Ne-Yo

Biography

Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known professionally as Ne-Yo ( NEE-yoh), is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He first gained recognition for his songwriting abilities after having written Mario's 2004 single "Let Me Love You", the success of which led to a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings under then-president Jay-Z the next year. Regarded as a preeminent figure in 2000s R&B music, he is the recipient of numerous accolades—including three Grammy Awards.
His 2005 single, "So Sick×So Sick2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1So Sick (radio)A2So Sick (instrumental)B1Stay (radio)B2Stay (instrumental)", marked his commercial breakthrough, peaking atop the Billboard Hot 100 by the following year. The song, along with the follow-up singles "When You're Mad" and "Sexy Love×Sexy Love26 June 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Sexy Love3:442Sexy Love (acoustic)3:353Sign Me Up3:29", preceded the release of his debut studio album, In My Own Words×In My Own Words2005 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Stay3:522Let Me Get This Right3:483So Sick3:294When You're Mad3:425It Just Ain't Right3:486Mirror3:487Sign Me Up3:278I Ain't Gotta Tell You3:179Get Down Like That4:0610Sexy Love3:4111Let Go3:4912Time3:3013Girlfriend4:0114Get Down Like That (remix)4:57 (2006), which debuted atop the Billboard 200 and was critically praised. It also earned two nominations at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), in addition to similar certifications in the UK, Japan and Australia.
His second and third studio albums, Because of You×Because of You24 April 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Because of You4:272Crazy4:213Can We Chill4:244Do You3:485Addicted3:466Leaving Tonight5:157Ain't Thinking About You3:418Sex With My Ex3:399Angel3:2810Make It Work4:0911Say It4:4112Go on Girl4:2113Hate That I Love You3:3914Make Me Better4:13 (2007) and Year of the Gentleman×Year of the Gentleman1 January 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Closer3:542Nobody3:073Single4:184Mad4:155Miss Independent3:526Why Does She Stay4:337Fade Into the Background3:188So You Can Cry4:189Part of the List4:1010Back to What You Know4:1011Lie to Me4:2712Stop This World4:2413She Got Her Own5:32 (2008), continued his commercial success, reaching numbers one and two on the Billboard 200, respectively. Because of You won Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, while Year of the Gentleman was nominated for the same award and for Album of the Year. The albums spawned the U.S. top-ten singles "Because of You", "Closer×Closer23 June 2008 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Closer (main)3:572Closer (Agent X Bassline remix)5:24", and "Miss Independent×Miss Independent3 October 2008 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Miss Independent3:512Closer (StoneBridge club remix)7:36"; the latter won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards. Year of the Gentleman was certified double platinum by the RIAA and triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
Libra Scale (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 and signed with its fellow Universal Music Group subsidiary, Motown, as both a recording artist and short-tenured label executive.. His fifth album, R.E.D.×R.E.D.31 October 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Cracks in Mr. Perfect4:562Lazy Love3:163Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)4:124Miss Right3:505Jealous4:086Don't Make Em Like You4:107Be the One3:478Stress Reliever3:369She Is3:2710Carry On (Her Letter to Him)3:5711Forever Now3:4112Shut Me Down3:4113Unconditional4:3814Should Be You4:1615My Other Gun3:1816Alone With You (Maddies Song)4:5917Let's Go3:5818Let Me Love You (Until Your Learn to Love Yourself) (feat. Beni)4:15 (2012), peaked at number four on the chart and was preceded by the single "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)×Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)31 July 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)4:14", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked atop the UK Singles Chart. His sixth album, Non-Fiction×Non-Fiction26 January 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Run3:072Integrity3:543One More4:184Who’s Taking You Home3:485Time of Our Lives3:496Coming With You4:197Good Morning3:198Make It Easy3:379Money Can’t Buy4:2210Religious3:4911She Knows3:3412She Said I’m Hood Tho4:0513Story Time3:1214Congratulations4:31 (2015), was met with similar commercial response in spite of a steep critical decline. It was supported by the Billboard Hot 100-top ten single "Time of Our Lives" (with Pitbull) and top 40 single, "She Knows×She Knows16 September 2014 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1She Knows3:41" (featuring Juicy J). His seventh album, Good Man×GOOD MAN8 June 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1“Caterpillars 1st” (intro)0:4121 More Shot3:513LA NIGHTS3:554Nights Like These3:245U Deserve3:456Summertime2:557Push Back3:418Breathe4:049On Ur Mind3:2210Back Chapters4:1111Hotbox4:1612Over U3:2813Without U3:1414Apology4:0815Ocean Sure3:4416“The Struggle…” (interlude)0:2617GOOD MAN3:5018Pour Me Up3:4919Won’t Be Often3:4420Reset the Night3:32 (2018), peaked at number 33 on the Billboard 200, while his eighth and ninth albums, Another Kind of Christmas×Another Kind of Christmas11 October 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks1This Christmas3:062Talk About It3:093Carol of the Bells2:204Open Mine Tonight4:165Just Ain’t Christmas3:226Christmas Vibez3:167Merry Christmas Baby2:478I Want to Come Home for Christmas3:409The Christmas Song2:3710Someday at Christmas2:5211It’s for Everybody3:56 (2019) and Self Explanatory×Self Explanatory15 July 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Layin’ Low3:012You Got the Body2:573After Party3:164Handle Me Gently3:015Don’t Love Me2:476U 2 Luv3:287Push Up2:298Proud of You3:319Call Me Up3:1710What If3:4311Want It All or Nothing3:2412No Loot2:4313Stay Down3:51 (2022), narrowly entered the chart.
Alongside his recording career, Ne-Yo served as a judge for the reality competition series World of Dance from 2017 to 2020 alongside Jennifer Lopez and Derek Hough. In 2021, Ne-Yo competed as Badger on the second season of The Masked Singer UK, and finished in second place. In 2023, he competed on the tenth season of The Masked Singer, as the Cow and finished in first place. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Ne-Yo has sold 29 million certified albums and singles in the United States. Billboard ranked "Give Me Everything" 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, 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, Nevada.
While in the Las Vegas Academy, Smith adopted the stage name GoGo and joined an R&B group called Envy, who appeared during amateur night on Showtime at the Apollo and on the short lived MTV series The Cut (hosted by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC). 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.

