Jhené Aiko Essentials

Jhené Aiko represents a wave of younger artists bringing the introspection of ’70s R&B and ’90s neo-soul into the self-care era, handling everyday stuff—relationships, parenting, sex, personal discovery—with a slight cosmic slant. After dabbling in the music industry, the Los Angeles native broke through with her 2011 mixtape Sailing Soul(s), mining eerie romantic dislocation on “stranger” and signaling to forebears like Erykah Badu on the pining “my mine.” Freshly signed to Def Jam, Aiko had her pick of collaborators (some of them repeat creative partners) on her 2013 EP Sail Out, including Childish Gambino (“Bed Peace”) and Kendrick Lamar (“Stay Ready (What a Life)”). Soon she was putting her stamp on beachy balladry (2015’s “Spotless Mind”), immersive romance (2017’s “While We’re Young”), weed-stoked bliss (2018’s “Sativa”), and lights-off come-ons (2019’s “Triggered (freestyle)”), while still making time for high-profile guest spots like the one on 2 Chainz’s multi-platinum 2017 hit “It’s a Vibe.” And on 2024’s “Sun/Son,” Aiko fully basks in New Age vibes while celebrating motherhood.