The-Dream Really, Really Wants to Be Monogamous

Courtesy Island Def Jam

Born Terius Nash, The-Dream really does love the ladies. The 34-year-old has been married twice, to singers Nivea and Christina Milian. He became famous writing poppy songs for R&B princesses with hooks that latch themselves to your brain like barnacles - Rihanna's "Umbrella," Beyonce's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Mariah Carey's "Touch My Body," a zillion others you suddenly find yourself humming in the shower.

Since the 2007 release of his solo debut Love Hate, however, he's moved from behind-the-scenes to star, keeping many of those bubblegum sticky hooks for himself. Ahead of his show and the upcoming release of his fifth album, Love IV MMXII, we talked to the chatty producer over the phone about how he makes his songs stick in your heads, why he loves gossip about his personal life and the one song of which he's sick.

So how should I address you? Dream, Terius, Mr. Nash?
Either one of those first two work, and depending on if she's trying to marry me, she'll start saying, "Baby." Near the end of the conversation, she'll start saying, "Hey baby, what do you think about --"

In interviews?
Yeah, they do it to me.

Oh my goodness, it's like your essence comes across even over the phone, whatever! You can't hide it.
[Laughing] Oh, cut it out. See? Now you runnin' game on me, look at you!

I read a review of your show in New York and it said the woman you brought onstage wasn't very enthused.
Yeah, she didn't do anything! It's straight out of the R&B textbook 101 Series: You go onstage, you'll be slightly harassed maybe, make sure you're into it. Don't be at an R&B concert for the wrong reasons. 'Cause somebody might call you to the stage! That's how it used to be, back in the day. Now everybody acts like they're at a rap concert, look mean the whole time. It's R&B, baby. I decided to make sure that girl never got on any stage again.

You blackballed her.
Yeahhhh. You know, when it ain't workin', you gotta replace 'em.

That sounds like a loaded comment.
Hey, I'm just sayin'. It might be a baked potato comment.

So, since you're a single man and on the road --
Uh-oh! Mmm-hmm.

Do you have girls trying to get backstage?
WHAT!? Oh, my God. And um, yeah. You have to understand, I always had a girlfriend. I always wanted to be in a relationship. Sometimes, I want to be in one so bad, I end up picking the people that aren't good for relationships. ANYWAY. So, I don't know what to do with myself. I'm actually probably more fearful of myself and somebody else's intention, 'cause I'm in a place where I usually am not. I don't do the whole bachelor thing very well, and I haven't ever, at all. I don't get it.

You want one girl.
Oh, I definitely want one girl. Too many headaches, man. Although there are a lot of beautiful people out here. My next relationship I think we need to have an understanding.

What's that?