Hilson's got the hustle

"It's the dirty South - no one ever feels like they've made it. You could walk up to anyone from OutKast to TLC to Usher, who have sold millions and millions of records, and never get this air of accomplishment," she says of artists who have made Atlanta, as she puts it, "a black music mecca." "Their only concern is, what can they do next? I think that's the coolest thing."

Hilson herself could've been content with what she had accomplished over the past few years as an in-demand songwriter. Artists like Mary J. Blige ("Runaway Love"), Britney Spears ("Gimme More"), Timbaland ("The Way I Are"), and many more wanted a piece of her airy melodies and earthy lyrics. Others just figured a glimpse of her lovely visage in their videos would be a good idea, including Ne-Yo ("Miss Independent") and Usher ("Love in This Club").

But Hilson's determination to perform as well as write spurred her to work toward the moment she is currently enjoying: a top 20 album, "In a Perfect World. . .," and a top 20 single, "Knock You Down," featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo. That song follows on the heels of another top 20 hit "Turnin' Me On," featuring Lil Wayne.

"I think people are slowly understanding my hustle and all of the things I'm responsible for," she says of her dual career track, which brings her to the House of Blues on Tuesday with Terius "The-Dream" Nash, another hot songwriter-turned-artist from Atlanta who's co-written tracks such as Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)."

That sense of hustle pervades "Perfect World." In tandem with her longtime friends and collaborators Polow Da Don, Timbaland, and Nate "Danja" Hills, Hilson resolutely works offbeat accents into her contemporary R&B framework. Cutting-edge yet primal drum patterns lend an off-kilter energy to "Turnin' Me On." "Slow Dance," co-written with Justin Timberlake, takes a Prince-ly turn, while "Energy" exudes a more mellifluous pop vibe. Each also offers a slightly different vocal style, from a raspy low register to girlish highs.

"I consciously don't want to sound the same on every track," says Hilson, who started entering talent contests as a tween and did time in several local girl groups before discovering her inner tunesmith. "But I think that also because I'm a songwriter, I know that certain places and pitches help the track in the emotion area. When I go in the studio, I'm always concerned more with whether the emotion is pure and seeping through. And if it's not, I'll revisit, I'll re-sing it, I'll change the pitch of my voice or do whatever I need to do to jerk the emotion out of it."

"The whole idea is to cater to as many people as you can if you have that much to offer," says Hills, who has also worked with Madonna and Justin Timberlake, of the album's diversity. "You have all these different elements and you tie them in to one and it creates the identity of Keri."

Hills believes that Hilson's innate needs as a storyteller will take her back to supplying others with material as well. "I definitely could use her right now to write on some records," he says with a laugh. "But she's busy being Keri the superstar artist, and that's what we all wanted and hoped for."

Throughout her songs - from the anti-gold-digger in "The Way I Are" to the sultry narrator of "Turnin' Me On" - Hilson's protagonists may have doubts and vulnerabilities but they have a core strength. And that reflects her own desires for her gender.

"I think it is important that females have the tenacity that we lack sometimes," she says. "I've seen a trend in women, especially in this industry, who at the first sign of adversity give up, and I think it's really sad. I think more of us should be more competitive with life in general and whatever it is we're seeking to do. I'd love to see women go get it. Don't sit down or back up at the first yield or stop sign - keep moving."

Sarah Rodman can be reached at srodman@globe.com.