Shaffer Chimere Smith better known by his stage name
Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actor and occasional rapper. He is an Afro-Asian which he is mixed from his African American father and a mother of African American and Chinese American descent.
Background Information
Birth name: Shaffer Chimere Smith
Born: October 18, 1979 (age 28) Camden, Arkansas, United States
Origin: Los Angeles, California, United States
Genre(s): R&B, pop, hip hop
Occupation(s): Singer-songwriter, record producer, rapper, dancer, actor
Years active: 1999–present
Label(s): Def Jam
Music CareerNe-Yo's debut album,
In My Own Words, was released in early 2006 through Def Jam Recordings, and debuted at number one on Billboard 200, selling over 301,000 copies in the first week and certified platinum, selling nearly 2 million copies in the US and 4 million worldwide.
During the same week, Ne-Yo's Stargate-produced second single "So Sick" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Ne-Yo is as famous for his songwriting as for his singing, writing such songs as Rihanna's top ten hit "Unfaithful" and number-one hit "Take a Bow", Mario's "Let Me Love You", Mario Vazquez's "Gallery", Paula DeAnda's "Walk Away (Remember Me)", and Beyoncé's Billboard Hot 100 ten-week number-one hit "Irreplaceable".
His second album, Because of You, was released on May 1, 2007. The first single from the platinum-selling album was "Because of You". He has also written songs for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Corbin Bleu, and Enrique Iglesias for their upcoming albums.[4] Smith also has stated that he will write songs for Craig David, Usher, Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, Leona Lewis, and he recently confirmed that he has been contacted by producer will.i.am to work on Michael Jackson's upcoming album.
Ne-Yo opened a recording studio called Carrington House and started his own label, Compound Entertainment, in 2007; Paula Campbell, Sixx John, and Shanell are now associated with Compound.
In December 2007, Ne-Yo and the Goo Goo Dolls performed at a fund raising concert for presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama. He is also collaborating with Lindsay Lohan on her new material, having already finished "Bossy", a pre-single for her new album Spirit in the Dark.
Ne-Yo has also collaborated with Ciara on new material for her new album "Fantasy Ride", which is due out in early December. The single "Supernatural" was recently produced, and he worked on additional singles as well.
Since his debut, Ne-Yo has amassed seven top ten songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and two number-one albums on the Billboard 200. Ne-Yo has also amassed a catalogue of chart-topping songs that he has written for other artists. He recently released a single entitled "Miss Independent". The music video featured Trey Songz, Gabrielle Union, Lauren London, Keri Hilson, and America's Next Top Model's Monique from a previous season.
More recently Ne-Yo is known to have collaborated with American singer Anastacia and co-written and produced the single "I Can Feel You" from her upcoming album Heavy Rotation. His latest reported venture is with controvertial and media loving industrial-metal star Marilyn Manson, after professing in an interview a desire to work with him.
Discography
In My Own Words (2006)
Because of You (2007)
Year of the Gentleman (2008)
Awards and NominationsYear Award Result
American Music Award for Favorite R&B/Soul Male Artist Nomination
BET Awards for Best New Artist Nomination
BET Awards for Best Male R&B Artist Nomination
2006 BET Awards for Viewer's Choice: "So Sick" Nomination
MOBO Awards for Best Song: "So Sick" Nomination
MOBO Awards for Best International Male Nomination
MOBO Awards for Best R&B Act Nomination
American Music Award for Favorite R&B/Soul Male Artist Nomination
BET Awards for Best R&B Male Artist
Won BET Awards for Viewer's Choice: "Because of You" Nomination
BET Hip Hop Awards for Best Hip-Hop Collabo: "Make Me Better"
(shared withFabolous) Nomination
Dirty Awards for I Am Nearly An A-Lister[16] Won
2007 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album: In My Own Words Nomination
Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance "So Sick" Nomination
MOBO Awards for Best Song: "Because of You"
Won MOBO Awards for Best R&B
Won Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist
Won Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Male Single: "Sexy Love" Nomination
BET Awards for Best R&B Male Artist[20] Nomination
2008 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: "Because of You" Nomination
Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group: "Hate That I Love You"
(shared with Rihanna) Nomination
Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album: Because of You
Won Grammy Award for Best R&B Song: "Hate That I Love You"
(shared with Rihanna) Nomination
MTV Video Music Awards for Best Dancing In a Video: "Closer" Nomination
MOBO Awards for Best R&B/Soul Nomination
MOBO Awards for Best International Act Nomination
Song Information"Closer" marks a musical departure for Ne-Yo, taking on a dance pop style over the more rhythmic and urban sound his songs usually possess. In the song, Ne-Yo sings of having an urging attraction to a woman he sees, having the desire to "come closer" to her. His attraction to her becomes stronger, and almost hypnotic-like, as he sings "And I just can't pull myself away, under a spell I can't break. I just can't stop."
Filmography* Save the Last Dance 2 (2007)
* Stomp The Yard (2007)
TV appearances* Las Vegas (2008)
* All My Children (2008)
Music VideoThe video was filmed at Santa Clara Studios, California. It was directed by Melina Matsoukas who also directed his "Because of You" and "Do You" video. Ne-Yo wore a "gentleman-looking" suit dancing with a woman. Other shots also show him alone in the center of the spotlight being backed up with four dancers, or with a Matchless motorcycle. A number of on-set pictures from the video leaked over the Internet.
The video premiered on BET on April 25, playing every hour of the day with the last airing being at 7 PM. It features Ne-Yo performing dance moves, with lyrics from the song occasionally appearing on-screen.
The video has been nominated in the "Best Dancing In A Video" category at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, but it lost to Pussycat Dolls's "When I Grow Up".
with rihanna