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Ne-Yo - 2 Million Secrets. An exclusive live performance for Vevo. Any retrospective on ’00s R&B is incomplete without Ne-Yo. Born Shaffer Chimere Smith, the esteemed singer made a huge splash with his 2006 debut ‘In My Own Words.’ The project arrived at a moment when R&B and pop were one in the same, as the latter had adopted the former’s polished production and electronic instrumentation. A few weeks after ‘IMOW’ dropped, “So Sick” topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Like much of Ne-Yo’s work, the track’s Scandinavian engineering was sleek enough for mainstream radio, sexy enough for the adults, and PG enough for DJs to play as the lone slow song at middle school dances. If it felt similar to Mario’s undeniable 2004 jam “Let Me Love You,” it’s because Ne-Yo also wrote that gem. Yep, his pen game was as strong as his voice was cool; that’s why Jay-Z ushered him onto the Def Jam team. Accolades and hits were repeated over the next few years. 2008’s ‘Year of the Gentleman’ got an Album of the Year GRAMMY nod. At the ensuing award’s ceremony, the snazzy single “Miss Independent” earned Ne-Yo a gold record player for Best R&B song. When the musical landscape changed, his ability to blend R&B with pop, soul, and dance elements kept his sound fresh and relevant. It’s hard to forget the ubiquity of “Time of Our Lives” and “Give Me Everything,” his EDM collars with Pitbull. But crooning and grooving has always been Ne-Yo’s main bag. That’s where he is with this confessional “2 Million Secrets” performance. The taut band, the signature hat, the stare into the camera. Dude’s a legend, and he knows it. Watch music videos by Ne-Yo: / @neyo Follow Ne-Yo Instagram: / neyo Twitter: / neyocompound Facebook: / ne-yo TikTok: / neyo Vevo Facebook: / vevo Instagram: / vevo TikTok: / vevo Twitter: / vevo Director: Jim WIlmot Vevo Executive Producer: Nick Calafato Vevo Senior Producer: Yomi Ogunsola Vevo Production Coordinator: Nancy Loud Vevo Music & Talent: Jodeci Rampasard Vevo Programming & Editorial: Jaqueline Lockinger Vevo Senior Editor: Helena Duque Vevo Post-Production Associate Manager/Editor: Scott Robson Vevo Design Director: Charlee Twigg 1st AD: Marnz Brown Director of Photography: Nathalie Pitters Steadicam Operator: Beaumont Pritchard-James 1st AC / Focus Puller: Jim McLean 2nd AC / Loader: Esther Edusi Gaffer: Giovanni Mattei Light Director: Ben Houghton Stills: Aron Klein Sound Engineer: Alexander Archer Sound Assistant: Ellis Cohen Runner: Elizabeth Playle Runner: Ismah Ansari Runner: Jack Elliott #NeYo #Vevo #2MillionSecrets
