2012 is turning out to be a huge year for singer/songwriter Ne-Yo, pictured with Barry Weiss, Chairman CEO of Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown, and Ethiopia Habtemariam, Senior Vice President, Motown Records.
Not only is he moving from Def Jam to Motown Records, but the Grammy Award-winning artist is taking his Compound Entertainment imprint to the label AND will take on a creative role at Motown as senior VP of AR!
Vice President Ne-Yo… yeah. I guess it has a nice ring to it.
Details below…According to Billboard, in his new role as VP, Ne-Yo will serve as a producer and mentor to the label’s artists and also discover and sign new talent.
Ne-Yo, who also co-stars in the current George Lucas-produced film “Red Tails” about the Tuskegee Airmen fighter pilots, will appear on the upcoming season of NBC-TV’s ” The Voice” as a mentor for Cee Lo Green‘s team. Ne-Yo will mark his debut as a Motown artist with his fifth studio album, slated for this summer.
“His track record of success at Def Jam will always be a benchmark,” says Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown chairman/CEO Barry Weiss in a statement announcing the news.
“But this move to Motown will provide new and inspiring challenges for Ne-Yo as both an artist and a key member of the new senior management team that is taking form at the label in 2012.”
Ne-Yo says that he exited and terrified about the move because he knows that it’s a huge responsibility, but he’s down for the task at hand:
“I’m honored that I¹ve been given such a prestigious title and trusted with such responsibility; terrified because I know that playing this role in the fashion of one of my career role models, Mr. Smokey Robinson — these are big shoes to fill. But trust, I can handle it.”
Congrats to Ne-Yo on making major moves in the industry! Can’t wait to see what big things he has in store…