A couple of weeks ago, MTV News caught up with R&B hitmaker [artist id="2002414"]Ne-Yo[/artist] on the red carpet at the American Music Awards, and he said something rather interesting -- and kind of shocking.

When asked what he's been up to -- in the wake of the September release of his latest LP, [article id="1591836"]Year of the Gentleman[/article] -- he told us he's got a lot on his plate. Ne-Yo explained that he's been writing for several artists and has a few collaborations in the works. He said he was excited to work with the likes of [artist id="854"]Mary J. Blige[/artist], [artist id="1801883"]Ciara[/artist], [artist id="3282"]Michael Bolton[/artist], [artist id="11918"]Mario[/artist], [artist id="12684"]Monica[/artist], [artist id="2490602"]Leona Lewis[/artist] and [artist id="15109"]Lionel Richie[/artist].

And then he mentioned his upcoming musical venture with none other than [artist id="1234"]Marilyn Manson[/artist], the shock-rocking controversy magnet. When pressed for details, Ne-Yo remained uncharacteristically mum.

"I have no idea what it's going to be, because we haven't started yet," he told MTV News. "But I'm looking forward to just sitting in a room with him, picking his brain and figuring something out. I have no idea what its going to be yet."

It wasn't the first time Ne-Yo spilled the beans about his collaboration with Manson. A quick Google search turns up many interviews where Ne-Yo has discussed working with Manson, an artist he named more than a year ago when asked which artists he'd like to team up with.

"I've wanted to work with him for ages and his people reached out to me when they heard," Ne-Yo told the U.K.'s Daily Star. "People might think it's a strange collaboration, [but] I don't."

Well, perhaps it would have been too strange a collaboration after all.

When contacted by MTV News this week, a spokesperson for Manson said the singer, who is finishing work on the follow-up to 2007's Eat Me, Drink Me, has not spoken to Ne-Yo or his representatives about the idea, and that he has no immediate plans to work with Ne-Yo.

Reps for Ne-Yo had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment at press time.