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Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo ( ), is an American singer and songwriter. Regarded as a leading figure of 2000s R&B music, he is the recipient of numerous accolades, including three
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
. He gained recognition for his songwriting abilities following the success of his first major credit,
Mario Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...
's 2004 single " Let Me Love You". Its release prompted a meeting between Ne-Yo and
Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...
's then-president
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
, resulting in a contract in which he released four studio albums, each of which spawned
hit song A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single, or simply hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record'' ...
s. Ne-Yo's debut single, "
Stay Stay may refer to: Places * Stay, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the US Law * Stay of execution, a ruling to temporarily suspend the enforcement of a court judgment * Stay of proceedings, a ruling halting further legal process in a tr ...
" (featuring
Peedi Peedi Pedro Louis Zayas (born September 25, 1977), better known by his stage names Peedi Crakk or Peedi Peedi, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his guest appearances on Freeway's 2003 single " Flipside" and Jay ...
) was released the following year to lukewarm commercial reception, although its follow-up, "
So Sick "So Sick" is a song by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, written alongside Norwegian production duo Stargate for Ne-Yo's debut studio album, ''In My Own Words'' (2006). Produced by Stargate, the song was released as the second single from the al ...
" became his
breakthrough Breakthrough or break through may refer to: Arts Books * ''Break Through'' (book), a 2007 book about environmentalism by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger * ''Break Through'' (play), a 2011 episodic play portraying scenes from LGBT life * ...
hit as it peaked atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Both songs, along with the follow-up singles "
When You're Mad "When You're Mad" is a song by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was written by Ne-Yo and Shea Taylor for Ne-Yo's debut album, ''In My Own Words'' (2006), while production was overseen by Taylor. Released as the album's third single in March ...
" and "
Sexy Love "Sexy Love" is a song by American R&B singer Ne-Yo, released on June 6, 2006, as the fourth and final US single, as well as the second and final international single from his debut studio album, ''In My Own Words'' (2006). The song peaked at nu ...
", preceded the release of his debut studio album ''
In My Own Words ''In My Own Words'' is the debut studio album of American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was released by Def Jam Recordings on February 28, 2006. Conceived following his songwriting breakthrough with " Let Me Love You" for fellow R&B singer Mario in ...
'' (2006), which peaked atop the ''Billboard'' 200 and saw positive critical reception. Furthermore, the album received two nominations at the
49th Annual Grammy Awards The 49th Annual Grammy Awards was a ceremony honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2005, and ending September 30, 2006, in the United States. The awards were handed out on Sunday, February 11, 2007, at the Stapl ...
and received
platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
certification by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), in addition to similar certifications in the UK, Japan and Australia. '' Because of You'' (2007), Ne-Yo's second studio album, also peaked the ''Billboard'' 200 and won
Best Contemporary R&B Album The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album was an Honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the contempora ...
at the
50th Annual Grammy Awards The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 10, 2008. It honored musical achievement of 2007 in which albums were released between October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007. The primary ceremonie ...
. His third studio album, '' Year of the Gentleman'' (2008), saw continued success and yielded a nomination for the award, as well as for Album of the Year. Its lead single, "
Closer Closer or Closers may refer to: Film and television * ''Closer'' (2000 film), a documentary by Tina Gharavi * ''Closer'' (2004 film), a 2004 adaptation of Patrick Marber's play (see below), directed by Mike Nichols * ''The Closer'', a 1990 mo ...
" was nominated for
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award wen ...
, while its follow-up, " Miss Independent" won the award, as well as
Best R&B Song The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record five times, while Ba ...
at the
51st Annual Grammy Awards The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 8, 2009, honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2008. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the ...
. ''Year of the Gentleman'' received double platinum certification by the RIAA—selling two million copies—as well as triple platinum certification by the
British Phonographic Industry BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...
(BPI). ''
Libra Scale ''Libra Scale'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was released on October 27, 2010 in Japan, followed by a release in the United Kingdom on October 29, as well as a release in the United States on November 22, 2010 ...
'' (2010), Ne-Yo's fourth studio album, was met with moderate success on international charts and reached number nine on the US ''Billboard'' 200. Seeing an overall decline in commercial reception, he parted ways with Def Jam in favor of its coequal
Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...
subsidiary,
Motown Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
two years later. His fifth album, '' R.E.D.'' (2012) peaked at number four on the chart and was preceded by the single " Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)", which peaked at number six on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and peaked atop the UK Singles Chart. His sixth album, ''
Non-Fiction Non-fiction (or nonfiction) is any document or content (media), media content that attempts, in good faith, to convey information only about the real life, real world, rather than being grounded in imagination. Non-fiction typically aims to pre ...
'' (2015) was met with similar commercial response despite a steep critical decline. It was supported by the ''Billboard'' Hot 100-top ten single " Time of Our Lives" (with
Pitbull Pit bull is an umbrella term for several types of dog believed to have descended from bull and terriers. In the United States, the term is usually considered to include the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American B ...
) and the
strip club A strip club (also known as a strip joint, striptease bar, peeler bar, gentlemen's club, among others) is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease and other erotic dances including lap dances. St ...
-inspired top 40 single, " She Knows" (featuring
Juicy J Jordan Michael Houston III (born April 5, 1975), known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he is a founding member of the Southern hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, established ...
). His seventh album, '' Good Man'' (2018) peaked at number 33 on the ''Billboard'' 200, while his eighth and ninth albums, ''Another Kind of Christmas'' (2019) and '' Self Explanatory'' (2022) scarcely entered the chart. Alongside his recording career, Ne-Yo served as a judge for the
reality competition Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
series ''
World of Dance World of Dance is a Southern California-based dance, fashion, music, and entertainment brand founded by Matthew Everitt, David Gonzalez, Myron Marten, Michael McGinn, and Herman Flores in 2008. It is the world's largest dance entertainment enter ...
'' from 2017 to 2020 alongside
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
and
Derek Hough Derek Bruce Hough (; born May 17, 1985) is an American professional Latin dance, Latin and ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor and singer. From 2007 to 2016, Hough was a professional dancer on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC dance compe ...
. In 2021, Ne-Yo competed as Badger on the second season of ''
The Masked Singer UK ''The Masked Singer'' is a British reality singing competition television series that premiered on ITV on 4 January 2020. It is based on the ''Masked Singer'' franchise that originated from the South Korean show ''King of Mask Singer'', whi ...
,'' and finished in second place. In 2023, he competed on the tenth season of ''
The Masked Singer ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
,'' as the Cow and finished in first place. According to
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
, Ne-Yo has sold 29 million certified albums and singles in the United States. ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' ranked "
Give Me Everything "Give Me Everything" is a song by American rapper Pitbull featuring Dutch DJ Afrojack and American singers Ne-Yo and Nayer. Written by the former three and produced by Afrojack, it was released on March 18, 2011, through Polo Grounds Music, M ...
" and " Knock You Down" among the Greatest Songs of the Summer of all time. Ne-Yo has yielded five number one singles on the UK Singles Chart, and spent 315 weeks within the chart's Top 75. Ne-Yo also has four songs listed on Motown's Top 100 songs of the Millennium in the UK—the fifth most entries on the list.