1998–2005: Career beginnings

After Envy disbanded in 2000, Columbia Records signed Ne-Yo, but the label dropped him before he could release his already-recorded first album. American singer Marques Houston happened to hear "That Girl", which Ne-Yo had planned to release as his debut single 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's 2004 album Complex Simplicity, Christina Milian's It's About Time, and the American boy band Youngstown, none of which, however, brought Ne-Yo much mainstream attention. Ne-Yo has also contributed songs to singers Mary J. Blige, B2K, Faith Evans, and Musiq, among others.
A breakthrough came when Ne-Yo wrote "Let Me Love You" for American singer Mario. 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, arranged an informal meeting with label head L.A. Reid. Despite not seeking a new contract at the time, then-CEO of Def Jam Jay-Z 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 Words2005 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Stay3:522Let Me Get This Right3:483So Sick3:294When You're Mad3:425It Just Ain't Right3:486Mirror3:487Sign Me Up3:278I Ain't Gotta Tell You3:179Get Down Like That4:0610Sexy Love3:4111Let Go3:4912Time3:3013Girlfriend4:0114Get Down Like That (remix)4:57, through Def Jam. Boosted by its popular second single "So Sick×So Sick2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1So Sick (radio)A2So Sick (instrumental)B1Stay (radio)B2Stay (instrumental)", 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" and "Sexy Love×Sexy Love26 June 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Sexy Love3:442Sexy Love (acoustic)3:353Sign Me Up3:29", which peaked at number 15 and number seven, respectively. The album has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for a shipment of over one million units.
His second album, Because of You×Because of You24 April 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Because of You4:272Crazy4:213Can We Chill4:244Do You3:485Addicted3:466Leaving Tonight5:157Ain't Thinking About You3:418Sex With My Ex3:399Angel3:2810Make It Work4:0911Say It4:4112Go on Girl4:2113Hate That I Love You3:3914Make Me Better4:13, 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, 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 performed at a fund-raising concert for the then–presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama.

