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But, when it comes to the vast landscape of female artists, they are not the alpha and omega. Any true lover of music knows that if you look past the artists who get constant airplay and exposure, you will find rare gems whose star shines just as bright, even though you don't typically see their names illuminated.
Jhené Aiko is one of the bright and soulful lights.
What is her story?
Jhené is a singer and was originally associated with the early 2000s R&B boy band B2K.She was featured on several of their albums and a few movie soundtracks, but never got her chance to fully display her talent. After her debut album was shelved, she returned to school. However, her desire for music never waned, and she made an attempt to return to music. As a beautiful young woman who had "commercial" appeal, record execs wanted to sex up her image and encouraged her to "sell her soul". Instead, she decided to take the reins of her career and be the captain of her destiny, choosing to go the mixtape route to build a fan base.
What are her musical accomplishments?
In 2011, she released her mixtape, Sailing Soul(s), an ode to her desire to be the master of her musical destiny. Now an adult and a mother, she poured her entire being into the mixtape and before the end of the year, she was a signed artist.
Next up for Aiko is the impending release of her true debut album, Souled Out.
***Remember my post about the five fierce females you need on your Ipod? Yep, this is why she was on my list.***
What differentiates her from the pack?
Subject matter, soul, grit, and sound. If you are looking for her to sell sex, you will be sorely disappointed. Her lyrics take a deep and painful look at the human psyche and how we processes heartbreak, depression, and the struggle to discover/remain true to ourselves. Its rare for a woman to make music that appeals to both sexes, but Jhené pulls it off flawlessy. She manages to combine her light, airy vocals with unorthodox production and occasional raw language (this girl will curse lol) to bring a refreshing atmosphere to R&B music.
Name 5 songs I need in my collection
1) "Growing Apart Too" (feat. Kendrick Lamar) *check the link from last week's post!*
2) "You Vs. Them"
3) "Do Better Blues"
4) "For My Brother" *this song is in memory of her brother, who sadly passed this year from cancer*
5) "3:16" *Check the video out for the lead single of her upcoming album*
I admire and I am inspired by Ms. Aiko's gift of writing and storytelling. I hope she continues to stay true to who she is and create her own definition of success. Honestly, we should all apply her philosophy to our lives. Instead of letting someone else package us into what they believe the world desires us to be, we need to command our own moves and find our path to success on our own terms. It would be an extreme tragedy to lose our authenticity to gain notoriety.
Love Jhené,
T. Amour
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