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Ne-Yo Saves the "Last Dance" for Us!
Posted by Diva on 20 Nov 2006 @ 12:48 am

R&B cutie Ne-Yo has stepped up to soundtrack producing with Save the Last Dance 2, a film sequel now out on DVD in which he appears and performs as a club owner. The artist has caught the acting bug but tells us that he wants to hone his skills before he tries to play a really serious dramatic role. We phone-chatted with Ne-Yo recently (there were party noises in the bkg. so we hope he was having fun). The young artist explained the process he went through to executive produce the soundtrack for the film that is packed with hot artists like Rihanna, Joe, Ruben Studdard, Cassie, Mya, T-Pain and others Ne-Yo wants to springboard like Candace Jones.

We still find Ne-Yo to be well-spoken, self deprecating and just a really nice guy. We got the latest on his plans so tune in.....

TeenMusic: Weren't you overseas on tour just recently?

Ne-Yo: Yes, I was over there touring around. We pretty much did the majority of Europe. First we did Australia then Germany, we did London, Paris. We really just got back.

TeenMusic: The last time we talked to you, you were writing tracks for this soundtrack. Now that you've done it, was it rewarding or the hardest thing you've ever done or what?

Ne-Yo: Oh, no, no, no [not the hardest thing he's ever done]. The whole Executive Producer thing, I was a little concerned [about] because I didn't know what it meant to executive produce. They explained to me, long story short, it's just overseeing what music goes on the soundtrack. I was going 'all right. Well, that's what I do anyway'. I write all my own songs and I write for other people so that should be easy and it was. Everybody that I worked with were real helpful and cooperative. I think we came out with a quality product.

TeenMusic: Describe the "writing for a soundtrack' process. Did you see the rough footage and write for what was happening in the story or just write your tunes first?

Ne-Yo: They would send me footage of a specific scene that they wanted a specific kind of song for and I would write according to what was going on in a scene. Other than that, it was pretty much just write music that makes sense with the movie. The movie is about the girl [who is] ballet, she's Julliard, she's that and the guy, he's hip-hop, he's R&B, he's that. Just trying to bring the two worlds together so there's music that has different elements from different cultures and genres of music and we brought it all together. Just good music, period.

TeenMusic: How did you approach artists to be on the soundtrack or were people suggested to you?

Ne-Yo: There were a few favors I called in. Ruben Studdard, Joe, to name a few. We also used this soundtrack to springboard a couple of new artists that I was intrigued by Candace Jones being one of those especially. Rihanna's got one on there. Cassie's got one. It's a quality product.

TeenMusic: How did you approach artists to be on the soundtrack or were people suggested to you?

Ne-Yo: There were a few favors I called in. Ruben Studdard, Joe, to name a few. We also used this soundtrack to springboard a couple of new artists that I was intrigued by Candace Jones being one of those especially. Rihanna's got one on there. Cassie's got one. It's a quality product.

TeenMusic: Did you feel that being on movie sets is fun or too much "hurry up and wait"? Is it similar to your music video shoots?

Ne-Yo: The entertainment industry itself, be it music, movies, whatever is hurry up and wait. I've been in it for a while now so I'm pretty used to the hurry up and wait thing. It wasn't new, doing the same thing seventy times, or 'we need you on set! We need you on set!' Then you get to set and you're not doing anything for thirty minutes. I was used to it.

TeenMusic: How accurate were the Hip Hop clubs in the film? At some is there really a "pit" where hot dancers get in each other's faces and duel it out or is it that intense?

Ne-Yo: Yeah. That's a dancer thing, period. Some people see it and think that it's animosity but, in any competition, there's going to be some people that take it a little more seriously. But, for the most part, it's friendly. It's my move versus your move and let the crowd decide what's best.

TeenMusic: You've got some definite moves on stage. Do you choreograph yourself or does someone do that for you?

Ne-Yo: It depends on what it is. My personal moves are pretty much all freestyle, off the top of my head. [A scene on stage in the movie] was put together by a choreographer, the action between me and the girl.

TeenMusic: Now that you are getting into acting, who would you want to be your leading lady if you could have a wish list?

Ne-Yo: Oh man! I'm going to take this away from a 'greedy male' point of view and go from a professional point of view. I'm not an actor. My role in Save the Last Dance Part 2 was pretty easy because I basically was just playing myself, 'be who you would be if you owned a nightclub'. The other movie that I just did, Stomp the Yard, is kind of a sillier role. It's relatively easy to be silly. So, until I can cry on cue and just really hone them acting skills, I wouldn't want nobody that calls themselves a serious actor as a leading lady because I wouldn't want to get showed up, you know?

TeenMusic: Are you taking acting lessons then?

Ne-Yo: I definitely want to. There's another movie that I'm thinking about doing. 4-Chosen is one they've approached me about and I'd have to do some research and get into it. That's a serious role. Before I do something like that, I would definitely want to take some classes and get better at it. I don't want to do anything half. I want to do it the best I can possibly do it.

TeenMusic: Do you think that the worlds of classical music and hip hop and R&B can be friendly and respect each other? This seems to be one of the messages in the movie.

Ne-Yo: I think that, if they aren't, this movie is a step in the right direction, showing people that it is possible. I think that, at the end of the day, music is music. There's only so many musical instruments on the face of the planet and they can all be used for all different kinds of music.

TeenMusic: If you weren't a musician, what other career would you be interested in?

Ne-Yo: I paint and draw.

TeenMusic: Cool! Have you designed and drawn an album cover yet?

Ne-Yo: Not yet. I definitely want to but I think I might need to get people to know me a little better before I get to do something like that.

TeenMusic: Your outfits are all really cute. The last time we spoke with you, you mentioned starting a clothing line. Is that happening yet? Whose clothes were those in the film?

Ne-Yo: In the movie it was the stylist that was on set [who picked them]. But, I do have a clothing line in the making. With all my other endeavors right now, it's a matter of having the time to just sit down and focus on it. I think I might call it Chimere [his son's name].

TeenMusic: Which musical artists do you really admire most today?

Ne-Yo: I really like John Legend's new record. He took some chances. It's not typical R&B. It's kind of 'loungey' and European-sounding. I like people who take chances in music, that aren't afraid to venture out and do something a little different. I really like that album. I like Chris Brown's energy. He's the poster child for a guy who is really energetic and loves what he's doing and you can see it in his performance. Ciara is another performer who is definitely an entertainer, people that really get on stage and give two hundred percent every time they touch a stage. That's who impresses me.

TeenMusic: What are you working on now? What's next?

Ne-Yo: Right now my focus is my new album. You should see a single around February and the album around Easter.

TeenMusic: Any new message for your fans? We're happy to pass it along.

Ne-Yo: You know, I just want to say to all my fans that I really, really appreciate all the love that I've been given so far in my career. My first little taste of fame brought accusations and rumors and that silly stuff and I just appreciate the fans who stood by me. I've been an open book from day one. I haven't hidden anything this far. Why would I start hiding stuff now? Don't listen to all the hoopla and drama that comes with being a celebrity. Stand by me and I stand by my word. If it was the truth, I would say so.

Source: Teen Music

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