While the country is deciding which candidate will lead the free world, Ne-Yo has dropped an album for which both R&B and pop audiences can vote. The singer/songwriter’s 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.” [see video below] 

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., Ne-Yo 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”).

SEE ALSO: Ne-Yo On Drake’s Aaliyah Collabo: “Hat’s Of To Drake”

“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