One relationship, three people: Ne-Yo unpacks his polyamorous life

Multi-award-winning singer Ne-Yo recently sat down with Sherri Shepherd on her daytime talk show, "Sherri", to discuss his modern approach to romance.

Since his divorce in 2022, after his ex-wife and model Crystal Renay accused him of infidelity, the 45-year-old singer has been spotted out and about with multiple partners.

Since then, the 45-year-old singer has moved away from traditional monogamy to polygamy. 

"After my very public, very ugly divorce, I made the decision that I was never going to tell another lie to a woman ever again in life. I own the things I did in that marriage to mess it up, I own it completely, and I decided I didn't want to be the reason anybody ever felt like that ever again," he told Shepherd. 

The singer revealed that he is currently in a relationship with three women and gave them the choice to stay once he told them the truth.

"I went to one of the three I've been with, a little longer than the others and said to her, 'Listen, you know I rock with you, you know I love you, but I have to be honest with you, it's not just you. I would love for you to meet these other women, and if we can figure out a way to do something together, cool, if not, that's cool, too'.

"I let her decide, I let them choose, everybody chose to stick around."

He clarified that this isn't about juggling separate lives, but building one shared life: "The main understanding is, I'm not in three different relationships, I'm in one relationship with three people. We figure out ways to make everything work.

"Of course, everybody gets their individual time, but group time is just as important."

When Shepherd asked if managing three women was "a lot of work," Ne-Yo hit back: "I've never been afraid of hard work, never.

"Somebody asked me a question about Valentine's Day, and how that works. Mind you, these are three different women, three different personalities. I can't do blanket stuff.

"I have to make sure I get a gift for each of them that matches who they are, but then, as far as where we go or what we do, that we decide together. We go to one restaurant, we go to one concert, or whatever it is that we're doing ... And everybody is happy."

As for whether the women can date other men, Ne-Yo quickly shook his head: "No. Here's the thing. I've made no requests for exclusivity of any of these women. I've never said 'If it ain't me, it's nothing'.

"I didn't ask for them to be with me; they want to be with me, they gave me their exclusivity, meaning if you gave it to me, it's mine.

"I deal in partnership as opposed to ownership. I don't want to own you or possess you - I want a partner in this, and we can work it out that way, but if the exclusivity is mine then it's mine, you ain't giving it to nobody else."

While the audience on the "Sherri Show" cheered for the "Miss Independent" hitmaker, social media users had a different opinion.

"@missperu commented: "He's hurt, all three women each possess the different qualities he will spend the rest of his life searching for and misses from the true love of his life that he lost and had in one soul."

@fitnessangel said: "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

A third user added: "He literally can't be faithful. The way my likeness went to zero watching this. I guess she's not 'One in a Million' ... She's '3'."