"Return the Favor" (released as
"Return the Favour" in UK and Australia) is a song
by American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson, taken
from her upcoming debut album, In a Perfect World...
(2009). It features Timbaland's trademark vocals and
production with additional production credits from
The Clutch. It was released as the album's official
second single on October 7, 2008 in the United
States as a follow-up to Hilson's debut single,
"Energy".
The single is to serve as the lead single for the
UK, Australia and Germany
Music video
Hilson premiered the music video for the song
directed by Melina, on MTV's TRL on October 23. The
video starts off showing a television set playing
Timbaland's "The Way I Are" video featuring Hilson.
Timbaland is shown pressing a button on the
television set, which turns to the "Return the Favor"
music video.
In the video, multiple settings are shown. One
shows Hilson singing with shades and two mics in her
hand. Another includes a dance scene with Hilson and
four other female dancers dancing on what seems like
a big puddle of water. Timbaland is showing in the
video controlling the television set showing the
video, and sitting in a chair in front of a big
screen showing Hilson singing.
The video was released to UK music channels on March
16, 2009. It was then released for download in
Australia on March 27, 2009.
The video has caused some controversy among critics,
as it shows a much more sexual Hilson with her legs
exposed and in a variety of sexually suggestive
poses. This contrasts with her image in "The Way I
Are" video.
