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Ne-Yo Says Today's Songwriters Are Only Interested In Making Money

• 13th Oct 2010

The 'Closer' singer – who as well as topping the charts himself has also penned pop hits for a number of other artists with the production team Stargate, including 'Irreplaceable' for Beyonce Knowles and 'Take A Bow' for Rihanna – is unimpressed with the current crop of songwriters because of their “shallow” motives.

He said: “People's reasons for making music have changed. I remember a time when people made music for the sheer joy of it. Nowadays people are just trying to make money and you can hear it. Everything sounds the same: it's shallow, hollow and thin. I take the time.”

Ne-Yo also revealed he gave up playing the guitar because he didn't like the way the tough steel strings hurt his fingers.

He added: “They didn't tell me that learning to play the guitar hurts. Your fingers bleed and they cramp. I was like, 'This is not sexy. I do not like this.

“And that's when I gave up. I was like, 'Nah. I'm OK.' Playing guitar is not the hottest thing. And then when you shake a person's hand, you've got sandpaper hands. No, thank you.”