Ne-Yo is without doubt one of the genre-defining R&B singers of the 2000s, and his invite to NPR’s Tiny Desk live performance collection was lengthy overdue.
The long-time bad-boy R&B singer made his Tiny Desk debut on Friday (April 26), which noticed him run by way of a medley of soulful hits from his catalog, along with bops he’s penned for the likes of Mario, Rihanna and Beyoncé.
Draped in a bedazzled all-white getup and his signature fedora hat, Ne-Yo fittingly kicked off his set along with his “Due to You” anthem earlier than shifting into his introduction to the world with “So Sick” and the volcanic “Horny Love.”
“I’ve written a pair songs since I’ve been doing this factor, a few of them it’s possible you’ll know,” Ne-Yo mentioned earlier than switching gears to some covers. “Matter of reality, I’m gonna bounce into a number of the ones that I’ve written, that you could be or could not know.”
He proceeded to ship tuneful covers in an homage to his deadly pen with Rihanna’s “Take a Bow,” Bey’s “Irreplaceable” and Mario’s “Let Me Love You.”
Ne-Yo additionally debuted a brand new redemptive monitor titled “Two Million Secrets and techniques,” which he described as extra of a confessional. “This music took slightly little bit of progress on my half to even write, and much more to sing. This music is principally about proudly owning your s–t … No person is above errors, no person is above redemption. You do higher and you retain pushing,” he mentioned. “This music isn’t a music, this music is a confession.”
The three-time Grammy winner uplifted the room by signing off along with his traditional anthem “Miss Unbiased,” which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Scorching 100 in 2008. “A dedication to my favourite form of lady, the impartial lady,” he testified.
Watch Ne-Yo’s Tiny Desk live performance efficiency beneath.
