Jhené Aiko facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jhené Aiko
Aiko performing during "The High Road Tour" in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo
Born	(1988-03-16) March 16, 1988 (age 37) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	West Los Angeles College
Genres	R&B neo soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter rapper
Years active	2002–present
Labels	ARTium Def Jam TUG Epic

Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo (born March 16, 1988) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and rapper. She started her music journey in 2002. She was a backing singer and appeared in music videos for the R&B group B2K.

Jhené Aiko signed with their record label, The Ultimate Group, that same year. She was promoted as the "cousin" of B2K member Lil' Fizz to help her gain fans. However, they are not actually related. Her first album was planned for 2003 but was put on hold. Aiko decided to focus on her education instead.

In March 2011, Aiko returned to music. She released her first full project, a mixtape called Sailing Soul(s). Later that year, she signed with producer No I.D.'s label, ARTium Recordings. This label is part of Def Jam Recordings. She became widely known after singing with Lil Wayne on Big Sean's 2013 song "Beware". This song was her first to reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

In November 2013, she released her first extended play (EP) Sail Out. This EP included popular songs like "3:16AM", "Bed Peace" (with Childish Gambino), and "The Worst". "The Worst" became very successful, earning five-times platinum certification.

Aiko's first studio album, Souled Out (2014), was a big hit. Her next albums, Trip (2017) and Chilombo (2020), also did very well. Chilombo reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. It also earned Aiko three Grammy Award nominations, including Album of the Year.

Early Life and Family

Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo was born on March 16, 1988, in Los Angeles, California. Her family lived in South Los Angeles. When she was seven, their home burned down. They then moved to an area near Slauson Avenue. She was homeschooled until high school. She calls her neighborhood "Slauson Hills."

Jhené's parents are Christina Yamamoto and Karamo Chilombo. They are divorced. Aiko has seven siblings. Her sister, Mila J, is also an R&B singer. Her mother has Spanish, Dominican, and Japanese roots. Her father has Native American, African-American, and German-Jewish heritage. She took vocal lessons but later quit.

Music Career Highlights

Starting in Music (2002–2006)

Aiko began her music career by singing on several B2K songs. She also sang a song for The Master of Disguise movie soundtrack in 2002. At this time, she was signed to The Ultimate Group. She was managed by Chris Stokes.

During this period, she was known as the cousin of B2K's rapper, Lil' Fizz. This was a marketing idea from her labels to help her gain fans. Aiko says she and Lil' Fizz grew up together and were close like family. She appeared on B2K's remix album, B2K: The Remixes – Volume 1. She also sang "Santa Baby" on their album Santa Hooked Me Up.

Aiko appeared in many music videos. These included videos for O'Ryan and B2K. Her songs were also featured on movie soundtracks like Barbershop and You Got Served. She released a music video for her song "NO L.O.V.E" when she was 15. Her first album, My Name Is Jhené, was planned for 2003. However, it was never released due to problems at the record label. Aiko later left the labels to continue her education.

Return to Music and Sail Out (2007–2011)

In 2007, Jhené Aiko decided to return to music. She released a mixtape called Sailing Soul(s) on March 16, 2011. All the songs on the mixtape were written by her, except one. The mixtape featured collaborations with artists like Miguel and Drake.

To promote the mixtape, Aiko performed a free show with R&B singer Miguel. She also released music videos for songs like "My Mine" and "Stranger." In 2011, she started working with artists from Top Dawg Entertainment. This led to her EP Sail Out, released on November 12, 2013.

Breakthrough Success (2012–2014)

Aiko performing in Toronto, Canada in 2013

In 2012, Aiko signed with No I.D.'s Artium Records. This label is part of Def Jam. She released the song "3:16AM" as the first single from Sail Out. In 2012, Aiko also opened for Nas and Lauryn Hill on their concert tour.

In June 2013, Aiko was featured on the Big Sean song "Beware". This song became her first to appear on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. In October 2013, Aiko was announced as an opening act for Drake's "Would You Like a Tour?" concert tour.

Her debut EP Sail Out was released on November 12, 2013. It sold 34,000 copies in its first week. "The Worst" became the third single from the album. It reached number one on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart. This made her the first female artist to top that chart with a debut single since 2008. The song peaked at number forty-three on the Billboard Hot 100.

On January 18, 2014, Aiko performed "From Time" with Drake on Saturday Night Live. Her debut studio album, Souled Out, was released on September 8, 2014. The album was very successful. It debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200, selling 70,000 copies. It also reached number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album included other singles like "The Pressure" and "Wading."

