Indian food. I love the fact that he brought both worlds together on ‘So Fine’.”