Ne-Yo

Ne-Yo is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Born Shaffer Chimere Smith, he was raised in Las Vegas by his mother after his parents separated. He attended the Las Vegas Academy, a performing arts high school, where he honed his music and songwriting skills before pursuing a career in entertainment.

Ne-Yo began as a member of the R&B group Envy before moving into songwriting. He gained industry attention after writing Mario’s 2004 hit “Let Me Love You,” which led to a solo deal with Def Jam Recordings. His debut album, In My Own Words, was released in 2006, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and producing the chart-topping single “So Sick.”

He went on to release albums including Because of You (2007), Year of the Gentleman (2008), Libra Scale (2010), R.E.D. (2012) and Self Explanatory (2022). Throughout his career, he has won three Grammy Awards, including the Grammy for Best R&B Song, and has collaborated with artists like Beyoncé, Rihanna and Pitbull. He has also appeared in films such as Battle: Los Angeles (2011) and Red Tails (2012) and served as a judge on World of Dance from 2017 to 2020.

Ne-Yo married Crystal Renay in 2016. They share three children: Shaffer Chimere Jr. (born in 2016), Roman Alexander-Raj (born in 2018) and Isabella Rose (born in 2021). He also has two children with ex-fiancée Monyetta Shaw: Madilyn Grace (born in 2010) and Mason Evan (born in 2011). He also shares kids Braiden (born in 2021) and Brixton (born in 2023) with ex Sade Jenea Bagnerise. Ne-Yo and Renay finalized their divorce in 2023. In 2025, he confirmed he was in a polyamorous relationship with four women.