Ne-Yo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo in 2025
Born	Shaffer Chimere Smith (1979-10-18) October 18, 1979 (age 45) Camden, Arkansas, U.S.
Other names	Gogo
Education	Las Vegas Academy
Occupation	Singer songwriter record producer dancer actor
Years active	1998–present
Works	Discography production
Spouse(s)	Crystal Renay Williams ​ ​ (m. 2016; div. 2023)​
Partner(s)	Monyetta Shaw (2009–2013)
Children	7
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Genres	R&B pop hip hop soul
Labels	Compound Motown Def Jam
Signature

Shaffer Chimere Smith (born October 18, 1979), known as Ne-Yo, is an American singer and songwriter. He is a very important artist in R&B music from the 2000s. He has won many awards, including three Grammy Awards.

Ne-Yo first became famous for his songwriting. He wrote the successful song "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario in 2004. This success led him to meet Jay-Z, who was the head of Def Jam at the time. Ne-Yo then signed a contract with Def Jam.

His first single, "Stay" (featuring Peedi Peedi), was released in 2005 but didn't become a big hit. However, his next song, "So Sick", was a huge success. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. ..... This album went straight to number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It also received great reviews and sold over a million copies.

Ne-Yo's second album, Because of You (2007), also reached number one on the Billboard 200. It won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. His third album, Year of the Gentleman (2008), continued his success. It was nominated for many Grammys, including Album of the Year. The song "Miss Independent" from this album won two Grammy Awards. Year of the Gentleman sold over two million copies.

His fourth album, Libra Scale (2010), did well on international charts. After this, Ne-Yo moved to Motown Records. His fifth album, R.E.D. (2012), reached number four on the charts. It included the hit song "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)", which was number one in the UK. His sixth album, Non-Fiction (2015), featured the top ten song "Time of Our Lives" with Pitbull. His later albums include Good Man (2018), Another Kind of Christmas (2019), and Self Explanatory (2022).

Besides his music, Ne-Yo was a judge on the TV show World of Dance from 2017 to 2020. In 2021, he competed on The Masked Singer UK as Badger and came in second place. In 2023, he competed on The Masked Singer in the US as the Cow and won the season. Ne-Yo has sold millions of albums and singles in the United States. Many of his songs have been huge hits around the world.

Early Life

Shaffer Chimere Smith was born on October 18, 1979, in Camden, Arkansas. His parents, Lorraine and Shaffer Smith, were both musicians. When he was a young child, his mother raised him after she and his father separated. His family then moved to Las Vegas, Nevada.

While attending the Las Vegas Academy, Smith started using the stage name GoGo. He joined an R&B group called Envy. The group appeared on TV shows like Showtime at the Apollo and The Cut. The group broke up in 2000. After that, Smith continued to write songs for other artists before starting his own singing career. The name Ne-Yo was given to him by a producer named Big D Evans. Evans said that Ne-Yo saw music in a special way, like the character Neo sees the Matrix in the movies.

Music Career

1998–2005: Early Career

Ne-Yo performing in July 2005

After his group Envy broke up in 2000, Columbia Records signed Ne-Yo. However, the record label dropped him before he could release his first album. Another American singer, Marques Houston, heard a song called "That Girl". Ne-Yo had planned to release this song as his first single. Houston re-recorded the song and released it on his 2003 album MH. This helped Ne-Yo become known as a talented songwriter.

For the next two years, Ne-Yo kept writing songs for other artists. He wrote songs for Teedra Moses's 2004 album Complex Simplicity and Christina Milian's It's About Time. He also wrote for the boy band Youngstown. However, these songs did not bring Ne-Yo much widespread attention. He also wrote for famous singers like Mary J. Blige, B2K, Faith Evans, and Musiq.

A big moment came when Ne-Yo wrote "Let Me Love You" for American singer Mario. This song became a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed at the top for nine weeks. After this success, Tina Davis, who worked for Def Jam Recordings, set up a meeting for Ne-Yo. Even though Ne-Yo wasn't looking for a new contract, Jay-Z, who was the CEO of Def Jam at the time, signed him after hearing him perform.

2006–2007: First Albums

Ne-Yo promoting Because of You in 2007

In early 2006, Ne-Yo released his first album, In My Own Words, with Def Jam. The album was very popular because of its second single, "So Sick". The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 301,000 copies in its first week. In the same week, "So Sick" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. ..... The album has sold over one million copies in the US.

His second album, Because of You, came out on May 1, 2007. It also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 251,000 copies. This was Ne-Yo's second album to reach number one. The first single from this album was the title track, which reached number two on the charts. In December 2007, Ne-Yo performed at a concert to raise money for Senator Barack Obama, who was running for president.

