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By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
The enthusiastic reception of Korean fans at his first concert in Seoul last year made a big impression on R&B star Ne-Yo.
Ne-Yo, who returns for another concert in Seoul Jan. 11, is thrilled about performing for Korean fans once again.
``I remember that I was given an enthusiastic welcome from lots of Korean fans. It was kind of different from European and American fans who enjoy the concert like they enjoy a party. But Korean and Asian fans were deeply absorbed in the songs rather than the concert. I was absolutely fascinated by this. So I'm pleased that I can host my concert in Korea again," he said in an email interview with The Korea Times.
Ne-Yo is undoubtedly one of the hottest R&B singer/songwriters, having been nominated for six Grammy Awards for his third album ``Year of the Gentleman.'' He also nabbed nominations for Best Male Pop Performance for ``Closer'' and Best Male R&B Performance for ``Miss Independent.''
His favorite song from the album is the first single ``Closer'' which Ne-Yo says was inspired by the thumping beats of the music at London's hip clubs.
``When I went to the clubs in London, I was impressed with songs that had techno and house music. Since then, I've been trying to get the vibe of that kind of music. This resulted in `Closer'. I've never been to Korean clubs yet, but I'm sure this song is great in the clubs,'' he said.
While making the album, Ne-Yo said he listened to different genres of music to get inspiration. This is perhaps the reason why ``Year of the Gentleman'' is not just pure R&B, but a mix of pop, rock, ballads, dance and hip-hop.
``I've listened to the music of Coldplay, Radiohead, Elton John, and Billy Joel. I also made changes by inserting some electric guitar and acoustic guitar sound in the songs,'' he said.
Ne-Yo has also made a name for himself writing hit songs for the likes of Beyonce (``Irreplaceable"), Rihanna (``Unfaithful"), and New Kids on the Block (``Single").
When asked about the secret to making a hit song, Ne-Yo says it's all about making good lyrics and melodies.
``It's amazing that a lot of people love my music. When I make a song, I pay more attention to the lyrics and melody, because I think both are the most important elements in making a deep impression on the listener. Especially the lyrics about love are a universal language. So I try to make good lyrics about love and hope people can empathize with it. Maybe this is the reason why I'm famous even in Asia,'' he said.
Success does not seem to have changed Ne-Yo, although he's always busy and on the go.
``My schedule is tighter than ever and I can't sleep enough,'' he laughed. ``I think my `normal life' is gone from my mind because I should be an `artist.' I also have to keep a good image. At first, it was hard to adapt myself to this situation, but these days I learn new things so I can enjoy my life,'' he said.
Ne-Yo performs Jan. 11 at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. Tickets are priced 110,000 won, 99,000 won and 77,000 won. Call (02) 3141-3488 or visit ticket.interpark.com
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr
Cathy dear, wish ko lang pag me asian tour NKOTB naman interview-hin mo!
ReplyDeletethanks Isy... wish ko din yan! hahaha!
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