Keri Hilson, Too Close

How can you tell when a woman doesn’t want a man?

Women really go to clubs most of the time not looking for a man. We need to get out, have some drinks and release. If you walk up to her on the dance floor and you dance with her and she’s not dancing with you, chances are she’s not looking for a man.

What’s your signature dance move?

Something like a two-step or the slow wind. When I’m feeling frisky, it’s the wind.

What can someone do to entice you onto the dance floor?

I like a good-smelling man. That would be No. 1—if I like his cologne. You don’t know much else in a club. You can’t hear them, you can’t really see them, but if he smells good, he has a fighting chance.

When do you know it’s okay to get hands-on?

It’s never okay to get hands-on, unless I tell you to. In a club, it’s never okay.

Can you think of a time when you were unexpectedly rejected?

I don’t think I’ve ever been rejected in the club. My pimp hand is strong. I don’t come on to men in the club, so maybe that’s why.

How do you let someone down easy?

I think the easiest way to let a man down is to tell him you’ve got a boyfriend, even if you don’t, because they can only respect that. Some guys don’t see the signs. You can be giving them all the yield signs and the stop signs, and they just still feel like you are giving them an inch, so they take that mile. It’s really sad that, for some guys to walk away without their tail between their legs, it’s easier to make up a story about having a boyfriend.

Has sweat or bad breath ever been an issue in the club?

Absolutely. You feel offended sometimes if someone’s arm scent is high. Or bad breath. They could have just gone out to eat, and they come to the club, and they don’t have gum. Or they do, but whatever they ate is taking the lead over the gum. It happens too often.

If you could choose any artist to be your dance partner, who would it be?

I guess it would be Usher, because in “Love in This Club,” he was a great dance partner. —JANEÉ BOLDEN