Early life

Shaffer Chimere Smith was born on October 18, 1979, in
Camden, Arkansas Camden is a city in and the county seat of Ouachita County, Arkansas, Ouachita County in the south-central part of the U.S. state portals, U.S. state of Arkansas. The city is located about 100 miles south of Little Rock. Situated on bluffs overlo ...
to parents Lorraine and Shaffer Smith, both of whom are also musicians. As a young child, he was raised by his mother after she separated from his father. His mother then relocated the family to
Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, Nevada. While in the
Las Vegas Academy The Las Vegas Academy of the Arts is a magnet high school located in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. Students are accepted through an audition process and claim a major pertaining to performing arts or visual arts. History Las Vegas High School ...
, Smith adopted the stage name GoGo and joined an R&B group called Envy, who appeared during amateur night on ''
Showtime at the Apollo ''Showtime at the Apollo'' (formerly ''It's Showtime at the Apollo'' and ''Apollo Live'') is an American variety show that first aired in syndication from September 12, 1987, to May 24, 2008. In 2018, the series returned on Fox with Steve Harve ...
'' and on the short lived
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
series '' The Cut'' (hosted by
Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002), also known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American singer and rapper. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC, alongside Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Besides ...
of
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...
). The group disbanded in 2000, and Smith continued to write songs for other artists before starting his solo career. The stage name Ne-Yo was coined by Big D Evans, a producer with whom Ne-Yo once worked, because Evans claimed that Ne-Yo sees music like the character Neo sees
the Matrix ''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction film, science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in the The Matrix (franchise), ''Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Ca ...
.


Music career


1998–2005: Career beginnings

After Envy disbanded in 2000,
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...
signed Ne-Yo, but the label dropped him before he could release his already-recorded first album. American singer
Marques Houston Marques Barrett Houston (born August 4, 1981) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Houston began his singing career in 1990, performing with IMx, and found popularity as an actor for his portrayal of Roger Evans in the tee ...
happened to hear "
That Girl ''That Girl'' is an American television sitcom that ran on ABC from September 8, 1966, to March 19, 1971. It starred Marlo Thomas as the title character, Ann Marie, an aspiring (but only sporadically employed) actress who moves from her hometo ...
", which Ne-Yo had planned to release as his debut
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
from his then-unreleased album. Houston re-recorded the song and released it as a single for his 2003 album '' MH''. The release of the song led to Ne-Yo being recognized as a top songwriter. For the next two years, Ne-Yo continued writing songs, some of which have not been officially released. He contributed songs to American singer
Teedra Moses Teedra Shenita Moses (born December 17, 1976) is an American contemporary R&B, R&B and soul music, soul singer-songwriter. Early life Moses was born and raised in New Orleans. She later moved to Los Angeles with her mother and three siblings ...
's 2004 album ''
Complex Simplicity ''Complex Simplicity'' is the debut studio album by American singer Teedra Moses. It was released on August 10, 2004, by TVT Records. The album was produced largely by Paul Poli, with additional production from Raphael Saadiq and Lil Jon. Singles ...
'',
Christina Milian Christina Milian ( , Flores; born September 26, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Following a number of minor television and film roles in the late nineties, Milian made her recording debut on American rapper Ja Rule's 20 ...
's '' It's About Time'', and the American boy band
Youngstown Youngstown is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, 11th-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 60,068 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Mahoning ...
, none of which, however, brought Ne-Yo much mainstream attention. Ne-Yo has also contributed songs to singers
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
,
B2K B2K (Boys of the New Millennium) is an American boy band from 1998 to 2004, and again from 2018 to present. In 1998, the group was formed by American dance choreographer Dave Scott and Interscope A&R Keshia Gamble. The members consisted of Li ...
,
Faith Evans Faith Renée Evans (born June 10, 1973) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Lakeland, Florida, and raised in New Jersey, she relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 in pursuit of a recording career. Evans initially performed as ...
, and
Musiq Taalib Hassan Johnson (born September 16, 1977), better known by his stage name Musiq Soulchild (or simply Musiq; pronounced "music") is an American singer-songwriter. His music blends Rhythm and blues, R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and Gospel music, ...
, among others. A breakthrough came when Ne-Yo wrote " Let Me Love You" for American singer
Mario Mario (; ) is a Character (arts), character created by the Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the star of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise, a recurring character in the ''Donkey Kong'' franchise, and the mascot of the Ja ...
. The song reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and later stayed at the top spot for nine weeks. After the successful release, Tina Davis, former A&R representative for
Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...
, arranged an informal meeting with label head
L.A. Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer who served as president and CEO of Arista Records from 2000 to 2004, as well as chairman and CEO of the Island Def Jam Mus ...
. Despite not seeking a new contract at the time, then-CEO of Def Jam
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
signed Ne-Yo to a new deal after he performed for the label's executives.


2006–2007: ''In My Own Words'' and ''Because of You''

In early 2006, Ne-Yo released his debut album, ''
In My Own Words ''In My Own Words'' is the debut studio album of American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was released by Def Jam Recordings on February 28, 2006. Conceived following his songwriting breakthrough with " Let Me Love You" for fellow R&B singer Mario in ...
'', through
Def Jam Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The ...
. Boosted by its popular second single "
So Sick "So Sick" is a song by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, written alongside Norwegian production duo Stargate for Ne-Yo's debut studio album, ''In My Own Words'' (2006). Produced by Stargate, the song was released as the second single from the al ...
", the album debuted at number one on ''Billboard'' 200, selling over 301,000 copies in its first week on sale. During the same week, the single had reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Later singles released were "
When You're Mad "When You're Mad" is a song by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was written by Ne-Yo and Shea Taylor for Ne-Yo's debut album, ''In My Own Words'' (2006), while production was overseen by Taylor. Released as the album's third single in March ...
" and "
Sexy Love "Sexy Love" is a song by American R&B singer Ne-Yo, released on June 6, 2006, as the fourth and final US single, as well as the second and final international single from his debut studio album, ''In My Own Words'' (2006). The song peaked at nu ...
", which peaked at number 15 and number seven, respectively. The album has been certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA) for a shipment of over one million units. His second album, '' Because of You'', was released on May 1, 2007, and, fueled by its lead single, debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 251,000 copies in the United States; the feat gave Ne-Yo his second number-one album. The first single from the platinum-selling album was the
title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-t ...
, which peaked at the number-two spot. Despite the success of "Because of You", later singles released charted lower and were unable to reach the Top 20. The album has been certified platinum by RIAA for a shipment of over one million units. In December 2007, Ne-Yo and the
Goo Goo Dolls The Goo Goo Dolls are an American rock band based in Buffalo, New York, composed of lead vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik, bassist and vocalist Robby Takac, as well as several rotating members since its formation in 1986. After starting ...
performed at a fund-raising concert for the then–presidential candidate Senator
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
.


