Ne-Yo is talk of the talk of the town in the R&B community, but is he really a big indie fan at heart - and can there already be a movie about him in production?

Your new album has sold a bucketload over here. What sort of reaction have you had since you've been in Britain?
Over here, it's OK to do something different - to grow and expand. In the US, if you're good at one thing, you're not allowed to ever do anything different.

Really?
I've ruffled feathers in the States because where I'm going with the music isn't what they're used to. No one saw this record coming because I'm supposed to be the soulful, R&B, poppy guy - not the techno, dance guy. But if I had to do the same thing over and over again, I'd die. I'd stop breathing and leave this plane of existence.

Er, that seems a bit drastic...
In R&B now, when an artist comes out and does something that people like, everyone else follows suit. So you start hearing a bunch of songs that sound like the same damn song! There's a lack of creativity - no one's original. I don't even bother listening to the radio any more.

Just as well you've kept yourself busy writing songs for the likes of Beyoncé and Rihanna, then...
Putting myself in the mindset of Rihanna one minute and then Beyoncé the next keeps me fresh. It's selfish - I do it all for me! And I'm bossy in the studio, too. People have to work my way, man!

You recently said you could write a hit record for any artist. Now Marilyn Manson has come out and called your bluff!
I know he has - and it's going to happen! I'm really looking forward to it. It'll be the most intriguing hook-up in the history of music! I have the capacity to create hits for anyone. I want to get into the studio and pick his brains!

Would you be interested in working with more guitar bands in the future?
Definitely. I'm a huge Radiohead, Coldplay and Muse fan. I used to get bullied by my friends for having Radiohead on my headphones at school! In America, it's taboo - but hooking up with these bands would be celebrated in the UK.

Any other interesting collaborations coming up?
I'm heading into the studio with Michael Jackson soon. I'm writing for him right now. He's nervous about it - it's either going to be the greatest comeback ever or a really, really sad thing. We met up in a restaurant in New York and he was surprisingly normal. Everyone asks, "What did his face look like?" but it was all quite normal. He did keep on his mirrored sunglasses the whole time, though. Not being able to look into his eyes was weird!

Your album is called Year Of The Gentleman. How's your new classy attitude gone down with the girls?
The ladies absolutely love it! We're in a misogynistic time nowadays, man. The word "bitch" is used 30 times a minute and it's sad. If you used that word in my house, you got the biggest beating ever! So, yeah, the move towards something cooler and more gentlemanly was influenced by how it might improve my image with the girls!

OK then, ladies' man - let's see if you can help out our readers with a few tips. You see a girl who you like in a bar. What do you do next?
Hold off slightly - don't march straight over. Her actions will tell you everything you need to know. Don't wait until she's on her own - it'll look creepy! Be bold and talk to her when she's with her friends. And watch to see how the nine guys before you bombed with her - don't do what they did!

And if you do pull her?
Any asshole can take a girl to a fancy restaurant, so take her somewhere a bit cheaper. But then slip the waiter some cash to make sure you're the best looked after couple in the place.

Nice. Any other tips?
Don't tell outrageous lies. Because if you actually get this woman, then you're going to come unstuck big-time! Men hate it if we get a girl home and discover she's got something stuffed in her bra, so don't go down that road! Just be yourself. Race and colour - that doesn't matter at all. Everyone's black when the lights go out!

We've also heard there's going to be an 8 Mile-style movie of your life...
There is. It'll be called Venice Beach and I'll be the lead. We're getting the script sorted right now. It's loosely based on my life. Rihanna is being spoken about as my female lead, which would be very cool...

Ne-Yo's album, Year Of The Gentleman, is out now.

PUB FACT: Ne-Yo's real name is Shaffer Chimere Smith.