R&B artist Ne-Yo talked to CNN after coming off a three-city tour in Japan in the wake of its 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami. "Never in my mind was there ever the thought of not going," Neyo told CNN. "I was actually more anxious to go, because in times of great turmoil like that, you need something to make you smile. You need something to take your mind off of what's going on—even if for a little while."

When news of the devastation hit, there were reports that some members of Ne-Yo's crew were concerned about touring there. One of the shows was only 150 miles from the nuclear power plant, and they were concerned about potential radiation exposure. Ne-Yo commented on the situation. "I came from a school where the show must go on, given any situation. You can't pick which shows you're going to do and not going to do. That's not something that's allowed," he said. "There are some news channels that just want to make it sound as terrible as they possibly can. But as far as the people that decided not to come—you know, I can't make a person do anything that they don't want to do."

Ne-Yo said his only concern was safety. But the singer noted that he wanted to be there for his fans. "The Japanese people have been some of my most dedicated fans, so what kind of artist would I be to not go over there and give some of that appreciation back—especially in their time of need."