Hairstyle File: Keri Hilson

Keri Hilson’s blond highlights and shimmering makeup brighten her face and give her the glow.

Here, Keri rocks a short, sassy, asymetric bob with wind-swept bangs. To help maintain her style, she always sleeps with a silk scarf. “It protects my hair and keeps the style looking fresh!” says Hilson.

When she first launched as a solo artist, Keri Hilson rocked a retro shag that launched a zillion trends! “Short hair’s fun and more versatile than people think,” she says. “I think I have a certain spunk that long hair doesn’t really allow me to express.”

Keri Hilson was having an Asian-inspired mane moment with this off-center, blonde-tipped bob. “Sometimes I pull inspiration from Japanese cuts,” says the Grammy-nominated singer. “The straight look in my ‘Knock You Down’ video reminded me of Japanese anime.”

“This BET Awards look is one of my absolute favorites!” says Hilson. “I smile every time I see pics of me with that curly front and the sides clawed forward. I’m so flattered, because I saw so many women wearing it around the world…and it was my creation!”

Keri Hilson flatironed her black and brown-swirled duck tail for an edgy chic look. According to the singer, growing out this look no easy feat. “We started off with a small shag, and then moved on to this duck tail,” she says. “Sometimes you can’t wait for all your hair to grow out, so for certain looks I had to improvise!”

“Maisha Oliver is my stylist,” said Hilson, rocking a wavy, copper-streaked bob, here. “We have a great collaboration of creative minds! I usually have some idea of what I want to do, but her improvisations are what make my styles so unique.”

“I’m a huge fan of Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding, Matrix Vavoom Iron-In, and d:fi Light Wax Medium Hold,” says Hilson, seen here at a pre-Grammy’s event rocking a graduated, shaggy bob.

When Hilson hit the Grammy’s red carpet wearing a copper-streaked, twisted back sweep, the world fell in love! “I didn’t want to cut off my tail or abandon my short hair just because I was wearing a gown,” she explains. “But I still wanted a sweep-back. So this was the result…I loved it!”

Keri hits the party circuit rocking a jet-back, shaggy bob with eyelash-grazing bangs. “Lately, I’ve had fun experimenting with darker tones,” she says. “I haven’t worn highlights in awhile.”

Keri Hilson’s sleek shoulder-length style with the twisted bang set the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood luncheon on fire! When we asked her what’s next for her hair, the songstress said, “There are only so many things a woman can do with her hair, but I never want to do anything I’m seeing on anyone else. If that happens, it’s definitely not intentional.”

We love Keri in this flawlessly flatironed, perfectly platinum bob.

At the 2010 ESSENCE Music Festival, Keri rocked one of the sleekest, smoothest bobs we’ve ever seen — her wrap must’ve been tight!

At the Critics Choice Awards in 2010, Keri rocked the red carpet in a teased bouffant-esque style. Very Sixties siren!

Channeling Marilyn Monroe, Hilson rocks a head full of adorable blonde ringlets paired with come-hither crimson lips.

Whoever thought that dark roots, curled ends and subtle feathered sides would be so fab?

Keri Hilson showed up to the Met Gala with sleek, mid-length strands tucked behind her ears. An inspired choice — most celebs rock upsweeps for super-formal events!

First popularized by Salt n Pepa and then T Boz, Kilson rocks a slightly grown-out asymmetric to very cool results.

At the 2011 Ween Awards, honoree Hilson was downright glorious in this perfectly shaped flapper bob with bangs. We adore the buttery yellow highlights!

At the Soul Train Music Awards, Keri proved herself to be a total coif chameleon with this multi-layered, pompadour-meets-side-plait style.