2008–2010: ''Year of the Gentleman'' and ''Libra Scale''

Ne-Yo's third album, '' Year of the Gentleman'', was released internationally on August 5, 2008. Speaking to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning
Blues & Soul ''Blues & Soul'' is a British music magazine, established in 1967 by John Abbey. ''The Independent'' has noted ''Blues & Soul'' as being the equal of magazines such as ''NME'' and '' Q''. ''Billboard'' magazine has called ''Blues & Soul'' "a r ...
, Ne-Yo explained the thinking behind its title: "To me ''Year of the Gentleman'' is all about a persona, a swag and a charm. I made an assessment of the music business. And, in my personal opinion, the essence of the gentleman is absent right now. Everybody kinda looks the same, everybody's kinda doing the same thing, everybody's kinda rude and full of themselves. Whereas a gentleman is calm, courteous, kind, charming... So that title basically represents me trying to lead by example, and showing these cats what it is to be a gentleman in this business still." The album sold 250,000 copies in its first week in the United States, debuting on the ''Billboard'' 200 at number two. Reviews for the album were positive: in one, Caryn Ganz of ''Rolling Stone'' magazine wrote that ''Year of the Gentleman'' is "actually a superb concept album about what a great boyfriend he e-Yocan be". The first two singles, "
Closer Closer or Closers may refer to: Film and television * ''Closer'' (2000 film), a documentary by Tina Gharavi * ''Closer'' (2004 film), a 2004 adaptation of Patrick Marber's play (see below), directed by Mike Nichols * ''The Closer'', a 1990 mo ...
" and " Miss Independent", peaked at number seven on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album was nominated for
Best Contemporary R&B Album The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album was an Honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the contempora ...
and Album of the Year at the
2009 Grammy Awards The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 8, 2009, honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2008. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the ...
, "Closer" for
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a male in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The award wen ...
, and "Miss Independent" for
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance was awarded between 1968 and 2011. The award has had several minor name changes: *In 1968 it was awarded as Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male *From 1969 to 1994 it was awarded as Best R&B ...
and
Best R&B Song The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record five times, while Ba ...
. ''Year of the Gentleman'' has been certified platinum by RIAA for a shipment of more than one million copies. The third single, " Mad", peaked at number 11 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. On August 12, 2008, the
New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block (also initialized as NKOTB) is an American boy band from Dorchester, Massachusetts. The band consists of brothers Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood. New Kids on the Block had ...
released "
Single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
", the second single from their fifth studio album, '' The Block'', which is a duet with Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo included a solo version of the song on his album ''Year of the Gentleman''. In December 2008, Ne-Yo performed at the Kennedy Center Honors as part of the tribute to
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...
; he sang and danced to the song " Lover Come Back to Me", which Streisand recorded on her second album in 1963. In 2009, ''Billboard'' ranked him as the 57th Artist of the 2000s decade. On September 2, 2009, Ne-Yo released greatest hits album '' Ne-Yo: The Collection'' in Japan. The album was also released with a limited edition CD+DVD edition complete with the music videos of singles. It debuted at number four on Japan's ''
Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics Statistics (from German language, German: ', "description of a State (polity), state, a country") is the discipline that ...
'' weekly albums chart, selling 55,625 copies in the first week. In January 2010, Ne-Yo was featured in a duet with singer
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
titled " Angels Cry". In June 2010, Ne-Yo released the single " Beautiful Monster", which became Ne-Yo's third number-one single on the UK Singles Chart. It peaked at number 53 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. On October 8, 2010, Ne-Yo performed some of his songs from the new album at P.C. Richard & Son Theater in New York City, an event hosted by
iHeartRadio iHeartRadio (often shortened to just "iHeart") is an American freemium broadcast, podcast, radio streaming and Music Streaming platform owned by iHeartMedia. Founded in August 2008, iHeartRadio serves as the national umbrella brand for iHeart ...
. Ne-Yo made an appearance at New York ComicCon to announce that he was collaborating with Stan Lee for a Libra Scale comic. Ne-Yo also met with fans for pictures and autographs in the Cultyard of the ComicCon. The second and third singles released from the album are " Champagne Life" and " One in a Million", respectively. ''
Libra Scale ''Libra Scale'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was released on October 27, 2010 in Japan, followed by a release in the United Kingdom on October 29, as well as a release in the United States on November 22, 2010 ...
'' was released on November 22, 2010. It received critical acclaim from music critics, but was a commercial disappointment, debuting at number nine on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling less than all of his previous three studio albums. Ne-Yo stated: "The album is based upon this short story which basically follows these three characters who are forced to choose between money-power-and-fame versus love. Which in turn is why I've called it 'Libra Scale'. You know, its whole concept is based on that question of morality – that, if you weighed it all out on a libra scale, which one of those two options would you choose?". ''Libra Scale'' sold 112,000 copies in its first week. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 11 on the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is the United Kingdom's industry-recognised national record chart for album, albums. Entries are ranked by sales and audio streaming. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the O ...
, while debuting at number one on the
UK R&B Chart Official Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart The UK Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart and the UK Hip Hop and R&B Albums Chart (also known as The Official UK Hip Hop and R&B Charts, and previously the Top 40 Hip Hop and RnB Singles and the Top 40 Hip Hop and ...
.


2011–2012: ''R.E.D.''

