Ne-Yo
Singer-songwriter Ne-Yo at MF Sushi Buckhead on September 1, 2010 in Atlanta.
At 32, he is one of the most successful songwriters of the past decade, with Number 1 hits for Rihanna ("Take a Bow"), Beyonce ("Irreplaceable"), and for himself ("So Sick"). He's had three platinum albums, won 3 Grammys, and in 2012, the Songwriters Hall of Fame gave him their Spotlight Award for gifted young songwriters.
"I'm a songwriter first," Ne-Yo said at the award ceremony. "This is bigger than a Grammy for me. I still don’t feel like I deserve this yet."
West Hollywood, Calif.
Def Jam recording artist Ne-Yo performs at the Teen People Listening Lounge hosted by Jay-Z at the Key Club on July 14, 2005 in West Hollywood, California.
Born Shaffer Smith in Camden, Arkansas, Ne-Yo moved to Las Vegas with his mother and sister after their father left the family. His mother suggested he write down his pent-up aggravation; the journals he began to write at age nine would become the seed ground for his songs.
Ne-Yo and Teairra Mari
Def Jam recording artist Ne-Yo and Roc-A-Fella recording artist Teairra Mari pose at the Teen People Listening Lounge hosted by Jay - Z at the Key Club on July 14, 2005 in West Hollywood, California.
New York City
Singer/songwriter Ne-Yo poses at the Shawn "Jay - Z" Carter Hosts Teen People Listening Lounge at the Canal Room on July 20, 2005 in New York City.
Irvine, Calif.
Recording artist Ne-Yo performs onstage during 102.7 KIIS-FM's Wango Tango 2006 concert, held at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater on May 6, 2006 in Irvine, California.
Las Vegas
Singer Ne-Yo performs at the Red, White & Boom Independence Day festival at Desert Breeze Park July 4, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Rihanna and Ne-Yo
Singers Rihanna and Ne-Yo arrive at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on February 11, 2007 in Los Angeles.
Ne-Yo and Patti LaBelle
Singers Ne-Yo and Patti LaBelle attend the Danity Kane album release party at Tenjune on March 18, 2008 in New York City.
BET Awards
Singer Ne-Yo performs onstage during the 2008 BET Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on June 24, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.
Ne-Yo and Will.i.am.
Singers Ne-Yo and Will.i.am. pose at rehearsals for "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest" on December 9, 2008 in Burbank, California.
Michael Jackson Tribute
Singer Ne-Yo and Jamie Foxx pay tribute to the late singer Michael Jackson to close the 2009 BET Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on June 28, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.
Selena Gomez and Ne-Yo
Actress Selena Gomez and singer Ne-Yo speak onstage during the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards at NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on September 12, 2010 in Los Angeles, California.
American Music Awards
Singer Ne-Yo performs onstage during the 2010 American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 21, 2010 in Los Angeles.
Ne-Yo and Pitbull
Singers Ne-Yo and Pitbull perform at KIIS FM's Wango Tango at the Staples Center on May 14, 2011 in Los Angeles.
New York City
R&B singer Ne-Yo attends the "Red Tails" premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater on January 10, 2012 in New York City.
Jennifer Hudson and Ne-Yo
Singers Jennifer Hudson and Ne-Yo perform "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards held at The Shrine Auditorium on February 17, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Los Angeles
Singer Ne-Yo performs onstage during KIIS FM's 2012 Jingle Ball at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on December 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Grammy Awards
Monyetta Shaw and Ne-Yo arrive at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.
Tim McGraw and Ne-Yo
Singer/songwriters Tim McGraw and Ne-Yo perform onstage during Tim McGraw's Superstar Summer Night, presented by the Academy of Country Music, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 8, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
New York City
Ne-Yo performs during DJ ProStyle's birthday bash at Hammerstein Ballroom on April 16, 2013 in New York City.
New York Fashion Week
Ne-Yo attends the Calvin Klein Collection post-fashion show event during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2014, at Spring Studios on September 12, 2013 in New York City.
Las Vegas
Recording artist Ne-Yo performs at the Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas on July 3, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mary J. Blige and Ne-Yo
Singers Mary J. Blige and Ne-Yo attend the premiere of "Think Like A Man Too" at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 9, 2014 in Hollywood, California.
"Non-Fiction"
Singer-songwriter Ne-Yo performs on stage at Power 105.1's Powerhouse 2014 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on October 30, 2014 in New York City.
Brooklyn
Singer-songwriter Ne-Yo performs on stage at Power 105.1's Powerhouse 2014 at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on October 30, 2014 in New York City.
For more info:
"Non-Fiction" by Ne-Yo (Motown); Available via Amazon and iTunes