NEW YORK — The last time Keri Hilson put out an album, Barack Obama was in the second year of his first term as U.S. president, the iPad was released and Instagram was brand new. Keri Hilson’s ‘We Need to Talk’ marks her return to music after a 15-year absence “On some days, I’m like that was just a blink away. But for the most part, yeah, it feels like a long time because I’ve been waiting. I felt stagnant, I felt stuck for a while, and conflicted,” said the two-time Grammy-nominated artist. “I’m very much approaching this like I’m starting over because that’s how it feels to me. I’ve lived nine lives since I last released … I’m a whole different person.” Hilson, the 42-year-old R&B star known for late 2000s hits like “Knock You Down,” featuring Kanye West and Ne-Yo. and “Pretty Girl Rock,” released “WE NEED TO TALK: LOVE” on Friday. It’s her third album, following 2010’s “No Boys Allowed,” and is the first of a trilogy set for release this year. …