Guest Blogger: Tina Hart

Ne-yo has ‘done a Plan B’ in such that his new album Libra Scale, rather than being a regular compilation of songs, is a series of tunes related to the short screenplay he was inspired to write after catching the acting bug last year.

Telling us the story in his sexy Southern drawl, the part comic book-ish, part sci-fi tale of Libra Scale sees the US RnB crooner take on the character of average-Joe-turned-Superhero, Jerome, and his two mates who also acquire special powers. Without going too much into it, we were taken through an unfolding chronicle of adventures and mishaps revolving around money, power, fame and love, and also meeting along the way a normal-chick-come-superheroine who becomes the object of Jerome’s affection.

Apart from Euro-friendly dance-y lead single Beautiful Monster, which is a certified club banger, Ne-yo also deviates from his usual smooth, gentlemanly style on Champagne Life which tells of the superheroes ‘living it up’ in a more playboy, less nice boy manner. Cause I Said So is an up-tempo bossy female anthem which adds yet more variety to the mix courtesy of a twist in the tale that affects the female protagonist..

Other parts of the story see the eloquent, smooth Ne-yo we have all become accustomed to, singing about love in the way that he does so well in One in A Million, She Is, and the sad, contemplative What Have I Done where Jerome realises ‘love is a privilege, not a game’.

Ne-yo revealed that the music videos for the singles to be released from this album will take on a Michael Jackson-like mini movie feature-length, inspired largely by the entertainment values held by the great man himself.

In relation to UK acts, Ne-yo informed us that he’d been working with Shingai from the Noisettes and expressed his die-hard love for Amy Winehouse’s music and desire to collaborate with her, so watch this space…

On the controversial issue of RnB singers and Auto-Tune, Ne-yo stressed how much he works on crafting his singing and dancing so he can be a great live performer and that those who use the tool and get more recognition for their ‘skills’ serve as a ‘slap in the face’ for the dedicated, traditional performer.

Just in case anyone is worrying about Ne-yo’s personality status, you can relax as the bad boy side of Jerome is purely fictional. He exclaimed, the year of the Gentleman isn’t over, it’s the ‘Millennia of the Gentleman’. And long may he reign I say.

Ne-yo’s album Libra Scale will be released in the UK in late September 2010.