Diehard fans of Ne-Yo have to admit, 2010’s Libra Scale wasn’t his greatest musical moment. Despite a couple groove worthy singles—“Champagne Life” and “One In A Million”—the project flatlined, becoming his first album not to debut at #1 on the Billboard R&B album charts (it peaked at #4). But, like the talented artist he is, the Grammy Award winning star has gone back to the drawing board and back to his roots. The outcome? His upcoming album, The Cracks in Mr Perfect.

Last week, the star held a private album preview at his Compound Entertainment headquarters to an intimate house of celebrities—Keri Hilson, Common, Miguel, and Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Cynthia Bailey—label heads, Atlanta based business executives, and notables—your’s truly was in the house.

Presenting only seven songs, the music this time around was less Euro and more R&B. Fans who became fans of Ne-Yo’s sound circa his 2006 debut In My Own Words, will be surprised that he has been able to tap into the spirit of his past work, without feeling dated or carbon-copied. The music is definitely now.

It will be interesting to see how this album shapes up, but here’s hoping it’s a banger. Let’s toast it up.

Photos by Jason Glasgow

TAGS: COMMON, Compound Entertainment, Cynthia Bailey, Justin Dwayne Joseph, Keri Hilson, Miguel, Ne-Yo, Porshe