On February 25, 2011, while on his tour in the United Kingdom, he announced his new album would be called ''Love and Passion'' and would be released in September, but this was proven false as the title was tentative. American rapper
Fabolous John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977), known professionally as Fabolous, is an American rapper. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition for his ability upon performing live on DJ Clue's WQHT, Hot 97 radio show. Jackson then signed ...
said in an interview that he is planning a collaboration album with Ne-Yo as well. Ne-Yo has also written songs for
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
, JB,
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
, Monica,
Alexandra Burke Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the talent television show ''The X Factor'' in 2008. Following the show, she was signed to Syco Music and releas ...
,
Cheryl Cole Cheryl Ann Tweedy (born 30 June 1983) is an English singer and television personality. She rose to fame as a member of Girls Aloud, a Pop music, pop girl group created through ITV (TV network), ITV's reality competition show ''Popstars: The R ...
, and
Willow Smith Willow Smith (born October 31, 2000), also known mononymously as Willow, is an American singer, actress and dancer. The daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, she has received various accolades, including a Young Artist Award, an NAAC ...
's upcoming albums. Ne-Yo starred in two motion pictures, the long-gestating
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
project ''
Red Tails ''Red Tails'' is a 2012 American war film directed by Anthony Hemingway in his feature directorial debut, and starring Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr. The film is about the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American United States A ...
'', released in early 2012, and '' Battle: Los Angeles'', which was released in the United States on March 11, 2011. Ne-Yo has already finished writing songs for American singer and
Roc Nation Roc Nation is an American entertainment company founded by Jay-Z in 2008. Headquartered in New York City, the company is a successor to his previous Roc-A-Fella Records label, with additional offices in Los Angeles and London. It serves as a re ...
artist
Alexis Jordan Alexis Jordan (born April 7, 1992) is an American former singer and actress from Columbia, South Carolina. Jordan rose to fame as a contestant on the first season of ''America's Got Talent'' in 2006 at the age of 14. After being eliminated from ...
and her self-titled debut album as well as
Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, producer, and talk show host. Having received List of awards and nominations received by Jennifer Hudson, numerous accolades for ...
for her second studio album, '' I Remember Me'', which had a North American release on March 22, 2011. Ne-Yo appeared in the children's preschool show ''
The Fresh Beat Band ''The Fresh Beat Band'' (originally known as ''The JumpArounds'') is an American live-action musical children's television series created by Scott Kraft and Nadine van der Velde for Nickelodeon. The series stars Yvette González-Nacer, Thoma ...
'' and was one of the few artists not to cancel appearances in the wake of the
2011 Japan earthquake Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number) * One of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *''Eleven'', a 1970 collection of short stories by Patricia Highsmith *''Eleven'' ...
. In the spring of 2011, Ne-Yo featured alongside
Nayer Nayer Regalado, known mononymously as Nayer, is an American singer. She gained recognition in 2011 after being featured on Pitbull's hit single "Give Me Everything", and releasing her single " Suave (Kiss Me)" featuring Pitbull and Mohombi whi ...
and
Afrojack Nick Leonardus van de Wall (; born 9 September 1987), known professionally as Afrojack (stylized in all caps), is a Dutch DJ, record producer and remixer. In 2007, he founded the record label Wall Recordings; his debut album ''Forget the World ( ...
on
Pitbull Pit bull is an umbrella term for several types of dog believed to have descended from bull and terriers. In the United States, the term is usually considered to include the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American B ...
's single "
Give Me Everything "Give Me Everything" is a song by American rapper Pitbull featuring Dutch DJ Afrojack and American singers Ne-Yo and Nayer. Written by the former three and produced by Afrojack, it was released on March 18, 2011, through Polo Grounds Music, M ...
", which peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, giving Ne-Yo his second US number-one single, his first since 2006's "
So Sick "So Sick" is a song by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, written alongside Norwegian production duo Stargate for Ne-Yo's debut studio album, ''In My Own Words'' (2006). Produced by Stargate, the song was released as the second single from the al ...
" and his first as a guest artist. Ne-Yo also revealed in an interview that he would like to collaborate with
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...
,
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
, and
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
on his upcoming album. In January 2012, it was reported that Ne-Yo, along with his label imprint Compound Entertainment, had moved from
Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop. The l ...
to
Motown Records Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
. He was also appointed vice president of Motown, serving as a producer, songwriter, mentor, and talent scout. Ne-Yo was slated to release his fifth studio album, '' R.E.D.'' (as in "Realizing Every Dream"), on September 18, 2012. The album was initially titled ''The Cracks in Mr. Perfect''. The album's first official single, "Lazy Love", was released on June 12, 2012, and peaked at number forty-two on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart. "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)", co-written by Australian singer-songwriter Sia, was released as the second single on July 31, 2012. The song peaked at number seven on the
Billboard Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), ...
and became Ne-Yo's fifth number-one song in the United Kingdom. Because of
Kevin McCall Kevin Lamar McCall Jr. (born July 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. He is best known for his work with R&B singer Chris Brown, to whom he signed in a joint venture with RCA Records in 2012. McCall extensi ...
's new album and the song Ne-Yo will be in, "Love Time", was not yet released because he and his friend Chris Brown will make an appearance on Ne-Yo's R.E.D. album in the song called "What I Do", which they all will be involved in writing the beat says Ne-Yo, who was interviewed by TMZ in New York. "I expect this to be a banger in clubs for the slow songs and to get Ne-Yo his first top 10 song in years," said Chris Brown, after a celebrity basketball game with Ne-Yo, Kevin Hart, and other celebrities in the month of July. On August 29, 2012, Ne-Yo was one of the headliners alongside R&B recording artist
Melanie Fiona Melanie Fiona Hallim (born July 4, 1983) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario.Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
which was sponsored by and live-streamed by
Pepsi Pepsi is a Carbonated water, carbonated soft drink with a cola flavor, manufactured by PepsiCo which serves as its flagship product. In 2023, Pepsi was the second most valuable soft drink brand worldwide behind Coca-Cola; the two share a long ...
and ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''. He performed a medley of hits, as well as performing "
The Way You Make Me Feel "The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson. It was released by Epic Records on November 9, 1987, as the third single from his seventh studio album, '' Bad''. It was written and composed by Jackson and produced ...
", "
Smooth Criminal "Smooth Criminal" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson, released on November 14, 1988 as the seventh single from his seventh studio album, ''Bad'' (1987). It was written by Jackson and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. The lyric ...
" and "
I Just Can't Stop Loving You "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a 1987 duet ballad by American singer Michael Jackson featuring singer and songwriter Siedah Garrett, and was released as the first single on July 20, 1987, by Epic Records from his seventh album, ''Bad''. The ...
" from Jackson's best-selling 1987 album, ''
Bad Bad or BAD may refer to: Common meanings *Evil, the opposite of moral good * Erroneous, inaccurate or incorrect * Unhealthy, or counter to well-being *Antagonist, the threat or obstacle of moral good Acronyms * BAD-2, a Soviet armored trolley ...
'', in preparation for the
reissue In the music industry, a reissue (also re-release, repackage or re-edition) is the release of an album or single which has been released at least once before, sometimes with alterations or additions. Reasons for reissue New audio formats Reco ...
of ''
Bad 25 ''Bad 25'' is the 25th anniversary edition reissue of American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson's seventh studio album '' Bad'' (1987). This is the second album by Jackson re-released on its 25th anniversary, the first being '' Thriller 25'' (2 ...
'' on September 18, 2012. The concert took place at
Gotham Hall The Greenwich Savings Bank Building, also known as the Haier Building and 1356 Broadway, is an office building at 1352–1362 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Constructed as the headquarters of the Greenwich S ...
in New York City. '' R.E.D.'' was released in the United Kingdom on November 5, and in North America on November 6, 2012. On December 8, 2012, Ne-Yo was the musical guest for
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
with
Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. Known for his work in both the screen and music industries, his accolades include an Academy Award, a Grammy Award ...
guest-hosting for that week. In 2012, Ne-Yo was awarded the Hal David Starlight Award of the
Songwriter's Hall of Fame The Songwriters Hall of Fame (SHOF) is an American institution founded in 1969 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music publisher/songwriter Abe Olman, and publisher/executive Howie Richmond to honor those whose work represent and maintain the heri ...
which honors gifted songwriters who are at an apex in their careers and are making a significant impact in the music industry via their original songs.


