Ne-Yo is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. His father is African American, and his mother is of mixed African American and Chinese descent.

Ne-Yo was raised by his mother alone after she separated from his father. She relocated the family to Las Vegas, Nevada.

While Ne-Yo was in high school, he adopted the stage name GoGo and joined an R&B group that disbanded in 2000. Ne-Yo continued to write songs for other artists before starting his solo career.