I wanted to do an acting role in a movie that had nothing to do with the music business or in which I would play a singer or a songwriter. When I act, I don't even want to be thought of as Ne-Yo.

I always refer back to the days of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, the Rat Pack. Back when everyone wore a suit because that's what it was to be an entertainer. You were stylish and you were fly, and it was an effortless fly.

There is no pain like the first time you get your heart broken.

For those people who want to keep following trends, you do that and when the trend goes away so will you.

I wanted to do an acting role in a movie that had nothing to do with the music business or in which I would play a singer or a songwriter. When I act, I don't even want to be thought of as Ne-Yo.

I feel like everything is inspired by something else. There is no 100 percent original thought.

What I definitely learnt from Michael Jackson is that simple is almost always better. As a songwriter, as an artist period.