Collaborations and Trip (2015–2018)

In February 2015, Aiko was nominated for three Grammy Awards. These included Best R&B Song for "The Worst". She also joined rapper J. Cole on his Forest Hills Drive Tour. In March 2015, Aiko released a free song called "Living Room Flow."

In March 2016, Aiko announced a collaboration album with rapper Big Sean. They formed a group called Twenty88. Their self-titled album was released on April 1. The album tells the story of a relationship's ups and downs.

Aiko's second album, Trip, was released on September 22, 2017. A 23-minute film, also titled Trip, was released a day before the album. Aiko helped direct this film, which shared parts of her life story. In January 2018, Aiko opened for Lana Del Rey on her "LA to the Moon Tour."

Chilombo and Recent Work (2019–Present)

On May 8, 2019, Aiko released "Triggered (Freestyle)". This song reached number fifty-one on the Billboard Billboard Hot 100. It was the first single from her 2020 album. The song talked about her past relationships.

Aiko's third studio album, Chilombo, was released in March 2020. On February 13, 2022, she sang America the Beautiful before Super Bowl LVI. In July 2022, Aiko started her own record label called Allel Sound. It is in partnership with Def Jam records.

Personal Life

In 2004, at age 16, Aiko was baptized at the Foursquare Church. She dated American R&B singer O'Ryan from 2005 to 2008. They have a daughter, born on November 19, 2008.

Aiko's brother, Miyagi, died on July 19, 2012. He had brain cancer. Before he passed away, he was able to hear a song she recorded just for him, called "For My Brother."

On August 27, 2013, Aiko was in a car accident in Los Angeles. Her daughter, older sister Miyoko, and her daughter's father O'Ryan were also in the car. Aiko broke her wrist and chipped a tooth. The others were not harmed.

On March 16, 2016, Aiko and Oladipo "Dot da Genius" Omishore shared that they were married. Aiko filed for divorce in August 2016. The divorce was finalized in October 2017.

Since 2016, Aiko has been in a relationship with Big Sean. Their son, Noah, was born on November 8, 2022.

Music Style and Influences

Voice and Sound

Jhené Aiko is a soprano singer. Her voice is described as "sensually sweet" and having a "feathery tone." Her singing often sounds relaxed and floats above the music. Critics have compared her voice to other R&B singers like Cassie, Brandy, Ciara, and Aaliyah.

Aiko's songs often have clear and emotional lyrics. Her words can be sensitive and loving, but also show confusion or strong feelings. Her music is part of a new style called alternative R&B. This style is a different kind of contemporary R&B. Besides alternative R&B, Aiko also explores psychedelic music, classic R&B, and hip hop music. She sees her own music as "alternative" and "new-generation R&B."

Aiko writes music every day. She often starts with lines or a poem and then adds them to melodies. She describes her writing as "freestyle." This means she just expresses how she feels. She takes her time, sometimes a day or even a month, to finish a song. Aiko also wrote a book called 2Fish (2017). This book includes poems, songs, and drawings she made from age twelve.

Musical Inspirations

John Mayer is one of Aiko's biggest influences.

Aiko says American rapper Tupac is a big influence on her. She also looks up to R&B singers Aaliyah and Ciara. Rappers Eminem and Kendrick Lamar are also influences. Aiko calls recording artist Kid Cudi a major influence. She says he is "pretty much one of the only people that I listen to consistently."

Aiko also credits Brandy as a major influence. She says Brandy taught her how to sing indirectly because she listened to her all the time. Aiko also listens to Beyoncé to learn vocal techniques. She is influenced by India.Arie and Amel Larrieux. John Mayer is another influence for his writing and voice.

When recording her EP Sail Out (2013), Aiko was greatly influenced by hip-hop and rap music. She also says growing up in a musical family influenced her. She listened to her siblings' bands. Aiko also mentioned R&B group TLC as an influence when she was young. In the 1990s, she listened to artists like Alanis Morissette, Fiona Apple, and Lil' Kim. Later, she started listening to Sade Adu.

Discography

Studio albums

• Souled Out (2014)
• Trip (2017)
• Chilombo (2020)

Tours

Headlining Tours

• Enter the Void Tour (2014)
• Trip (The Tour) (2017–2018)
• The Magic Hour Tour (2024)

Supporting Tours

• J. Cole – Forest Hills Drive Tour (2014–2015)
• Drake – Would You Like a Tour? (2013–2014)
• The Weeknd – King of the Fall Tour (2014)
• Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa – The High Road Summer Tour (2016)
• Lana Del Rey – LA to the Moon Tour (2018)

Awards and Nominations

American Music Awards

BET Awards

Grammy Awards

NAACP Image Awards

Soul Train Awards

See also

In Spanish: Jhené Aiko para niños