SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Keri Hilson called her new album “No Boys Allowed,” but a collaboration with one young man has been drawing attention. The pop-R&B singer has become the most prominent female artist to collaborate with Chris Brown since his arrest last year for attacking his then-girlfriend Rihanna. The album cut “One Night Stand” is her second duet with Brown, following “Superhuman,” recorded in 2008.

“I didn’t want to be one of those women who is so unforgiving and be yet another person who is slapping him on his hand and crucifying him,” Hilson said in an interview. “You have to be allowed back into good graces, meaning, ‘Let me earn my trust back to you, let me earn my respect back.’ And Chris has done that. He’s crawled back into the public eye. … Women were so unforgiving. And I understand why. I don’t condone what he did. But I also believe in second chances.”