2008–2010: Continued Success

Ne-Yo's third album, Year of the Gentleman, was released on August 5, 2008. Ne-Yo explained that the title meant being a gentleman in the music business. He wanted to show that artists could be calm, polite, and charming.

The album sold 250,000 copies in its first week in the United States. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. Critics gave the album good reviews. The first two singles, "Closer" and "Miss Independent", both reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was nominated for several Grammy Awards, and "Miss Independent" won two Grammys. Year of the Gentleman has sold over one million copies. The third single, "Mad", reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In August 2008, the New Kids on the Block released "Single", a song featuring Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo also included his own version of the song on his album. In December 2008, Ne-Yo performed at the Kennedy Center Honors to honor Barbra Streisand. In 2009, Billboard magazine ranked him as one of the top artists of the 2000s. In September 2009, Ne-Yo released a greatest hits album called Ne-Yo: The Collection in Japan.

In January 2010, Ne-Yo sang a duet with Mariah Carey called "Angels Cry". In June 2010, Ne-Yo released the single "Beautiful Monster", which became his third number-one song on the UK Singles Chart. It reached number 53 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ne-Yo also announced he was working with Stan Lee on a comic book for his new album. The second and third singles from the album were "Champagne Life" and "One in a Million".

Libra Scale was released on November 22, 2010. It received good reviews from music critics. However, it did not sell as many copies as his previous albums. It debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 112,000 copies in its first week. Ne-Yo explained that the album was about choosing between money, power, and fame versus love.

2011–2012: R.E.D.

Ne-Yo in a recording studio in 2011

In February 2011, Ne-Yo announced that his new album would be called Love and Passion. He also said it would be released in September, but this title was later changed. American rapper Fabolous mentioned that he was planning a collaboration album with Ne-Yo. Ne-Yo also wrote songs for other artists like Mary J. Blige, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Hudson. Ne-Yo also acted in two movies, Red Tails (released in 2012) and Battle: Los Angeles (released in 2011).

In spring 2011, Ne-Yo was featured on Pitbull's single "Give Me Everything". This song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This was Ne-Yo's second number-one hit in the US. Ne-Yo also said he wanted to work with Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Drake on his next album.

Ne-Yo performing songs from R.E.D. in 2012

In January 2012, Ne-Yo moved his record label, Compound Entertainment, from Def Jam Recordings to Motown Records. He was also made vice president of Motown. In this role, he would produce, write songs, and find new talent. Ne-Yo's fifth album, R.E.D. (which stands for "Realizing Every Dream"), was released on November 6, 2012. The first single, "Lazy Love", was released in June 2012. The second single, "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)", was co-written by Sia. This song reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Ne-Yo's fifth number-one song in the United Kingdom.

In August 2012, Ne-Yo performed at the Summer Beats Concert Series. This concert celebrated what would have been Michael Jackson's 54th birthday. Ne-Yo sang some of Jackson's famous songs. R.E.D. was released in the UK on November 5 and in North America on November 6, 2012. In December 2012, Ne-Yo was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live.

In 2012, Ne-Yo received the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. This award honors talented songwriters who are making a big impact in music.

2013–2019: Non-Fiction and Good Man

Ne-Yo performing at the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in December 2014

In March 2013, Ne-Yo worked with Akon on David Guetta's song "Play Hard". He also worked with Jessica Sanchez on her song "Tonight". In April, Ne-Yo and Cher Lloyd collaborated on "It's All Good". Around the same time, he and Celine Dion recorded "Incredible" for Dion's 2013 album.

On May 29, 2014, Ne-Yo announced his sixth album would be called Non-Fiction. He also announced a new single, "Money Can't Buy". In September 2014, the main single from Non-Fiction, "She Knows" featuring Juicy J, was released. Non-Fiction was released on January 27, 2015. The album included songs with Pitbull and Charisse Mills. It reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart.

In July 2015, Ne-Yo worked with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike on a new song for the Tomorrowland festival called "Higher Place". In 2016, Ne-Yo collaborated with Yunel and J Alvarez on "Sin Miedo". He also worked with Diamond Platnumz on "Marry You" in 2017.

On May 8, 2017, Ne-Yo released "Earn Your Love" from his upcoming seventh album. A new single, "Another Love Song", was released on May 30, 2017. He also had a small role in the comedy film Girls Trip.

2020–Present: New Music and The Masked Singer

On March 27, 2020, Ne-Yo worked with Jamaican dancehall singer Charly Black on a new song, Over Again.

From 2020 to 2021, Ne-Yo competed as "Badger" on the second season of The Masked Singer UK. He finished in second place. He also confirmed that his next album, which was first called Sweet Escape, was renamed Self Explanatory. It was released on Motown Records on July 15, 2022.

In 2023, Ne-Yo competed on season ten of The Masked Singer as "Cow". He won the season.

