Ne-Yo

Biography

Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. (born October 18, 1979), widely recognized by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an accomplished American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor specializing in pop and R&B music. Since his emergence in the music scene, Ne-Yo has scored five top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 as a leading artist and has achieved two number-one albums on the Billboard 200. In addition, he has an impressive portfolio of hits that he has crafted for other musicians.

Ne-Yo initially gained recognition in the industry as a songwriter, notably writing the chart-topping track "Let Me Love You" for artist Mario. The success of this single led to an informal meeting with the head of Def Jam Recordings, which ultimately resulted in Ne-Yo signing a recording contract.

His debut album, *In My Own Words*, was released in 2006 and featured the chart-topping song "So Sick". The following year, he released his second studio album, *Because of You*, which included the popular track "Because of You" that reached the top three in the U.S. In 2008, he followed up with *Year of the Gentleman*, showcasing hits such as "Closer" and "Miss Independent". Ne-Yo's fourth studio album, *Libra Scale*, was launched on November 22, 2010.