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Meeting Ne-Yo

Date range confirmed in June 25, 2008 “MTV News” (archived) (“currently working [with Michael Jackson”)

While "Closer" is about a dancefloor hookup between two strangers, "Nobody" presents a different scenario. "Say she didn't give you anything, but instead she just started dancing, and it was the most amazing thing you've ever seen," Ne-Yo said. "It's like she's untouchable, like it would be a sin to touch her or dance with her, with what's going on with her right now."

When Ne-Yo played the track for Jackson, with whom he's currently working, he got a positive response. "He told me that he likes the way I do Michael Jackson," Ne-Yo beamed. "I asked him what he meant by that, and he said, 'When you do that, it doesn't feel like you're trying to copy me or trying to be me. It feels like you're complimenting me.' And that's what I'm doing. It means the world that he liked it."

“Daily Mirror” (September 24, 2008)

Before his Year Of Gentleman show at Hammersmith Apollo, the R&B singer revealed he had put the phone down on Michael Jackson. He said:

"When I met Michael my hands were shaking like never before. I was embarrassed because I had hung up on him previously when he called me to work on his album. I thought it was a prank call.

"But the great thing is that I get to work with my idol and he is really cool."

But it won't be easy pleasing the King of Pop as Jacko wants the new album to be even better than Thriller, the biggest seller of all time.

Its release has already been delayed as Jacko is not happy yet.

Ne-Yo tells us: "Michael's new album has to be amazing. I've already submitted some songs.

"Michael is very nervous as he knows he is the underdog and people want him to fail.

There is so much young competition out there."

“Vibe” (June 21, 2010) (archived)

Ne-Yo, however, admits he wasn’t so gung-ho about working with the iconic entertainer at first. “I actually felt bad because before we met I allowed the media to just really paint a picture in my mind of Michael,” he says. Yet during their early 2009 meeting held at the Manhattan home of Warner Music Group Chairman and CEO Lyor Cohen, Ne-Yo encountered a “normal” Michael Jackson clad in an all-black suit, tie and big mirror sunglasses. “He was like, ‘It’s really nice to meet you . . . I’m a fan of your music,’” Ne-Yo says, marveling. “He [even sang] one of my songs, ‘Go on Girl.’ We talked about the album and he told me, ‘I’m not trying to follow any trends. I’m not trying to go back in time. I’m just trying to do quality music with a melody that’s infectious and has a message.’”

“The Daily Telegraph” (July 28, 2010) (archived)

Despite all the controversy surrounding his life, Ne-Yo found the world's most famous performer to be businesslike and friendly.

"He was normal, as odd as that may sound," Ne-Yo explained.

"I felt quite bad as I'd allowed what the media had done to his name and image to have me thinking, 'Ok what's this about to be? Is this going to be weird?'

"But he walked in in a black suit and some sun glasses and was a genuine nice guy. And it wasn't because he wanted something from me, he just had no reason other than to be a decent guy.

"We talked about the state of music, what he liked and didn't like. One thing that was interesting is that he views music in shapes and colours and that's how I think.

"He told me he admired my music and I could have fainted right there. I was like, 'You like my music? You're the reason I make music'.

"So I wanted to bring something good to the table."

Ne-Yo set to work on a variety of songs ranging from upbeat dance tracks to heartfelt ballads, sending three or four drafts a week to Jackson.

"Melodic and meaningful. Those were the two words which kept coming back to me," he said.

"Michael told me the melodies needed to be the ones you heard once and could sing back, and the lyrics needed to have meaning and depth."

"He believed what was wrong with a lot of music today is that people aren't singing about anything.

"If it's not about a party or sex then it's about money, and there's not really much to that.

"Michael told me, 'I need songs that mean something to somebody and that's what I need you for'. I was honoured."

Despite writing a number of tracks for Jackson, the album project was put on hold while the singer shifted his attention towards his This Is It world tour, which was scheduled to begin in London in the summer in 2009.

...He hopes one day to be able to pay his respects with the songs he wrote for the great entertainer.

"Hopefully the songs will see the light of day, it just has to be the right way."

“Daily Record” (March 16, 2011) (archived)

"I met Mike in New York. Someone told me he was a fan of my music and wanted to talk to me about working on his forthcoming project.

"So we met at a friend's house. He was a genuinely nice guy, not because he wanted something from me or wanted me to feel comfortable so I would write songs for him.

"He was talking about music and the love of music. We parted ways after a few hours and I walked away able to say I had sat and had a conversation with a legend."