The sad truth about vocalists today is that most of them don’t write their own music. Offstage, many stars have songs concocted for them by music industry experts. These veritable “vocalist factories” churn out song after song for their artists, rarely deviating from a set style. Ne-Yo is the exception to this rule. Not only is he a double-platinum selling singer who writes his own music - he also ghostwrites for some of the biggest names in the industry.

Christina Milian, Rihanna, Mario, Jay-Z, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Janet Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce…Ne-Yo’s seemingly endless list of star-studded songwriting credit reads more like an astrology textbook than a resume. Throw in a Michael Jackson-esque falsetto voice, good looks, and two Platinum albums he wrote himself, and you have one of the most skilled and versatile recording artists in the business today.

Unafraid to wear his feelings on his sleeve, growing up in a female-dominated household is what Ne-Yo credits for bringing out his emotional side. His debut album In My Own Words, is the perfect example of this. The catchy, upbeat stylings of introductory track Stay and the club-friendly dance groove of Sign Me Up contrast with the playful tone of When You’re Mad and the ironic, sad single So Sick, about a heartbroken man who hates hearing love songs on the radio. Soaring to the top of the Billboard 200, Ne-Yo’s 2006 breakout album brought him from behind-the-scenes songwriter to top-notch singer.

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