2013–2019: ''Non-Fiction'' and ''Good Man''

In March 2013, Ne-Yo collaborated with
Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...
on
David Guetta Pierre David Guetta (; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and record producer. He has sold over 10 million albums and 65 million singles globally, with more than 30 billion streams on Spotify. Guetta was voted the number one DJ in the DJ Mag ...
's single "
Play Hard "Play Hard" is a song by French disc jockey, DJ and record producer David Guetta featuring vocals from American singers Ne-Yo and Akon. It was released on 15 March 2013 as the third single from the Nothing but the Beat#2.0 version, 2012 re-releas ...
", from his 2012 album ''Nothing but the Beat 2.0''. He also collaborated with
Jessica Sanchez Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez (born August 4, 1995) is an American singer-songwriter. She rose to prominence following her finish as the runner-up on the eleventh season of ''American Idol''. Early life Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez was born in Chula ...
on her single "
Tonight Tonight may refer to: Television * ''Tonight'' (1957 TV programme), a 1957–1965 British current events television programme hosted by Cliff Michelmore that was broadcast on BBC * ''Tonight'' (1975 TV programme), a 1975–1979 British current ...
" from her debut album '' Me, You & the Music''. The single, along with the music video was released on March 21, 2013. In April, Ne-Yo and
Cher Lloyd Cher Lloyd (born 28 July 1993) is an English singer. She participated on the The X Factor (UK series 7), seventh series of the television talent show ''The X Factor (UK TV series), The X Factor'' in 2010, where she finished in fourth place. F ...
collaborated on their single "It's All Good", which eventually was featured on Fruttare commercials. Around the same time, he and
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Power Ballads", Dion's powerful, technically skilled vocals and commercially successful works have had ...
recorded "
Incredible Incredible may refer to: Music Albums * ''Incredible'' (Clique Girlz album) or the title song, 2008 * ''Incredible'' (Gary Puckett & The Union Gap album), 1968 * ''Incredible'' (Ilse DeLange album), 2008 * ''Incredible'' (Mary Mary album) or ...
" for Dion's 2013 album ''
Loved Me Back to Life Loved may refer to: * Love, an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment Music * Loved (Claire Kuo album), ''Loved'' (Claire Kuo album) or the title song, 2016 * Loved (Cranes album), ''Loved'' (Cranes album) or the title song, 1994 * ' ...
''. "Incredible" was released as a single in February 2014 and the music video premiered in June 2014. On May 29, 2014, Ne-Yo announced his upcoming sixth studio album would be called ''
Non-Fiction Non-fiction (or nonfiction) is any document or content (media), media content that attempts, in good faith, to convey information only about the real life, real world, rather than being grounded in imagination. Non-fiction typically aims to pre ...
''. That same day, he announced a new single, "
Money Can't Buy Money Can't Buy was a one-off, 75-minute concert show held on 15 November 2003 at the Carling Apollo in London to promote Australian singer Kylie Minogue's ninth studio album ''Body Language'' (2003). Its title alludes to the fact that tickets ...
". On September 16, 2014, the lead single from "Non Fiction" was sent to mainstream radio titled " She Knows" featuring
Juicy J Jordan Michael Houston III (born April 5, 1975), known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he is a founding member of the Southern hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, established ...
. A few months later, Ne-Yo announced that the new release date for ''Non-Fiction'' was January 27, 2015. The album included collaborations with Pitbull and Charisse Mills. The album peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. In July 2015, Ne-Yo collaborated with
Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike (previously Dnm) are a Belgian–Greek DJ duo composed of brothers Dimitri Thivaios and Michael Thivaios. They were ranked No. 1 on ''DJ Magazine, DJ Mag''s Top 100 DJs list in 2015 and 2019, and No. 2 in 2014, 2016 thr ...
on a new song for the
Tomorrowland Tomorrowland may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Tomorrowland (Disney Parks), a theme land at a number of Disney theme parks around the world * Tomorrowland (festival), an annual electronic dance music festival in Boom, Belgium * ''Tom ...
anthem titled "
Higher Place "Higher Place" is a song by Belgian DJ duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. It features the vocals from American singer Ne-Yo, who co-wrote the lyrics with Dimitri Thivaios. The song also has the vocals of Like Mike on the chorus, the first time when he ...
". In 2016, Ne-Yo collaborated with Yunel and
J Alvarez J, or j, is the tenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its usual name in English is ''jay'' (pronounced ), with a now-uncommon vari ...
for their single entitled "Sin Miedo", released on November 12, 2016, and with
Diamond Platnumz Naseeb Abdul Juma Issack, professionally known as Diamond Platnumz, is a Tanzanian bongo flava recording artist, dancer, philanthropist and businessman. He is the founder and CEO of WCB Wasafi Record Label, Wasafi Bet and Wasafi Media. Diamo ...
for their single entitled "Marry You", released on February 2, 2017. On May 8, 2017, Ne-Yo released a single " Earn Your Love" from his forthcoming seventh album, whilst announcing that the album is slated for a release in 2017. A new single, " Another Love Song" was released on May 30, 2017. He also made a cameo in the comedy film ''
Girls Trip ''Girls Trip'' is a 2017 American comedy film starring Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah. The film is directed by Malcolm D. Lee and written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver, from a story by the pair and E ...
'', starring
Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, singer, and actress. She has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe ...
,
Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith (née Pinkett; born September 18, 1971) is an American actress, businesswoman, and talk show host. She is co-host of the Facebook Watch talk show ''Red Table Talk'', for which she has won a Daytime Emmy Awards, Daytim ...
, and
Regina Hall Regina Lee Hall (born December 12, 1970) is an American actress. She rose to prominence for her role as Brenda Meeks in the comedy horror ''Scary Movie'' film series (2000–2006). Hall received critical acclaim for her role in the film '' Sup ...
.


2020–present: New music and ''The Masked Singer''

On March 27, 2020, Ne-Yo collaborated with Jamaican
dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots reggae, roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2 ...
singer
Charly Black Desmond Méndez (born 6 April 1980), better known as Charly Black, alternatively known as Charly Blacks, and originally known as Tony Mentol, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall singer, selector and singjay. He is best known for his track "Gy ...
for a new single, ''Over Again''. From 2020 to 2021, Ne-Yo competed as "Badger" in the second season of the British version of ''
The Masked Singer ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
''. He finished as the runner-up to
Joss Stone Joscelyn Eve Stoker (born 11 April 1987), known professionally as Joss Stone, is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to prominence in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, ''The Soul Sessions'', which made the 2004 Merc ...
as "Sausage". He also confirmed that his next album, previously titled ''Sweet Escape'' had been renamed '' Self Explanatory''. It was released on
Motown Records Motown is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Founded by Berry Gordy, Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, it was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau ...
on July 15, 2022. In 2023, Ne-Yo competed in season ten of ''
The Masked Singer ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'' as "Cow" where he won the season.


