Ne-Yo's mother 'cried like a baby' after his Miss Independent revelation
Ne-Yo topped charts worldwide back in 2008 when he released Miss Independent, and admitted during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show that he penned it about his mother, Lorraine Smith.
Ne-Yo’s mum was left “crying like a baby” when he told her he’d written his chart-topping song Miss Independent about her.
The singer topped charts worldwide back in 2008 when he released the tune, which has earned him millions of dollars, and admitted during an appearance on the Zach Sang Show that he penned it about his mum, Lorraine Smith.
Asked about the rumours his mother had been the inspiration for the song, Ne-Yo confirmed she had been, and said she had an emotional reaction when he told her - and “cried like a baby”.
He added: ““It was a beautiful moment”.
Ne-Yo further explained of the meaning behind the song: “I grew up in a house full of women.
“These were not women that were waiting to be rescued. These were not dames in distress.
“They were changing tires and opening pickle jars and squishing spiders and whatever, taking out the trash.”
In the tune, he sings “Ooh there's somethin' about, Kind of woman that can do for herself, I look at her and it makes me proud, There's somethin' about her”.
Ne-Yo also recalled the special moment that he called Lorraine - who had worked multiple jobs to fund her family - to tell her that he’d made enough money for her to retire.
He said: “I called her at work. This was the day I got my first check from [writing] Mario’s Let Me Love You, which was a very nice check.
“[I] told her to get in her car. ‘Turn on your car and drive home. You never have to go back into that building ever again in your life.’”
Ne-Yo told Lorraine the days of her being hard at work are “done”, and added: “That moment I feel like any son, if you could ever do that for your mom, that’s a defining moment.
“It gives you motivation.”
Ne-Yo, real name Shaffer Smith, is taking his career in a new direction with the release of his first country-inspired album, Highway 79, last month.
And despite being warned by others in the music industry that country music stars are less than “accepting” of newcomers, the musician said his experience was the total opposite.
In an interview on Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now podcast, he said: “Everybody’s interested and intrigued about how I’m going to take what I do and what country music is and fuse them together.
“And everybody’s just been real receptive.”
