Jhené Aiko

Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo is an American singer-songwriter and recording artist from Los Angeles, California. Her music is associated with contemporary R&B, neo soul, R&B, soul and trap, and her vocals are described as gentle and pop-tinged.

Early life and background

Aiko is born and raised in Los Angeles. Her family background is mixed: her mother is of Japanese, Spanish and Dominican descent, and her father has African American, Yaqui, Choctaw, Cherokee, Navajo and German Jewish ancestry. She also states that she has French ancestry. She identifies with all parts of her heritage and often describes herself in broad terms that reflect that mix.

She is a Christian and is baptised at 16 at the evangelical Pentecostal Foursquare Church.

Career beginnings

Aiko starts in music as a teenager through work connected to B2K. She becomes known early on as “Lil’ Fizz’s cousin” as part of a marketing angle, although she says she and Lil’ Fizz grow up together and are close like family rather than related. When B2K signs to Epic Records, she signs as well and serves as their opening act on the Scream Tour 3.

She contributes vocals to several B2K releases in 2002, including tracks on the remix album B2K: The Remixes - Volume 1. She also records a cover of “Santa Baby” for Santa Hooked Me Up, appears as a guest vocalist on “Tease” from Pandemonium!, and has the song “Dog” used as a bonus track. Around this period, she appears in a number of music videos, including videos for O’Ryan, B2K, P.Y.T., Play and Morgan Smith.

Her song “NO L.O.V.E” is released in video form and debuts on BET’s 106 & Park when she is 15. A planned debut album titled My Name Is Jhené is not released, and she leaves the label after tensions there. She then steps away from music to continue her education.

Return to recording

In 2011, Aiko returns to music with the mixtape Sailing Soul(s). She writes nearly all of the songs herself, with “July” written by Micah Powell, and most of the mixtape is produced by Fisticuffs. Individual tracks are produced by Bei Maejor, Roosevelt, J. Lbs and Tae Beast. The mixtape also includes collaborations with Miguel, Drake and Kanye West, among others. Datpiff certifies it gold for 100,000 downloads.

To support the release, she performs a free secret show with Miguel. She also releases videos for “My Mine” and “Stranger”.

Def Jam, EPs and chart success

After working with artists linked to Top Dawg Entertainment such as Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul, Aiko meets No I.D. and signs to his Artium imprint through Def Jam Recordings. Her label history includes The Ultimate Group and Epic Records, and she is later signed through Artium/Def Jam, with the verified label listing including 0207 Def Jam.

She releases “3:16AM” as the first single from Sail Out. In 2012, she also opens for Nas and Lauryn Hill on their “Life Is Good/Black Rage” tour. She features on Big Sean’s “Beware” in 2013, which becomes her first entry on the US Billboard Hot 100. She also appears on Drake’s Nothing Was the Same on the tracks “Wu-Tang Forever” and “From Time”, and later opens for Drake on his Would You like a Tour? run.

Her debut EP Sail Out is released in 2013 and includes guest appearances from Vince Staples, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar and Ab-Soul. “Bed Peace”, featuring Childish Gambino, is the second single, and “The Worst” becomes a major radio and chart track in 2014, reaching number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming her first solo chart entry in the region. It also reaches number 11 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and makes her the first female artist to lead the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart with a debut single since Jazmine Sullivan.

She appears on Saturday Night Live with Drake performing “From Time”.

Studio album work

Aiko announces her debut studio album Souled Out in 2014, after which the release is delayed. She premieres “My Afternoon Dream” with a video she co-directs with Krissy, and later releases “To Love & Die” as the first single from the album. She is also confirmed as a supporting act for The Weeknd’s “King of the Fall Tour” alongside Schoolboy Q.

Collaborations, family and personal life

Aiko works closely with artists connected to Los Angeles-based hip-hop and R&B scenes, especially No I.D., Miguel, Drake, Big Sean, Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, Vince Staples and Kanye West.

She becomes a mother at 20 and has a daughter, Namiko, with R&B singer O’Ryan. Her brother Miyagi dies of cancer in 2012, and she records “For My Brother” on her laptop before his death. In 2013, she is involved in a car accident in Los Angeles with her daughter, her sister Miyoko and O’Ryan; she is injured, while Namiko is unharmed.

Associated acts

Aiko is associated with TWENTY88 and Gyrl.