Artistry


Musical style and influences

Ne-Yo's music is generally R&B, while he also incorporates pop and
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
occasionally. His musical influences include
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
,
Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American Soul music, soul and Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer. Over his career, he achieved eleven consecutive RIAA certification, RIAA-certified ...
,
Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
, Blackstreet, and Usher. Ne-Yo is noted for his
tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...
voice, including his application of
falsetto Falsetto ( , ; Italian language, Italian diminutive of , "false") is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ...
in his works.


Songwriting and production

Ne-Yo frequently co-writes with
Tor Erik Hermansen Stargate is a Norwegian record production and songwriting duo, composed of Tor E. Hermansen (born 14 October 1972) and Mikkel S. Eriksen (born 10 December 1972) and based in Los Angeles, California. The duo has been credited on hit songs and alb ...
and Mikkel S. Eriksen of the Norwegian production team
Stargate ''Stargate'' is a military science fiction media franchise owned by Amazon MGM Studios. It is based on Stargate (film), the film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin; production company StudioCanal owns the ...
. Ne-Yo met them in a hallway at
Sony Music Studios Sony Music Studios was an American music recording and mastering facility in New York City. The five-story building was a music and broadcasting complex located at 460 W. 54th Street, at 10th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhat ...
in New York, and knowing the team produced R&B records, decided to collaborate with them. The collective's early works were tracks from ''In My Own Words'', including "So Sick". Aside from working on his own album, Ne-Yo also collaborates with several other artists. His works include:
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...
's top-ten singles " Unfaithful", "
Russian Roulette Russian roulette () is a potentially lethal game of chance in which a player places a single round in a revolver, spins the cylinder, places the muzzle against the head or body (their opponent's or their own), and pulls the trigger. If the ...
", and her number-one hit " Take a Bow",
Mario Vazquez Mario Adrián Vázquez (born June 15, 1977) is an American singer from The Bronx, New York City. He competed on American Idol's fourth season, which aired on the FOX network in early 2005. Biography Early life Raised by his single mother, A ...
's "
Gallery Gallery or The Gallery may refer to: * Gallery (surname), a surname Arts, entertainment, and media * Art gallery ** Contemporary art gallery ** Online art gallery Music * Gallery (band), an American soft rock band of the 1970s Albums * ' ...
",
Paula DeAnda Paula Dacia DeAndrade (born November 3, 1989) is an American singer and songwriter. She is best known for the 2006 US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top twenty single " Walk Away (Remember Me)". Her debut album, '' Paula DeAnda'', was released in 2006. ...
's " Walk Away (Remember Me)", and
Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most culturally significant figu ...
' ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number-one single "
Irreplaceable "Irreplaceable" is a song by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). The song was written by Ne-Yo, Shaffer "Ne-Yo" Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Espionage (production team), Espen Lind, Amund Bjà ...
", which stayed at the top of the chart for ten consecutive weeks. He wrote the song "I'm You" for
Leona Lewis Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress, model, and activist. Born and raised in Islington, Inner London, she later attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieve ...
's debut album '' Spirit'', and is currently writing songs for her next album and for the debut album of fellow
X Factor ''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for '' Pop Idol'' (2001–200 ...
winner
Alexandra Burke Alexandra Imelda Cecelia Ewen Burke (born 25 August 1988) is an English singer, songwriter and actress. She won the fifth series of the talent television show ''The X Factor'' in 2008. Following the show, she was signed to Syco Music and releas ...
. He has also been working with
Sugababes The Sugababes are an English girl group composed of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan, and Siobhán Donaghy. The lineup changed three times before returning to the original lineup in 2011. Formed in 1998 by Ron Tom, the manager of All Saints, ...
for their seventh album, with member
Keisha Buchanan Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan (; born 30 September 1984) is an English singer and songwriter and a founding member of the girl group Sugababes alongside Mutya Buena and Siobhán Donaghy. With Sugababes, she has had six number-one singles and ...
confirming that Ne-Yo had written a song called "No More You" for their album. In 2010, he dueted with
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( ; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Songbird Supreme" by ''Guinness World Records'', Carey is known for her five-octave voc ...
on "Angel's Cry", a song for her cancelled album, ''Angels Advocate''. Ne-Yo has also written songs for
Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Power Ballads", Dion's powerful, technically skilled vocals and commercially successful works have had ...
,
Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
,
Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005, returning as a judge beginning with the twenty-third season. Underwood's f ...
,
Anastacia Anastacia Lyn Newkirk ( ; born September 17, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter. Her first two studio albums, '' Not That Kind'' (2000) and '' Freak of Nature'' (2001), achieved chart success with the singles " I'm Outta Love", " Not That Ki ...
,
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...
,
Corbin Bleu Corbin Bleu Reivers ( ; born February 21, 1989) is an American actor and singer. He began acting professionally in the late 1990s before rising to prominence in the late 2000s for his leading role as Chad Danforth in the ''High School Musica ...
,
Enrique Iglesias Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (; born 8 May 1975) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. He started his recording career in the mid-1990s on the Mexican label Fonovisa where he released three Spanish albums ''Enrique Iglesias (album), Enrique ...
, and
Dima Bilan Dima Nikolayevich Bilan (, ; born Viktor Nikolayevich Belan [] on 24 December 1981) is a Russian singer. In 2002, Bilan participated in the first edition of New Wave. At the end of the contest, he finished in fourth place. He represented Russ ...
. He collaborated with
Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Dee Lohan ( ; born July 2, 1986) is an American actress, singer, producer, and businesswoman. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Lohan was signed to Ford Models at age three. She appeared as a regular on the soap opera ' ...
on her new material, having already finished " Bossy", a pre-single for her new album ''Spirit in the Dark''. In 2007, Ne-Yo confirmed that he had been contacted by producer
will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will I am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the frontman of the musical group Black Eyed Peas, which he ...
to work on what would have been
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...
's new album. However, at the time of Jackson's death, Ne-Yo's collaborations with him had yet to move past the writing stage. In an interview in 2010, Ne-Yo said that, since Jackson's death, he had been confused as what to do with the songs, as he felt that selling them to another artist or even releasing the songs himself would be disrespectful to Jackson's legacy. In 2009, he wrote " Truth (Saigo no Shinjitsu)" for the Japanese pop group
w-inds. is a Japanese pop boy band managed by Vision Factory and signed to the Pony Canyon label since 2000. The group consists of Ryohei Chiba and Keita Tachibana; Ryuichi Ogata left the group in 2020. Tachibana is the lead singer of the group, while ...
Ne-Yo ventured out to open his own recording studio, called Carrington House, in Atlanta, Georgia. He also had started his own production company, Compound Entertainment, in 2007, and has hired several producers and songwriters in hopes of turning it into a full-fledged
record label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of Sound recording and reproduction, music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a Music publisher, ...
. It successfully became a label, and artists such as
RaVaughn RaVaughn Nichelle Brown, known professionally as RaVaughn, is an American singer-songwriter from Carson, California. She was initially signed to Ne-Yo's imprint Compound University which includes artists such as Adrienne Bailon. RaVaughn is the ...
,
Paula Campbell Paula Campbell is an American R&B singer from Baltimore, Maryland who first gained prominence as a contestant in the 2003 ''Baltimore Idol'' where she reached the top 8. Following the competition, she collaborated with DJ Rod Lee on the track ...
, Sixx John,
Adrienne Bailon Adrienne Eliza Bailon-Houghton (née Bailon (); born October 24, 1983) is an American television personality, singer, and actress. She is a former member of the girl groups 3LW and the Cheetah Girls. From 2013 to 2022, Bailon was a co-host o ...
and Shanell are now associated with Compound.


