Though due next year, Beyonce‘s fifth studio album is already the hottest topic on the lips of many, thanks in part to her upcoming Super Bowl performance, newly announced Pepsi deal, as well as a docu-movie on HBO.

More than anything, though, it’s the secrecy surrounding the project that has anticipation boiling to fever pitch. However, bit by bit information surrounding the actual music is beginning to treacle out. Indeed, the last few weeks have seen the involvement of The-Dream, Miguel, among others confirmed.

Now, hitmaker Ne-Yo has revealed that he too is about to start cooking up material for the budding icon.

Details after the jump…

Speaking with Billboard at the Z100 Jingle Ball over the weekend, Motown’s new Head Of A&R said: “I’m actually about to do some stuff for Beyonce soon — she’s on her way back.”

Many will remember the pair’s last prominent outing, 2006′s ‘Irreplaceable’ – the mega-smash which has, according to Nielsen SoundScan, sold 3.1 million copies in the US to date.

As keen appreciators of Ne-Yo’s work, both with Beyonce and beyond, the news is particularly warming.

That said, it’s important to caution those who share in our sentiment (as well as those who don’t) that working on a project and actually making the final tracklist are two separate things. Still, given Mr Smith’s musical versatility (see: Janet’s ‘Discipline’, to his own catalogue), we’re sure he’ll bring the heat.