Three-time GRAMMY Award-winning R&B hitmaker and iconic songwriter Ne-Yo has released his highly-anticipated, eighth full-length album, Self Explanatory.
The thirteen-track collection upholds the hallmark of Ne-Yo’s signature style ignited by a fresh flame and fiery focus. The song “Handle Me Gently” hinges on a buoyant throwback groove as his vocal fireworks pop off. With undeniable emotion, he assures, “I need you to know there ain’t no games I’m playing. I don’t want nobody else, this love is here to stay.”
Strings set the scene for the record on the sultry “Layin’ Low” with Zae France, while “U 2 Luv” glides on a thumping bass line towards an invitation, “Let’s dance until last call.” Over glassy acoustic guitar, Ne-Yo showcases another side of himself on “Push Up” [feat. Trippie Redd]. Then, there’s “Want It All or Nothing” where his hypnotic high register shines.
Ne-Yo initially sparked excitement for Self Explanatory with the banger “You Got The Body,” for which Rolling Stone declared, “Ne-Yo turns up the heat,” while VIBE hailed the Teyana Taylor-directed video as “hypnotic.” Also on the album, the fan favorite single “Stay Down” [feat. Yung Bleu] notably generated 3.6 million Spotify streams and over 3.2 million YouTube views on the accompanying music video.
Ne-Yo first began teasing the project last month with the aforementioned “You Got The Body.” It followed another popular 2021 track, “What If,” which found Ne-Yo recalling a lost love and wondering what would have happened if they hadn’t parted. Ne-Yo recorded “What If” in London with producers Ebenezer and Magnus Klausen. Curtis “Sauce” Wilson produced the vocals. Ne-Yo performed along with a troupe of dancers in the striking black & white video for “What If,” which was made in partnership with Shutterstock.
“As a multiple GRAMMY Award winner and one of the most celebrated artists of this generation, Shutterstock was thrilled to be the behind-the-scenes photography partner for Ne-Yo’s ‘What If’ music video,” said Candice Murray, VP of Editorial at Shutterstock, upon news of the collaboration’s announcement.