American singer and actor Ne-Yo will be among the international headliners set to take the Sashi stage on Saturday, May 25, for the return of Sashi Live in Plantation Cove, Ocho Rios, St Ann.

Ne-Yo is no stranger to Jamaica, having performed at several events, such as the Shaggy and Friends charity event in 2014 and his very own Ne-Yo and Friends concert held in Negril in 2011.

The R&B superstar is known for giving music timeless hits such as Miss Independent, Sexy Love, Mad, So Sick, and others.

Early life

Shaffer Chimere Smith Jr., more popularly known as Ne-Yo, was born on October 18, 1979, in Camden, Arkansas, to Lorraine and Shaffer Smith. Ne-Yo was raised by his mother after his parents separated.

The singer and his mother relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he spent the remainder of his formative years.

GoGo

Did you know that the stage name adopted by Ne-Yo during his early years was GoGo? Yes, we know it is hard to make the correlation between Ne-Yo and GoGo, but what we can agree is that Ne-Yo has come a long way in the music business.

He started out his music career by performing with the R&B group Envy and later moved with the group to Los Angeles. During his time with the group, he appeared during amateur nights during Showtime at Apollo and the MTV series The Cut.

When the group separated, Ne-Yo worked as a staff writer at a production company, which aided him in landing a record deal with Colombia Records in 2000. However, the record label parted ways with Smith before he could release his first album.

Ne-Yo got his big break in 2006 with the debut of his album In My Own Words, released through Def Jam Recordings.

Ne-Yo

We may all be wondering where the stage name Ne-Yo came from. Ne-Yo got his stage name from producer Deon ‘Big D’ Evans. He got the name due to his excellent song-writing skills and musical prowess.

Daddy Ne-Yo

Ne-Yo is the father of seven children: Madilyn, Mason, Roman, Braiden, Brixton, Isabella Rose, and Shaffer Chimere J. He welcomed Madilyn and Mason with his former fiancée, Monyetta Shaw-Carter.

The singer welcomed Shaffer, Roman, and Isabella with his ex-wife, Crystal Renay. He welcomed his youngest children, Braiden and Brixton, with Sade Jenea Bagnerise in 2021 and 2023.

Grammys

The Hate That I Love You singer is the recipient of numerous accolades, including three Grammy Awards. He won his first career Grammy in 2007 for best contemporary R&B album for Because of You.

Bonus

Ne-Yo is a strong believer in polygamy. He sent tongues wagging when he revealed he is in a polygamous relationship. This after he was spotted strolling in public on several occasions with his two girlfriends. The R&B singer shared in recent interviews that he should be given the opportunity to marry his girlfriends without interference from the government.