At the
tender age of twenty-two,
the lyrical and musical
talent that Ne-Yo posses
are far beyond his years.
Born into a family of musicians
from Arkansas, Shaffer C.
Smith a.k.a. Ne-Yo was raised
in a single parent home
by his mother. In hopes
of a better opportunity,
Ne-Yo's mother relocated
the family to Las Vegas
Nevada; where Ne-Yo would
discover his passion.
The singer/songwriter,
penned on the biggest radio
records of history (189.5
million listeners in one
week) Billboards #1 R&B
chart for several weeks,
the words on "Let Me
Love You" touch your
heart and makes you feel
good in your soul. Written
with Scott Storch and Kam
Houf and performed by the
R&B artist Mario, "Let
Me Love You" is just
a glimpse into the mind
of a true writer. "It's
a great song, and I'm really
happy to have wrote it,"
he says."
A master in the art of
storytelling, Ne-Yo began
writing at an early age.
A vivid imagination and
creative energy has allowed
Ne-Yo to write songs for
multi-platinum artists such
as Mary J. Blige, B2K, Faith
Evans, and Musiq. When asked
about writing number one
hits for other artists,
simply put, Ne-Yo said,
"I feel there is always
room for good music. I want
to reach people's soul with
my lyrics thru whatever
vessel God chooses."
Set to release his debut
album on Def Jam Recordings,
this dynamic entertainer
is ready to deliver. Infusing
pop melodies to rich, soulful
production the album is
sure to score with fans
and critics alike. Relying
on mostly his own in-house
crew Compound, Ne-Yo creates
both a unique sound and
sentiment for his records.
Songs like the first single
"Stay" (featuring
Peedi Crack) exemplify Ne-Yo's
nuanced, layered vocals
and sample free production.
"So Sick", a beautiful
track in which he laments
hearing love songs on the
radio due to the feelings
they conjure, reveals his
voice to be clean and almost
elated, but rich and weathered
at the same time. But true
to his charismatic character,
the album shows many sides
of Ne-Yo and even finds
him lighter, more playful,
even coy, on "When
You're Mad." Sure cello
hits move the track as Ne-Yo
floats above, telling his
woman that she's even more
beautiful when she's mad.
With the album in the chamber,
ready to go, Ne-Yo now just
has to prepare himself for
the stardom that is sure
to follow. "The toughest
part has been getting used
to being known," he
confesses, "I've always
been the writer, the guy
in the background, but being
the actual artist is a whole
new experience for me."
Citing Prince, Marvin Gaye,
The Rat Pack, and Stevie
Wonder in his list of favorite
entertainers, Ne-Yo's album
invokes a nostalgic feeling,
a renaissance if you will.
Whether it's the bedroom
or the dance floor, Ne-Yo's
songs are filled with passion
and intense energy that
pulls (you into the music)
and puts you into a zone.
Ne-Yo is taking the music
industry by storm, as he
graces and challenges popular
music with his writing &
vocal talents. Much more
than today's male singer,
Ne-Yo is a rare artist;
expressing creativity thru
drawings, paintings, martial
arts and song. He is distinguished
by youthful energy with
in-depth lyrics that touch
the soul. Ne-Yo is honored
and ecstatic to be apart
of the Def Jam brand, which
produces some of the best
R&B and hip-hop artists
in the world.