2008–2010: Year of the Gentleman and Libra Scale

Ne-Yo's third album, Year of the Gentleman×Year of the Gentleman1 January 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Closer3:542Nobody3:073Single4:184Mad4:155Miss Independent3:526Why Does She Stay4:337Fade Into the Background3:188So You Can Cry4:189Part of the List4:1010Back to What You Know4:1011Lie to Me4:2712Stop This World4:2413She Got Her Own5:32, was released internationally on August 5, 2008. Speaking to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning Blues & Soul, 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 [Ne-Yo] can be". The first two singles, "Closer×Closer23 June 2008 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Closer (main)3:572Closer (Agent X Bassline remix)5:24" and "Miss Independent×Miss Independent3 October 2008 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Miss Independent3:512Closer (StoneBridge club remix)7:36", peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album and Album of the Year at the 2009 Grammy Awards, "Closer" for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, and "Miss Independent" for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. 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 released "Single", 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; 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×The Collection2 September 2009 · Album · CompilationSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Because of You4:282So Sick3:283Sexy Love3:414Closer3:565Stay3:526Miss Independent3:527Crazy4:228In the Way4:159Go on Girl4:2110Mad4:1511When You’re Mad3:4212Can We Chill4:2513Part of the List4:1014Do You3:4815Because of You (remix)3:44 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 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 titled "Angels Cry". In June 2010, Ne-Yo released the single "Beautiful Monster×Beautiful Monster2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Beautiful Monster (album version)4:122Beautiful Monster (Mixin' Marc & Tony Svejda remix edit)4:093Beautiful Monster (Tony Moran & Warren Rigg Save the Soul edit)4:314Beautiful Monster (Low Sunday Terrified edit)4:215Beautiful Monster (Mixin' Marc & Tony Svejda remix extended)6:346Beautiful Monster (Tony Moran & Warren Rigg Save the Soul club)9:417Beautiful Monster (Low Sunday Terrified club)7:198Beautiful Monster (Mixin' Marc & Tony Svejda remix instrumental)6:349Beautiful Monster (Tony Moran & Warren Rigg Save the Soul Anthem dub)9:4110Beautiful Monster (Low Sunday Terrified dub)7:51", 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. 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×One In a Million13 September 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1One In a Million4:03", respectively.
Libra Scale 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×Libra Scale27 October 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Champagne Life5:232Makin' a Movie3:523Know Your Name4:074Telekinesis4:225Crazy Love3:506One in a Million4:037Genuine Only3:568Cause I Said So3:499Beautiful Monster4:1110What Have I Done?3:5111Beautiful Monster (Tony Moran edit)4:33'. 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, while debuting at number one on the UK R&B Chart.

