Jhené Aiko is officially entering a new album era. The R&B singer has announced Westside Whimsy, a new studio album arriving this Friday, September 11, marking her first full-length project in six years.
Aiko revealed the title and release date without sharing additional details about the album. As of publication, the tracklist and any potential features remain under wraps, leaving Westside Whimsy largely a mystery just days before its release.
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The project will follow Chilombo, Jhene Aiko’s third studio album, which arrived March 6, 2020, through ArtClub International, ARTium Recordings and Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 152,000 equivalent album units in its opening week and was certified platinum by the RIAA in January 2021.
Chilombo became one of the defining projects of Aiko’s career, blending contemporary R&B with a tranquil, atmospheric sound inspired by Hawaii. Traditional singing bowls were incorporated into the production, while Aiko took on the role of executive producer and worked closely with longtime collaborators Fisticuffs and Lejkeys.
The album also featured an extensive guest lineup, including Nas, Ab-Soul, Big Sean, Future, Ty Dolla $ign, John Legend, Miguel and H.E.R. Its deluxe edition, released July 17, 2020, expanded the project with appearances from Kehlani, Mila J, Chris Brown, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa.
Chilombo went on to earn three Grammy nominations at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best Progressive R&B Album. “Lightning & Thunder,” featuring John Legend, was also nominated for Best R&B Performance.
In late 2024, Aiko released The Magic Hour Collection, a career-spanning compilation collecting signature songs from across her decade-plus run alongside her then-new single “guidance.”
That collection highlighted the scale of Jhene Aiko’s catalog, bringing together major records including the five-times-platinum “The Worst,” five-times-platinum “Sativa” featuring Swae Lee, two-times-platinum “While We’re Young,” two-times-platinum “None Of Your Concern” featuring Big Sean and platinum “Stay Ready (What a Life)” featuring Kendrick Lamar. “B.S.” featuring H.E.R. was also included.
“guidance” subsequently earned Aiko her seventh Grammy nomination, receiving a nod for Best R&B Performance at the 2025 ceremony.
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