Ne-Yo R&B singer and songwriter Ne-Yo was born Shaffer Chimere Smith on October 18, 1982, in Camden, Arkansas. Raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, by his mother, Ne-Yo attended Rancho High School. He wrote his first song at age five – about mustard. Ne-Yo got his official start in the music industry as a songwriter when he penned material for the group Youngstown in his late teens. The idea for the stage name "Ne-Yo" came from his producer who felt that Ne-Yo saw music in the same way that the character Neo in The Matrix (1999) sees the universe. In 2004, Ne-Yo cracked the radio with a song he wrote for Mario, “Let Me Love You.” In early 2006, Ne-Yo released his debut album on Def Jam Records, In My Own Words, which debuted at number one on Billboard 200 and sold over 301,000 copies in the first week. The album was met with rave reviews from USA Today and People magazine, and led to appearances on such shows as The Tyra Banks Show and Live with Regis & Kelly. Also in 2006, Ne-Yo appeared on Remy Ma's There's Something About Remy, as well as Ghostface Killah's Fishscale. He also appeared as an opening act for LL Cool J's Custom Concert on March 18, 2006.
Ne-Yo has also penned hits for a formidable list of singers, including Rihanna, Beyoncé', Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Enrique Iglesias, Mary J. Blige, B2K, Faith Evans, and Musiq. On the subject of writing songs for other singers, Ne-Yo has stated, "I feel there is always room for good music. I want to reach people's soul with my lyrics thru whatever vessel God chooses." In 2006, Ne-Yo starred as himself in the sequel to Save the last Dance (2000), Steppin' Up: Save the Last Dance 2, alongside Izabella Miko, Columbus Short, Jacqueline Bisset, Aubrey Dollar, and Ray J. Ne-Yo also worked on the soundtrack to the film, which was released direct-to-DVD. A close friend to R&B singer Chris Brown, Ne-Yo is often compared in his dance style to Brown, and both have been compared to Michael Jackson. Ne-Yo’s movements, however, are generally regarded as smoother in technique than Brown, who opts for a more high energy dance style. Ne-Yo is also influenced by Prince, Marvin Gaye, The Rat Pack, and Stevie Wonder, whom he cites as his favorite entertainers.
Ne-Yo, who is left-handed, enjoys video games and spending time with his son, Chimere. His sophomore album is slated for release in April of 2007. The album’s first single, “Because of You,” is now in stores. YUDDY |