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 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, JB, Beyoncé, Monica, Alexandra Burke, Cheryl Cole, and Willow Smith's upcoming albums. Ne-Yo starred in two motion pictures, the long-gestating George Lucas project Red Tails, 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 artist Alexis Jordan and her self-titled debut album as well as Jennifer Hudson 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 and was one of the few artists not to cancel appearances in the wake of the 2011 Japan earthquake.
In the spring of 2011, Ne-Yo featured alongside Nayer and Afrojack on Pitbull's single "Give Me Everything", 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 Sick2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1So Sick (radio)A2So Sick (instrumental)B1Stay (radio)B2Stay (instrumental)" and his first as a guest artist. Ne-Yo also revealed in an interview that he would like to collaborate with Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Drake 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 to Motown Records. 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.×R.E.D.31 October 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Cracks in Mr. Perfect4:562Lazy Love3:163Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)4:124Miss Right3:505Jealous4:086Don't Make Em Like You4:107Be the One3:478Stress Reliever3:369She Is3:2710Carry On (Her Letter to Him)3:5711Forever Now3:4112Shut Me Down3:4113Unconditional4:3814Should Be You4:1615My Other Gun3:1816Alone With You (Maddies Song)4:5917Let's Go3:5818Let Me Love You (Until Your Learn to Love Yourself) (feat. Beni)4:15 (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×Lazy Love12 June 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Lazy Love3:17", was released on June 12, 2012, and peaked at number forty-two on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)×Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)31 July 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)4:14", 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 and became Ne-Yo's fifth number-one song in the United Kingdom. Because of Kevin McCall'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, in the Summer Beats Concert Series, otherwise known as the MJ Birthday Concert, which was on what would have been the 54th birthday of the late American pop icon Michael Jackson which was sponsored by and live-streamed by Pepsi and Billboard. He performed a medley of hits, as well as performing "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Smooth Criminal" and "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" from Jackson's best-selling 1987 album, Bad, in preparation for the reissue of Bad 25 on September 18, 2012. The concert took place at Gotham Hall 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 with Jamie Foxx guest-hosting for that week.
In 2012, Ne-Yo was awarded the Hal David Starlight Award of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame 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 on David Guetta's single "Play Hard", from his 2012 album Nothing but the Beat 2.0. He also collaborated with Jessica Sanchez on her single "Tonight×Tonight22 March 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Tonight3:58" 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 collaborated on their single "It's All Good", which eventually was featured on Fruttare commercials. Around the same time, he and Celine Dion recorded "Incredible" for Dion's 2013 album Loved Me Back to Life. "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-Fiction26 January 2015 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Run3:072Integrity3:543One More4:184Who’s Taking You Home3:485Time of Our Lives3:496Coming With You4:197Good Morning3:198Make It Easy3:379Money Can’t Buy4:2210Religious3:4911She Knows3:3412She Said I’m Hood Tho4:0513Story Time3:1214Congratulations4:31. That same day, he announced a new single, "Money Can't Buy". On September 16, 2014, the lead single from "Non Fiction" was sent to mainstream radio titled "She Knows×She Knows16 September 2014 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1She Knows3:41" featuring Juicy J. 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 on a new song for the Tomorrowland anthem titled "Higher Place". In 2016, Ne-Yo collaborated with Yunel and J Alvarez for their single entitled "Sin Miedo×Sin miedo11 November 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sin miedo4:11", released on November 12, 2016, and with Diamond Platnumz for their single entitled "Marry You", released on February 2, 2017.
On May 8, 2017, Ne-Yo released a single "Earn Your Love" for his forthcoming seventh album, Good Man×GOOD MAN8 June 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 20 tracks1“Caterpillars 1st” (intro)0:4121 More Shot3:513LA NIGHTS3:554Nights Like These3:245U Deserve3:456Summertime2:557Push Back3:418Breathe4:049On Ur Mind3:2210Back Chapters4:1111Hotbox4:1612Over U3:2813Without U3:1414Apology4:0815Ocean Sure3:4416“The Struggle…” (interlude)0:2617GOOD MAN3:5018Pour Me Up3:4919Won’t Be Often3:4420Reset the Night3:32, whilst announcing that the album is slated for a release in 2017. A new single, "Another Love Song×Another Love Song30 May 2017 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Another Love Song3:31" was released on May 30, 2017. He also made a cameo in the comedy film Girls Trip, starring Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Regina Hall.
Ne-Yo's seventh album, Good Man, was released on June 18, 2018, via Compound Entertainment and Motown Records. This was in conflict with his previous announcement, where he said he would release it in 2017.

2020–present: Self-Explanatory, The Masked Singer, and Tours

On March 27, 2020, Ne-Yo collaborated with Jamaican dancehall singer Charly Black for the single "Over Again×Over Again27 March 2020 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Over Again3:23".
From 2020 to 2021, Ne-Yo competed as "Badger" in the second season of the British version of The Masked Singer. He finished as the runner-up to Joss Stone as "Sausage". He also confirmed that his eighth album, previously titled Sweet Escape, had been renamed Self Explanatory×Self Explanatory15 July 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Layin’ Low3:012You Got the Body2:573After Party3:164Handle Me Gently3:015Don’t Love Me2:476U 2 Luv3:287Push Up2:298Proud of You3:319Call Me Up3:1710What If3:4311Want It All or Nothing3:2412No Loot2:4313Stay Down3:51. It was released on Motown Records on July 15, 2022.
In 2023, Ne-Yo competed in season ten of The Masked Singer as "Cow" where he finished 1st, winning the competition.
On November 21, 2025, Ne-Yo released the single "Simple Things×Simple Things21 November 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Simple Things2:59", a country-tinged ballad produced by Dave Cohen and Yung Lan and released through Compound Entertainment and 10K Projects. A visualizer followed shortly after on December 2, 2025.
On December 4, 2025, Ne-Yo made his Broadway debut in Hell's Kitchen, a semi-autobiographical jukebox musical by Alicia Keys, playing the role of Davis.
Ne-Yo began his Nights Like This tour alongside Akon on April 24, 2026 in Dublin.
On July 10, 2026, Ne-Yo released his tenth studio album, Highway 79×Highway 7910 July 2026 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Up Out & Gone2:572Hate Me Now3:103Wish I Didn't Know You3:124Thinking What I'm Thinking4:425Dance Right Now3:096Ms. Tundra3:127Next Round on Me3:388Simple Things2:599Only Ever Been You2:5910Crooked Halo3:1311If I Roped the Moon3:52, which combines his "signature R&B vocals with Southern sounds and country influences."

