With her 2020 album, Chilombo, smooth-singing R&B sensation Jhené Aiko elevated her profile to even bigger heights: three GRAMMY nominations, one amongst them being “Album Of The Year,” top music honors at the NAACP Image Awards with a win for “Outstanding Album,” her highest album sales to date, Platinum certification within a year and further proof that she can serve as the Sade for a new generation.
Much like her Soldier Of Love predecessor, Jhené also isn’t afraid to take a lengthy break. Thankfully for those who’ve been waiting patiently for the past six years, the 38-year-old chanteuse has finally decided to break her musical hiatus with the release of a new album, Westside Whimsy.
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Released as a semi-surprise with only one week’s notice, Westside Whimsy makes up for the time in length — the 20-track LP clocks in just under an hour at 55 minutes — and maintains her signature approach to the softer side of synths. The album appears to address many of the emotions she’s faced in her real life since the previous release, from becoming a mom again in 2022 and her publicized split from Big Sean last year to losing her home in the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires and a recently rumored relationship with fellow West Coast native Larry June. Tracks like “Golden Coast,” “He Belongs,” the viral lyrics to “Ceilings (Freestyle)” and June-assisted “Neighbors” are just a few examples of her magical approach to metaphors. On a more personal note, deep cuts like “Break” and “A Living Light” illustrate the pain she still carries in losing her brother Miyagi in 2012 to brain cancer. Fans even took notice to 14 teardrops on the album cover signifying the 14 years since his tragic loss.
Features are shortened for this project, with the shortlist including Tyga, Ab-Soul, standout Kendrick Lamar and the instrumentation of OHMA in addition to the aforementioned Larry June — we even hear son Noah closing out a track with a few of his own ad-libs. Brian Warfield and Mac Robinson of the production duo Fisticuffs return to deliver the serenading sound that’s given Jhené an edge ever since her mixtape beginnings in 2011. She also revisits the talents of Chinese producer Julian-Quán Việt Lê aka Lejkeys for some of the album’s more piano-driven moments, and the results make for a treat on the ears.
