Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo (born March 16, 1988) is an American singer and songwriter who began her career contributing vocals and appearing in music videos for the R&B group B2K. Initially promoted as the cousin of B2K member Lil' Fizz for marketing purposes, she was set to release her debut album, My Name Is Jhené, in 2003, but it was never released after she left the label to continue her education.
In March 2011, Aiko returned with the mixtape Sailing Soul(s) and signed with No I.D.'s ARTium label under Def Jam Recordings later that year. She gained her first Billboard Hot 100 top 40 single in 2013 with Big Sean's "Beware." That year, she released the EP Sail Out, supported by the singles "3:16AM," "Bed Peace," and "The Worst," which was certified platinum. Her major-label debut album Souled Out was released in 2014, followed by Trip in 2017 and Chilombo in 2020, the latter earning her three Grammy nominations including Album of the Year.
United States