Artistry

Musical Style and Influences

Ne-Yo's music is mostly R&B. He also sometimes includes pop and hip hop styles. He has been influenced by artists like Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Babyface, Blackstreet, and Usher. Ne-Yo is known for his tenor voice and for using falsetto in his songs.

Songwriting and Production

Ne-Yo often writes songs with Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel S. Eriksen from the Norwegian production team Stargate. They met in New York and decided to work together. Their early work included songs from In My Own Words, like "So Sick".

Besides his own albums, Ne-Yo also works with many other artists. He has written songs like Rihanna's "Unfaithful", "Russian Roulette", and her number-one hit "Take a Bow". He also wrote "Gallery" for Mario Vazquez and "Walk Away (Remember Me)" for Paula DeAnda. Ne-Yo wrote Beyoncé Knowles' number-one hit "Irreplaceable", which stayed at the top of the charts for ten weeks. He wrote "I'm You" for Leona Lewis's first album Spirit. He has also worked with Sugababes and Mariah Carey.

Ne-Yo has also written songs for Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Carrie Underwood, Anastacia, Ciara, Corbin Bleu, Enrique Iglesias, and Dima Bilan. He worked with Lindsay Lohan on her song "Bossy". In 2007, Ne-Yo confirmed that he was asked to work on what would have been Michael Jackson's new album. However, they only got to the writing stage before Jackson passed away. Ne-Yo later said he was unsure what to do with those songs. In 2009, he wrote "Truth (Saigo no Shinjitsu)" for the Japanese pop group w-inds..

Ne-Yo opened his own recording studio called Carrington House in Atlanta, Georgia. He also started his own production company, Compound Entertainment, in 2007. He hoped to turn it into a full record label. It became a successful label, and artists like RaVaughn and Paula Campbell are now part of Compound.

Other Ventures

Television

In 2011, Cartoon Network asked Ne-Yo to help create an animated series. Ne-Yo announced that the show would be called I Heart Tuesday. He said he created it for his sister. The series is believed to have been cancelled.

Ne-Yo appeared in an episode of CSI: NY as a character named Shaffer Smith.

In 2011, Ne-Yo appeared as himself in an episode of The Fresh Beat Band, a children's show.

He played the Tin Man in NBC's musical TV show The Wiz Live! in 2015. He was nominated for an award for his performance. In May 2018, he took part in the Celebrity Ninja Warrior special for Red Nose Day. He completed the course, which resulted in a $30,000 donation to charity.

In December 2018, he performed at the 67th Miss Universe pageant.

Philanthropy

Ne-Yo cares deeply about the arts and children. He has supported Little Kids Rock by filming a public service announcement for the organization.

Sports Management

In November 2024, Ne-Yo started working in sports management. He signed boxer Paul Bamba as his first fighter. Ne-Yo had been interested in boxing since he was young. Bamba became the World Boxing Association's cruiserweight champion in December 2024. He also broke Mike Tyson's record for most boxing wins by knockout in a single year. Bamba passed away on December 27, 2024, six days after winning the championship.

Personal Life

Family

In 2005, Ne-Yo's girlfriend at the time, Jesseca White, had a son. Ne-Yo later found out the child was not his.

In June 2010, Ne-Yo shared that he and his girlfriend, Monyetta Shaw, were expecting their first child. Their daughter was born in November 2010. Ne-Yo said he felt a new kind of love. Their son was born in October 2011. They separated in 2013.

In September 2015, Ne-Yo announced he was engaged to Crystal Renay Williams and they were expecting a child. They got married on February 20, 2016. Their first son was born in March 2016, and their second son in June 2018. In February 2020, Ne-Yo announced they would end their marriage, but he later changed his mind. They got back together during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ne-Yo and Crystal's third child, a daughter, was born in June 2021. In April 2022, they renewed their wedding vows. Four months later, Crystal filed for divorce. Their divorce was finalized on January 26, 2023.

In 2019, Ne-Yo supported the Mute R. Kelly campaign after a television documentary was released.

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Health

In August 2017, Ne-Yo announced he started a vegan diet after watching a documentary. In February 2019, he said he had lost weight and felt better since becoming vegan. However, his representative confirmed in March 2020 that he was no longer vegan.

Discography

Studio albums

• In My Own Words (2006)
• Because of You (2007)
• Year of the Gentleman (2008)
• Libra Scale (2010)
• R.E.D. (2012)
• Non-Fiction (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 many nominations at the Grammy Awards. He has won three Grammys: Best Contemporary R&B Album for Because of You, and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for "Miss Independent". The MTV Video Music Awards nominated Ne-Yo in 2008 for Best Dancing in a Video for "Closer".

See also

In Spanish: Ne-Yo para niños