R&B singer Ne-Yo, who is coming off a successfully outing of his second album âBecause Of You,â will return this summer with his third release, “Year of the Gentleman.” The disc is led by the Stargate-produced single “Closer,” and itâs expected to hit stores June 24 via Def Jam. Ne-Yo says he was inspired by Rat Packers like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. as he conceptualized the new album. “Years ago, if you weren’t wearing the right suit or have a correct crease in your pants, you couldn’t even get in the door –let alone on stage to perform,” he tells Billboard. “For me, the sharpness of Sammy and Sinatra is the kind of style I strive for in clothes and music. ‘Year of the Gentleman’ is named in honor of those guys.” Beyond “Closer,” other songs on the set include the guitar-laden “So You Can Cry,” about a difficult break-up, and “Stop This World,” which finds Ne-Yo crooning, “She’s got heaven in her eyes.” The album is also expected to include a collaboration with Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump. In addition to working on his own project, Ne-Yo has recently penned tracks for Rihanna, Janet Jackson, Mary J. Blige and Celine Dion, among others. “Because of You” has sold over 2 million copies in the worldwide, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
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