Exclusive: Ne-Yo’s Ex-Girlfriend Opens Up About Paternity Scandal & Trying To Find Love On “Match Made In Heaven”

MN: We’ve obviously heard his side of the story. Is there anything from your side that you’d like to share about what actually happened?

What I would like to say is what I said on the show. I was ridiculed and judged for something that I never did. Regardless of what people have heard, I would like for them to do a little more research and actually see something factual to go off of rather than just what they heard someone say on a TV show or a blog. There’s factual information out there that they can read that would show that.

MN: He seemed to imply that you had him under the impression that your son was his. Are you saying that you never told him that?

That’s absolutely not true. If you look at newer interviews  that he’s done, he actually says, “She never tricked me into anything. I always knew this and that.” If they really look at the interviews that even he’s done, they’ll see.

MN: Can you tell us what became of the defamation suit that you filed against him?

We sat down and we talked it out and we figured it out. We’re cool now.

MN: Is he still involved with your son at all?

No, he’s not.

MN: Would you say that Ne-Yo knowingly embraced your son knowing that he wasn’t his? If he walked into it with his eyes open, what was all of the strife about?

I don’t know what the motive was. I can just say that if you were to call him right now he would say that that wasn’t true.

MN: Do you have any regrets about how the situation was handled?

No comment.

MN: Out of everything, what would you say was the most hurtful thing that came from this experience?

I think it’s just people feeling as if I’m a thief or a con person or someone looking to get something that’s not mine. I work hard. I have a book that’s out. I have a successful photography career. I’m producing and directing. I do thing on my own. I don’t need anybody to attach myself to, to build me up or create my income. I have my own thing going on, but all people see is, “This girl is a con person,” and “This girl went after him and stole him money,” and whatever else they come up with, which is completely untrue. I can’t take something from somebody that wasn’t given to me. I can’t force anybody to do anything. There was a reason why things were done. People should just do their homework.

MN: Did you always go by the name Phoenix? If not, what inspired the name change?

No. I started going by the name Phoenix maybe like four or five years ago. I chose that name because it meant to rise from the ashes. So after I had brain surgery and went through a lot of things, I changed my name.

(Editor’s Note: Ne-Yo begins discussing his situation with Phoenix at the 20 minute mark.)