Virginia native Trey Songz makes it count

Trey Songz had to come up with something hot, a real hit, or else he would probably find himself without a deal.

His first two albums on the venerable Atlantic label - 2005's "I Gotta Make It" and 2007's "Trey Day" - generated some buzz but mostly forgettable songs on the urban charts. Neither was a strong seller.

But the Petersburg native overhauled his style for his third CD, "Ready," released last August. His cornrows disappeared - so did his shirt. The album cover displayed his muscles and tattoo s. The music grew decidedly raunchier, steaming with sexually explicit yet catchy lyrics that would make his idol R. Kelly proud.

Spurred by the hits "I Invented Sex" and "Neighbors Know My Name," "Ready" went gold.

"This album was make-or-break for me," said Songz, who co-headlines a show with R&B star Monica at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion in Portsmouth on Saturday. "It was about making dollars and an image. It's very possible that I could've gotten dropped if this album didn't do well. It was all about making sure the album was strategic."

With its streamlined production and Songz' nonchalant delivery of sexualized lyrics, "Ready" was an immediate hit. The album didn't carry a Parental Advisory sticker, despite the explicit lyrics and Songz' strong teen appeal. Beyond the much-needed sales, the performer says the highly sexual nature of "Ready" is also a reflection of who he is as a man and artist.

"I will always make songs about love, about the act of sex," said Songz, 25, calling from a tour stop in St. Louis. "That's something all R&B singers do. If that's gonna sell best, I'm gonna put that out front."

Born Tremaine Neverson, the performer started singing at 14. He aspired to be a rapper, but his family encouraged him to develop his smooth, high tenor. He was discovered in a talent show in 2000. Two years later, he signed a deal with Atlantic Records. About the same time, he left Virginia.

"The first thing I think about when I think of Virginia is family. That's what means the most to me, and mine is still there," said Songz, who's based in Atlanta. "I was molded there. A lot of the person I am is because of the time I spent there."

Songz earned some buzz in 2003 when he released several mixtapes under the alias "Prince of Virginia." This set the stage for his debut, "I Gotta Make It," which spawned the single "Girl Tonite." Songz gained more traction two years later with "Trey Day," but the album fizzled, peaking just outside the Top 10 on the charts. "Ready," which debuted at No. 3 on the charts, was the breakthrough Songz needed. His lyrics dotted with sometimes-inane sexual metaphors, the performer drew comparisons to R. Kelly.

"I think he's one of the greatest songwriters of all time," Songz said, "so to be compared to him is a blessing."

"Trey Songz: My Moment," a BET documentary detailing his rise, debuted on the cable network in June. His new album, "Passion, Pain & Pleasure," is due in stores Sept. 14.

"It's been a gradual progression of growth - from the first album being an introduction of me as an artist and me trying to figure out who I am to now me knowing very well who I am," Songz said. "I'm taking on more responsibility with each level of success."

He says the oversexed image is just a means to an end.

"I look at being a sex symbol as just a window in my career," Songz said. "Everything comes to pass. The talent will shine. With the power that I have as Trey Songz, I want to touch people's lives. I'm a good man at the end of it all."

Rashod Ollison, (757) 446-2732, rashod.ollison@pilotonline.com