Ne-Yo speaks out on how he told kids about his four different girlfriends as he reveals one rule he has for them despite polyamory

Father-of-seven Ne-Yo has a complicated relationship status - something he has struggled to explain to his children.

The 45-year-old 'Miss Independent' singer is both romantically and sexually involved with four different women in a polyamorous relationship.

This is in addition to the three women he already has children with.

The star (real name Shaffer Chimere Smith) shares his two eldest kids - a 14-year-old daughter, Madilyn, and a son named Mason, 13 - with ex-fiancée Monyetta Shaw-Carter, from whom he split in 2013.

Ne-Yo also fathered three children - Shaffer, nine, Roman, six, and Isabella, three - from his relationship with ex-wife, Crystal Renay.

And lastly, the musician shares his youngest two - Braiden, three, and Braxton, one - with former flame and social media influencer Sade Jenea Bagnerise.

The singer is a father-of-seven (Instagram/@neyo)

As we say, during an appearance on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show back in February, he confirmed he is now in a relationship with four other women.

A month later, he debuted his girlfriends on social media as Cristina (Pretty Baby), Arielle (Twin Flame), Moneii (Phoenix Feather) and Bri (Sexy Lil’ Somethin’).

"LADIES AND GENTS I PRESENT MY PYRAMID," he captioned the snap. "Say something nice or move on with your life. We happy over here."

Honest conversations

Explaining how he broaches the subject of his unconventional romantic endeavours with his children, he told listeners that honesty is the best policy.

"I’m not lying to anybody, not even my children," he began.

"Like, 'Hey this is daddy’s girlfriend, and so is that, and so is that, and so is that'."

Adding that his various partners do play a parental role in bringing up his seven children, he said of the group: "She’s going to make you some cereal, and she’s going to cook lunch, and she’s going wash clothes, and it’s all good.

"It’s family. It’s community."

He recently debuted his four partners on social media (Instagram/@neyo)

Rules and regulations

It turns out, however, that - as well as honesty, the 'So Sick' hit-maker does have one rule when it comes to another lady joining his family.

"The question I get the most is, are they allowed to date outside of me? That’s the question I get all the damn time, and I’m going to answer it right now," he said during another recent appearance on The Angie Martinez Show.

"No… no they are not. I did not demand their exclusivity. They offered it."

Ne-Yo recalled on the show: "They came to me and said, 'I want to be exclusive to you and just you'.

"I said, 'You understand that your exclusivity to me does not mean my exclusivity to you. You understand this?'. 'Yes.'

"'You’re okay with this?' 'Yes.' 'Okay cool, since you are offering your exclusivity and I’m taking it, now there’s rules that I need you to follow'."

Despite said exclusivity restrictions, the Grammy award-winner insists he wants nothing to do with the notion of 'ownership'.

"I’d be a fool to feel like I’m the only person that anybody will ever be attracted to, anybody will ever want to see; I know that," he went on.

The star revealed his partners aren't to have any other lovers (Instagram/@neyo)

"So should the situation ever come up, nothing is above a conversation. However, in that I’m the head of this household, what I say goes."

The singer continued: "So if I say no, it’s a no. And you just got to let that be a no, or the door is over there."

Double standards?

Ne-Yo added, however, that his obscure relationship status still permits him to date - though, he claims this is something he is uninterested in.

"I’m good," he insisted. "There is no random hookups here and there, everything is talked about, everything is discussed."