Ne-Yo embraced country music during a whirlwind week in Nashville, Tennessee, and he isn’t slowing down.

The singer-songwriter, actor, entrepreneur and philanthropist is known for career-spanning hits “So Sick,” “Mad,” “Because Of You,” “Miss Independent,” “Give Me Everything,” and more. He’s also penned music for other iconic artists, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion and Jennifer Hudson, to name a few. Ne-Yo said he’s a lifelong fan of country, “a fun fact” that “not very many people know.” Now, the three-time Grammy winner and R&B megastar is sharing that side of his passion for music with his new country-inspired single, the first from a project due next year. It arrives after his team-up with “Here for the Party” hitmaker Gretchen Wilson to present the Vocal Duo of the Year award at the 59th CMA Awards, and his “bucket list” debut performance at the historic Grand Ole Opry during its centennial year.

“(I’ve) been a country music fan forever,” Ne-Yo told iHeartRadio on the CMA Awards red carpet on Wednesday evening (November 19). He said his interest in the genre “started with Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, and just kind of been going from there. My next project is a country-inspired project. I won’t call it a country album because I’m not a country artist. I feel like that’s a little disrespectful. But definitely inspired by all the things I love about country music.”

The first single from Ne-Yo’s country-inspired era, “Simple Things,” arrived on Friday (November 21), the same day that marks the 20th anniversary of “So Sick.” The iconic single scored Ne-Yo his first No. 1 when he released it in 2005. It appeared on his debut studio record, In My Own Words. Ne-Yo said of “Simple Things”: “Long story short, it’s about the things that really matter in life: family, friends, faith, you know. …Quality music.”

Operation Stormwatch: New Orleans