Other ventures


Television

In 2011, Ne-Yo was approached by
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...
to help create an animated series. Ne-Yo announced that the show would be titled ''I Heart Tuesday'' and that he had created it for his sister. He also stated that he wanted to avoid having the show resemble the
anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
art style of ''
The Boondocks Boondocks are remote, usually brushy areas. Boondocks may also refer to: * The Boondocks (comic strip), ''The Boondocks'' (comic strip), a comic strip by Aaron McGruder ** The Boondocks (TV series), ''The Boondocks'' (TV series), the television s ...
'' due to the potential cost of the show's animation style. The series has since been believed to have been quietly cancelled. Ne-Yo appeared in an episode of the seventh season of '' CSI: NY'' as a hit-man, under his birth name of Shaffer Smith. In 2011, Ne-Yo appeared in an episode of ''
The Fresh Beat Band ''The Fresh Beat Band'' (originally known as ''The JumpArounds'') is an American live-action musical children's television series created by Scott Kraft and Nadine van der Velde for Nickelodeon. The series stars Yvette González-Nacer, Thoma ...
'' as himself. He starred as the Tin Man in
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
's musical telecast adaptation of ''
The Wiz ''The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz"'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' ...
'' alongside
David Alan Grier David Alan Grier (born June 30, 1956) is an American actor and comedian. Known for his roles on stage and screen, Grier gained popularity playing multiple roles in the American sketch comedy television series '' In Living Color'' (1990–1994) ...
,
Elijah Kelley Elijah Kelley (born August 1, 1986) is an American actor, singer, and dancer. He appeared in films such as '' 28 Days'' (2000), '' Take the Lead'' (2006), '' Hairspray'' (2007), '' Red Tails'' (2012), '' Lee Daniels' The Butler'' (2013), NBC's li ...
,
Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, singer, and actress. She has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe ...
,
Common Common may refer to: As an Irish surname, it is anglicised from Irish Gaelic surname Ó Comáin. Places * Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland * Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts * Cambridge Com ...
,
Amber Riley Amber Patrice Riley (born February 15, 1986) sometimes known mononymously as Riley (stylized in all caps), is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her portrayal of Mercedes Jones on the Fox comedy-drama series ''Glee'' (2009 ...
,
Uzo Aduba Uzoamaka Nwanneka "Uzo" Aduba () (; born February 10, 1981) is an American actress. She gained wide recognition for her role as Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren on the Netflix original series ''Orange Is the New Black'' (2013–2019), for which she w ...
and
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, actress, and entrepreneur. Often referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Qu ...
. The musical telecast premiered December 3, 2015 as a three-hour event. For his performance, he received a Critics' Choice Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie made for Television or Limited Series. In May 2018, he took part in the Celebrity Ninja Warrior special for
Red Nose Day Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make the ...
. He completed the course, resulting in a $30,000 donation. In December 2018, he was the entertainment at 67th Miss Universe pageant where he performed during the opening and final catwalk.


Philanthropy

Ne-Yo is passionate about the arts and children and has shown his support for
Little Kids Rock Music Will, formerly known as Little Kids Rock (LKR), is a nonprofit charity based in Montclair, New Jersey, that encourages and enables children to play popular music. It provides free music instruction and instruments to public school districts ...
by filming a PSA for the organization.


Sports management

In November 2024, Ne-Yo began a stint in sports management, signing boxer
Paul Bamba Paul Bamba (15 August 1989 – 27 December 2024) was a Puerto Rican professional boxer. In his last fight he won the WBA Gold cruiserweight title after defeating Rogelio Medina on 21 December 2024. Early life Bamba was born in Río Piedras, ...
as his first fighter. Ne-Yo was initially introduced to boxing through his uncles when he was younger and he participated in martial arts classes. Later in life, boxing was incorporated into his workout routine, where he would meet Bamba. Bamba would become the
World Boxing Association The World Boxing Association (WBA), formerly known as the National Boxing Association (NBA), is an international professional boxing organization based in Panama. The WBA awards its world championship title at the professional level. Founded ...
's cruiserweight champion in December 2024, and broke Mike Tyson's record for most boxing wins in a calendar year via knockout, with 14 KO's. Bamba died on December 27th, 2024, 6 days after winning the championship.


Personal life


Family

In 2005, Jesseca White, Ne-Yo's girlfriend at the time, gave birth to a boy. Ne-Yo later discovered the child was not his. In June 2010, Ne-Yo told ''
Ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus '' Diospyros'', which also includes the persimmon tree. A few ''Diospyros'' species, such as macassar and mun ebony, are dense enough to sink in water. Ebony is fin ...
'' that he and his then-girlfriend, Monyetta Shaw, were expecting their first child together – a girl due early in 2011. Shaw gave birth prematurely to a daughter in November 2010. Announcing the birth, Ne-Yo said, "I've been in love before but this feels like nothing I've ever felt... like I'm in love for the first time." Shaw and Ne-Yo's son was born in October 2011. They broke up in 2013. In September 2015, the singer announced that he and Crystal Renay Williams were engaged and expecting a child. They were married on February 20, 2016. A son was born to them in March 2016. Their second son was born in June 2018. In February 2020, Ne-Yo announced that he and Crystal would end their marriage, and he withdrew his divorce case afterwards. The pair reconciled during the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
in 2020, with Ne-Yo telling CBS chat show ''The Talk'': "Before the quarantine happened, we were definitely talking divorce, and the quarantine forced us to sit still, block out the noise from the world – you know the world can get very, very loud, and we tend to let the world's opinion mean more in certain situations than it should." Ne-Yo and Crystal's third child, a daughter, was born in June 2021. In April 2022, the couple renewed their vows in a Las Vegas ceremony. Four months later, Crystal filed for divorce, with allegations of Ne-Yo fathering a child outside of marriage. On January 26, 2023, Ne-Yo and Crystal finalized their divorce. In 2019, in wake of the
television documentary Television documentaries are televised media productions that screen documentaries. Television documentaries exist either as a television documentary series or as a television documentary film. * Television documentary series, sometimes called d ...
, ''
Surviving R. Kelly ''Surviving R. Kelly'' is a Lifetime documentary detailing sexual abuse allegations against American singer Robert "R." Kelly. Its first season aired over three nights, from January 3 to January 5, 2019. Filmmaker and music critic Dream Hampt ...
'', Ne-Yo confirmed his support for the Mute R. Kelly campaign. In 2025, he revealed being in a
polyamorous Polyamory () is the practice of, or the desire for, romantic relationships with more than one partner at the same time, with the informed consent of all partners involved. Some people who identify as polyamorous believe in consensual non-mono ...
relationship with four women.


