Ne-Yo made a complete change in his lifestyle after his contentious 2023 divorce from Crystal Renay. The “2 Million Secrets” singer and Renay got divorced after eight years together — seven of which they spent married — after she discovered he’d fathered two children with another woman during their marriage. Ne-Yo has moved on to dating multiple people, and he says one decision explains the unconventional lifestyle change that came with it. Ne-Yo, father of seven, explains his poly lifestyle during a live television appearance on “Sherri.” (Photo credit: Marcus Ingram / Getty Images for TV One and Urban One Honors) ‘That’s Just Not My Get Down’: Ne-Yo’s Ex-Wife Crystal Renay Exposes the Surprising Reason She Wouldn’t Have Married Him During his Jan. 14 appearance on “Sherri,” Ne-Yo revealed the catalyst for his new polyamorous lifestyle. After host Sherri Shepherd asked the “Champagne Life” singer how he dates three different women. “You are in a polyamorous relationship with three women,” she began. “Now, Ne-Yo, I’ve always wondered, I, I just don’t understand how this works. You’ve got to explain to me — how does this work with three women?” “Which part?” Ne-Yo asked. Shepherd then elaborated, asking how the singer got into a polyamorous relationship in the first place, which stemmed from something he vowed to never do. “I’ll keep this brief,” he said. “So, after my very public, very ugly divorce, uh, I made the decision that I was never going to tell another lie to a woman ever again in life. I owned 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 that anybody ever felt like that ever again.” Ne-Yo explains why he’s dating at least three women at a time since his divorce, openly discussing his consensual polyamorous setup with up to four girlfriends simultaneously. Is Ne-Yo living the dream life or nah? pic.twitter.com/2gzcbxRvi5— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) January 16, 2026 The Grammy-winning songwriter noted that he asked several of the women he was dating if they wanted to be open to a relationship that included him and his other girlfriends. “And we figure out ways to make everything work,” said the 46-year-old as he explained the details of what some may view as a crowded relationship. “Of course, everybody gets their individual time, but group time is just as important as individual time,” he added. Ne-Yo received a round of applause about his post-divorce confession from the audience at the “Sherri” show. But the online reactions were mixed after a clip of his interview hit Instagram, leaving several fans unimpressed. One fan asked, “WTF are we supposed to do with this information?” Another replied, “Chiiilllee a MESS!” “Rich man privilege. This wouldn’t fly if he was broke,” added one. A fourth noted, “Why are we clapping for this again?” View this post on Instagram A post shared by DADDY’S PRETTY BABY (@daddys_pretty_baby__) Ne-Yo added that the women don’t sleep with other men, but not by his request. “They gave me their exclusivity,” he explained. “Meaning, if you gave it to me, it’s mine.” He hasn’t clarified whether the women in his dating circle were allowed to be involved with one another while he spent time with them individually. What is clear, though, is that his lifestyle choices haven’t always sat well with the mothers of his children. Ne-Yo is a father to seven children with multiple women. He shares a son and a daugher with his ex-fiance, Moneyetta Shaw, three children with ex-wife Crystal Renay, and two more sons with model, Sade Bagnerise. In April 2024, Renay addressed the topic during an interview on “The Culture Club Uncensored,” saying Ne-Yo “never, ever, ever” raised the idea of being with multiple women at the same time during their marriage. She said she would never even consider agreeing to. Crystal Renay Smith shared with Atlanta Black Star that if she had known about Ne-Yo’s polyamorous lifestyle, she wouldn’t have married him. pic.twitter.com/HkxHy7vKCV— Atlanta Black Star (@ATLBlackStar) March 25, 2025 “I wouldn’t have been married if that was, because that’s just not my get down,” Renay explained, “and, no shade, no disrespect to anybody and how they live their lifestyle. It’s just something that I … just don’t want to be a part of.” By December 2024, Bagnerise — who welcomed two sons with Ne-Yo during his marriage to Renay — offered a far harsher take. During an Instagram Live video earlier that year, she referred to him as “Diddy Jr.,” accusing him of hosting so-called “freak offs” and bringing paid women around their children. Not all reactions from Ne-Yo’s past have been critical. During a May 2025 episode of Torrei Hart’s “Brutally Honest” podcast, Monyetta Shaw struck a more supportive tone. “I do love that he’s finally living in his truth,” Shaw said. “Honestly, yeah — kudos to that.” Shaw maintains a healthy relationship with Ne-Yo and keeps a distance from his personal life. Like Renay with Bagnerise, Shaw claimed she was still with Ne-Yo when he began seeing Renay. Despite the drama, the two appear to have moved on as Bagnerise and Renay have been spotted hanging out together without their children. Let bygones, be bygones!!!! Ne-Yo’s ex-wife Crystal Renay links up with Sade Bagnerise, the mother of the two children Ne-Yo had during their marriage. (Swipe for previous post) : #TSRStaffST pic.twitter.com/ei1K4g4K7c— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) December 16, 2024 While Ne-Yo has often spoken publicly about being an involved dad, his evolving personal life has repeatedly pulled his family dynamics into the spotlight — especially as he flaunts his relationship publicly despite the backlash and former partners weigh in on how his choices affect their children. ‘Why Are We Clapping for This Again?’: Ne-Yo Gets a Round of Applause for His Post-Divorce Confession After Having Two Kids Outside His Marriage ...read more read less