Jhene Aiko, American singer-songwriter best known for her summer hit “The Worst” and her collaboration with Big Sean and Lil Wayne on “Beware,” has finally released her highly anticipated album “Souled Out.”
Aiko is known for her soft, sultry, passionate voice and powerful lyrics like “Please don’t take this personal … you weren’t special til I made you so.” This new album is a girl’s guide to getting over a breakup.
The album’s cover immediately emits feelings of emancipation and that’s exactly what this album exudes. The 14 tracks follow the story of her previous album “Sailing Out.” In “Sailing Out,” she was disheartened about a breakup but now she’s emotionally matured into a confident woman musically and lyrically. Her new album is very comforting and soulful, describing in eloquent melodies how feelings of emptiness consumed her during a breakup. It’s perfect for a chill Sunday or a relaxing drive home.
Aiko is finally bringing back the true feel-good essence of R&B and, hopefully, for good. Her sultry voice makes her a modern-day Sade with a mix of Rihanna’s fearlessness in her passionate lyrics. Don’t expect this album to be a one hit wonder, because it’s far from it. Every song is about four minutes long, just enough time to remind us why relaxing at home indulging in a well-produced album can be equally fulfilling as going out on a Saturday night.
Track after track this album tells the story of how one woman’s heartbreak inspired her to free herself from a hindering relationship and emancipate herself. It’s impossible to listen to this album and not feel an emotional connection. She doesn’t force it; it just happens naturally because she is simply telling her story, one many of us have heard before. The lyrics are so intimate that it’s as if you were reading her diary.
The first song on the album “Limbo Limbo” puts you in a mystical state of mind. Over light piano keys and soft drums, Aiko lifts you higher into a mental limbo, relaxing you with lyrics like “She was too real to believe in though if they would, she could free them from the truth that they’ve been told a lie, their whole life.”
The first single released off the album “No Pressure” reminds me of my worth as a female, and assures me that I’m not the only person in the world who has gone through a bad breakup. The hip rhythmic beats remind me of Drake’s music with a feminine twist. She sings about dealing with the pressure of ending a bad relationship, but she makes it clear that pressure is what turns rocks into diamonds.
Though this whole album is easy to put on repeat, the best song definitely has to be “Wading.” She sings about how she’s not going to wait for a guy to be with her, so she drifts away because he wasn’t ready and she has no regrets. He’ll just have to watch her walk away with another guy. I can really connect with how she feels, and anyone who’s been in a relationship can too.
Most new artists try really hard to make a huge impact on the music industry by featuring lots of popular artist on their album, typically for exceptional album sales. But Aiko makes it clear that album sales are not what she’s after. She’s writing music, not hits. “Souled Out” will soon be sold out.