Legal issues

On February 19, 2008, Ne-Yo was arrested for
reckless driving In United States law, reckless driving is a major moving violation related to aggressive driving that generally consists of driving a vehicle with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property. It is usually a more serious o ...
and driving without a valid license after driving through
Cobb County, Georgia Cobb County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, and is a core county of the Atlanta metropolitan area in the north-central portion of the state. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 766, ...
in his 2006
Range Rover The Land Rover Range Rover, generally shortened to Range Rover, is a Sport utility vehicle, 4x4 Luxury car, luxury SUV produced by Land Rover, a marque and sub-brand of Jaguar Land Rover, owned by Tata Motors. The Range Rover line was launched ...
. It was reported that he was doing about 150 mph, 100 mph over the speed limit. On June 2, 2008, Ne-Yo pleaded guilty to the driving without a valid license charge and no contest to the reckless driving charge. He was sentenced to 24 hours of community service. In 1998, Ne-Yo signed a management agreement with David Wallace for seven years that Wallace would provide professional management services for Ne-Yo in exchange for 15%. But shortly after, the singer moved to
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
where his career started to blossom. Tanya Wallace maintains David Wallace tried to contact Ne-Yo several times by telephone but was unsuccessful. In 2007, Wallace filed a complaint against Smith in district court, seeking damages for breach of contract and other claims. While litigation was pending, Wallace divorced his wife, Tanya, and the divorce decree awarded Tanya one-half of the proceeds from any future judgment in the lawsuit. The district court later dismissed the case and while Wallace's appeal was pending, he died in 2012. On August 22, 2011, Ne-Yo was sued along with rapper
Pitbull Pit bull is an umbrella term for several types of dog believed to have descended from bull and terriers. In the United States, the term is usually considered to include the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American B ...
and DJ
Afrojack Nick Leonardus van de Wall (; born 9 September 1987), known professionally as Afrojack (stylized in all caps), is a Dutch DJ, record producer and remixer. In 2007, he founded the record label Wall Recordings; his debut album ''Forget the World ( ...
by actress
Lindsay Lohan Lindsay Dee Lohan ( ; born July 2, 1986) is an American actress, singer, producer, and businesswoman. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Lohan was signed to Ford Models at age three. She appeared as a regular on the soap opera ' ...
, claiming that their song "Give Me Everything" referenced her by name in the lyrics. A judge ruled that Pitbull's use of her name was protected by the
First Amendment First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
and that Lohan was barely mentioned in the song. Pitbull then won the lawsuit. On March 22, 2023, Ne-Yo was revealed to have been charged by the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its ...
for violating investor-protection laws. Ne-Yo settled the charges for over $400,000 without admitting or denying the claims.


Health

In August 2017, Ne-Yo announced he had adopted a
vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a ve ...
diet after viewing the documentary ''
What the Health ''What the Health'' is a 2017 American documentary film that advocates for a plant-based diet. It critiques the health effects of meat, dairy product and egg consumption, and questions the practices of leading health and pharmaceutical organiza ...
''. In February 2019, he said in an interview that he had lost "like 30 pounds" and had also reversed his
tendinitis Tendinopathy is a type of tendon disorder that results in pain, swelling, and impaired function. The pain is typically worse with movement. It most commonly occurs around the shoulder ( rotator cuff tendinitis, biceps tendinitis), elbow ( tenn ...
since he became vegan, calling it "one of the best things he's ever done". However, his representative confirmed in March 2020 that he was no longer a vegan.


Comments about transgender youth

During a television appearance in 2023, Ne-Yo made comments that were critical of
transgender youth Transgender youth are children or adolescents who do not identify with the Sex assignment, sex they were assigned at birth. Because transgender youth are usually dependent on their parents for care, shelter, financial support, and other needs ...
and
gender affirming care Transgender health care includes the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of physical and mental health conditions which affect transgender individuals.Gorton N, Grubb HM (2014). General, Sexual, and Reproductive health. In L. Erickson-Schroth. ...
for children. He later posted an apology for his comments. The following day, Ne-Yo retracted his apology and suggested that the apology had come from a publicist.


Discography

;Studio albums * ''
In My Own Words ''In My Own Words'' is the debut studio album of American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was released by Def Jam Recordings on February 28, 2006. Conceived following his songwriting breakthrough with " Let Me Love You" for fellow R&B singer Mario in ...
'' (2006) * '' Because of You'' (2007) * '' Year of the Gentleman'' (2008) * ''
Libra Scale ''Libra Scale'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. It was released on October 27, 2010 in Japan, followed by a release in the United Kingdom on October 29, as well as a release in the United States on November 22, 2010 ...
'' (2010) * '' R.E.D.'' (2012) * ''
Non-Fiction Non-fiction (or nonfiction) is any document or content (media), media content that attempts, in good faith, to convey information only about the real life, real world, rather than being grounded in imagination. Non-fiction typically aims to pre ...
'' (2015) * '' Good Man'' (2018) * ''Another Kind of Christmas'' (2019) * '' Self Explanatory'' (2022)


Tour

* Champagne and Roses Tour (2023–2024)


Filmography


Film


Television


Awards and nominations

Ne-Yo has received several nominations at the
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
s during his career, winning three;
Best Contemporary R&B Album The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album was an Honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the contempora ...
for ''Because of You'',
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance was awarded between 1968 and 2011. The award has had several minor name changes: *In 1968 it was awarded as Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Male *From 1969 to 1994 it was awarded as Best R&B ...
and
Best R&B Song The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record five times, while Ba ...
for " Miss Independent". The
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
has nominated Ne-Yo in 2008 for Best Dancing in a Video for "Closer".


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ne-yo 1979 births Living people 21st-century African-American male actors 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American singers African-American Christians African-American male dancers African-American male singers African-American record producers American contemporary R&B singers American male dancers American male pop singers American male singers American male television actors American people of Chinese descent Philanthropists from Arkansas American tenors Def Jam Recordings artists Grammy Award winners Judges in American reality television series Male actors from Arkansas Male actors from Las Vegas Masked Singer winners Motown artists Musicians from Las Vegas People from Camden, Arkansas Musicians from the Las Vegas Valley Record producers from Arkansas Record producers from Nevada Singers from Arkansas Singers from Nevada Songwriters from Arkansas Songwriters from Nevada