Ne-Yo fifth studio album, R.E.D., hit stores today and he explained why it nearly tore him in two.  

“This is the first album I paid attention to the fact that I have a really broad fanbase and let it be a motivating factor to the music that I do,” Ne-Yo told CBS Local. “I had to make sure my R&B fanbase knew that I would never abandon them. Just because I found love on the pop side doesn’t mean I’m not an R&B artist. I’m an R&B artist first, bottom line.”

Ne-Yo also explained that he needed to please the fans of his pop sound he has developed over the years. With R.E.D., he offers a wide range of styles, including one song with country singer Tim McGraw (“She Is”) and another with Fabolous and Diddy (“Should Be You”).

“This album is literally split down the middle,” Ne-Yo explained. “One half is strictly for my R&B fanbase and the other is the pop fanbase…I pride myself and thank my fans for being open-minded enough to allow me to be the kind of artist who can do a song with Young Jeezy and then turn around and do a song with David Guetta or Calvin Harris. There are not a lot of artists that they give that kind of leeway to, I am one. I appreciate that.”

–E. Parker, CBS Local