R&B Singer NE-YO Returns with Motown Debut Album, “R.E.D.” on Sept. 18th, 2012

“Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)” is the follow-up to R.E.D.’s first advance single, “Lazy Love,” which heated up Urban radio.  The explicit version of the “Lazy Love” video has generated over 320,000 views since it premiered late last month on NE-YO’s website (http://www.neyothegentleman.com/lazylove/) and on BET’s “106 & Park.”  The video has also logged over 880,000 YouTube views to date.  The video is also in rotation on VH1 Soul and MTV Jams.

R.E.D. is NE-YO’s first album for Motown after seven hugely ­successful years and four RIAA gold and platinum albums as a core member of IDJ since 2005.  In January 2012, NE-YO was also named Senior Vice President of A&R for Motown, working alongside Barry Weiss, Chairman & CEO of Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown.

R.E.D.’s title is an acronym for Realizing Every Dream.  The title, said NE-YO, “came from me stepping outside myself, looking at my life as it is today and realizing that every dream I’ve had from the day I decided I wanted to do music, every dream that I’ve had from then til now, I’m definitely on the way to realizing it.”

The new single “Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)” developed from a line of verse written by Sia (known for her vocals with the UK group Zero 7): “Let me love you, and I will love you/ Until you learn to love yourself.”  NE-YO grew fascinated by the line and its powerful implications: “It goes beyond the realm of just a relationship between man and woman,” he said,  “this is understanding what it is to allow another person to get close enough to you to teach you how to love yourself.  This song, if taken care of the right way, could help the world!”

Other highlights from R.E.D. include “Unconditional” (produced by Phat Boize) and “Jealous” (produced by Phat Boize).  “Should Be You” (featuring fellow Def Jam artist Fabolous), briefly described by NE-YO as “a song about being with somebody and wishing you were with someone else.”  The Beatles-esque “Alone With You,” produced by Salaam Remi, is dedicated to NE-YO’s two-year old daughter Maddy (Madilyn Grace) who upon being brought home from the hospital as a newborn, cried and cried until this song was randomly played.  “She Is” is a ballad with “a country feel but is still in my world too.  The good Lord willing, Tim McGraw will get on the radio with a remix and we’ll perform it at the Country music awards one day.  Another dream.  Another goal.”

NE-YO’s arrival at Motown in 2012 caps an incredible run at sister label Def Jam, where his first three studio albums all debuted at #1 Soundscan and were all certified RIAA platinum: In My Own Words (2006), Because Of You (Grammy Award®-winning Best Contemporary R&B Album for 2007), and Year Of The Gentleman (2008).

Year Of The Gentleman spun off a trio of RIAA platinum hits: “Closer” (#1 U.S. Dance, #1 UK), “Miss Independent” (#1 U.S. R&B, #1 UK R&, and “Mad” (#5 U.S. R&B, #3 UK R&.  “Miss Independent” went on to win Grammy Awards® for Best R&B Song (song­writers award) and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Year Of The Gentleman’s success around the globe in 2008 jump-started NE-YO’s career as an actor in 2009.  He was cast in two big budget, major studio blockbusters: director Jonathan Liebesman’s Battle: Los Angeles (Columbia Pictures), which opened in 2011; and George Lucas’ World War II epic Red Tails (20th Century Fox), the chronicle of the Tuskegee Airmen, which opened in 2012.

Today, in addition to his successful careers as a recording artist, music executive, philanthropist, and actor, NE-YO’s company, Compound Entertainment, is in partnership with worldwide spirits and wine giant Pernod Ricard to develop Malibu Red, their popular coconut-flavored rum infused with silver tequila.

NE-YO also heads the Compound Foundation, a 501 c-3 non-profit organization which is committed to increasing awareness about the status of children in the child welfare system, and supporting and partnering with residential care facilities and independent group homes through programs aimed at teaching entrepreneurship and life skills that will empower them to become productive, successful, independent adults.