Nearly two decades after working with Michael Jackson, Ne-Yo has once again opened up about the unreleased songs they created together, revealing that he is now considering whether Jaafar Jackson or Janet Jackson could one day bring them to life.
Speaking on The Zach Sang Show, the R&B singer confirmed that he still has six to eight songs written with Michael in 2008 for what was intended to be the King of Pop’s comeback album following the This Is It concerts.
“They are sitting in my archive, waiting for me to figure out what the hell I’m gonna do with them,” Ne-Yo said.
This isn’t a new story for longtime Michael Jackson fans. Ne-Yo has spoken in the past about collaborating with Michael, explaining that the songs were developed together rather than simply being submitted to him.
According to Ne-Yo, Michael was deeply involved in the writing process, offering detailed feedback on every draft.
“He wrote them with me, basically. I’d send him something, and he’d call me and go, ‘I really like the second verse… maybe reverse the verses.’ We did that for roughly six songs.”
The plan was for Michael to record the tracks after completing the This Is It residency in London. Tragically, his passing in June 2009 meant the songs were never recorded and have remained unheard ever since.
Now, Ne-Yo says he is weighing up different possibilities. One suggestion that caught his attention was Jaafar Jackson, who portrays his uncle in the blockbuster Michael biopic.
“Somebody said, ‘Why don’t you give them to Jaafar?’ And I’m like, ‘That’s not a bad idea.'”
He also mentioned Janet Jackson as another possibility.
“Give them to Janet? She’s still doing stuff. That’s not a bad idea, either.”
Despite the ideas, Ne-Yo admits he remains conflicted.
“It doesn’t feel right for me to put them out as mine because I wrote them for him. It doesn’t necessarily feel right for me to give them to anybody else, because I wrote them for him.”
For now, the songs remain locked away in Ne-Yo’s archive, leaving fans to wonder if these long-lost collaborations with Michael Jackson will ever be heard. Whether they stay unreleased or eventually find a voice through a member of the Jackson family, they remain one of the many intriguing “what if” stories from the final chapter of Michael’s extraordinary career.