Musical style and influences

Ne-Yo's music is generally R&B, while he also incorporates pop and hip-hop occasionally. His musical influences include Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Babyface, Blackstreet, and Usher. Ne-Yo is noted for his tenor voice, including his application of falsetto in his works.

Songwriting and production

Ne-Yo frequently co-writes with Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen of the Norwegian production team Stargate. Ne-Yo met them in a hallway at Sony Music Studios 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×So Sick2005 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracksA1So Sick (radio)A2So Sick (instrumental)B1Stay (radio)B2Stay (instrumental)".
Aside from working on his own album, Ne-Yo also collaborates with several other artists. His works include: Rihanna's top-ten singles "Unfaithful", "Russian Roulette", and her number-one hit "Take a Bow", Mario Vazquez's "Gallery", Paula DeAnda's "Walk Away (Remember Me)", and Beyoncé Knowles' Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Irreplaceable", which stayed at the top of the chart for ten consecutive weeks. He wrote the song "I'm You" for Leona Lewis's debut album Spirit, and is currently writing songs for her next album and for the debut album of fellow X Factor winner Alexandra Burke. He has also been working with Sugababes for their seventh album, with member Keisha Buchanan confirming that Ne-Yo had written a song called "No More You" for their album.
In 2010, he dueted with Mariah Carey on "Angel's Cry", a song for her cancelled album, Angels Advocate. Ne-Yo has also written songs for Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Carrie Underwood, Anastacia, Ciara, Corbin Bleu, Enrique Iglesias, and Dima Bilan. He collaborated with Lindsay Lohan 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 to work on what would have been Michael Jackson'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.
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. It successfully became a label, and artists such as RaVaughn, Paula Campbell, Sixx John, Adrienne Bailon and Shanell are now associated with Compound.

Television

In 2011, Ne-Yo was approached by Cartoon Network 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 art style of The Boondocks 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 as himself.
He starred as the Tin Man in NBC's musical telecast adaptation of The Wiz alongside David Alan Grier, Elijah Kelley, Queen Latifah, Common, Amber Riley, Uzo Aduba and Mary J. Blige. 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. 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 by filming a PSA for the organization.

Sports management

In November 2024, Ne-Yo began a stint in sports management, signing boxer Paul Bamba 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'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.

Family

In 2005, Jessica 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 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 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. Ne-Yo fathered two sons, born in 2021 and 2023, to influencer Sade Jenea Bagnerise.
In 2019, in wake of the television documentary, Surviving R. Kelly, Ne-Yo confirmed his support for the Mute R. Kelly campaign.
In 2025, he revealed being in polyamorous relationships with four women.

Legal issues

On February 19, 2008, Ne-Yo was arrested for reckless driving and driving without a valid license after driving through Cobb County, Georgia in his 2006 Range Rover. 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 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 and DJ Afrojack by actress Lindsay Lohan, 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 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 for violating investor-protection laws. Ne-Yo settled the charges for over $400,000 without admitting or denying the claims.

Views on transgender people

During a television appearance in 2023, Ne-Yo made comments that were critical of transgender youth and gender affirming care for children. He added: "I just personally come from an era where a man was a man and a woman was a woman. And there was two genders, and that's just how I rocked. You could identify as a goldfish if you feel like, I don't care. That ain't my business. It becomes my business when you try to make me play the game with you. I'm not gonna call you a goldfish. But if you wanna be a goldfish, you go be a goldfish". 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.