Ne-Yo discussed his transition into country-influenced music during an April 22 episode of Rolling Stone's "Nashville Now" podcast [3].
The move signals a significant genre shift for the R&B artist, who is now seeking to integrate his established pop sensibilities into the Nashville music scene.
Shaffer Smith, known professionally as Ne-Yo, is currently working on a country-inspired project titled "Highway 79" [4]. The album is projected for a summer 2024 release window [5]. During the podcast recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, the 46-year-old artist said how the city has responded to his new musical direction [2].
While some reports suggest the city has embraced him [1], other accounts indicate his experience in Nashville differed from the warnings he had previously received about the industry [3]. This venture is not his first foray into the genre. In 2012, Ne-Yo collaborated with Tim McGraw on the song "She Is" [1].
Smith used the platform to share his perspective on the creative process in Tennessee. He said he is blending his R&B roots with the storytelling traditions of country music. The artist's presence in Nashville marks a deliberate attempt to establish a footprint in a genre traditionally distinct from his early career successes.
“Ne-Yo is currently working on a country-inspired project titled "Highway 79".”
Ne-Yo's shift toward country music reflects a broader trend of established R&B and pop artists crossing into the country genre to reach new demographics. By recording in Nashville and leveraging the 'Nashville Now' platform, Smith is attempting to gain authenticity within the industry's songwriting capital rather than simply releasing a genre-bending record from afar.
