Jhené Aiko embarks on a Trip with the surprise release of her new album.
The 22-track set, described as an “epic, psychedelic journey beyond the boundaries of R&B,” features appearances from Brandy (“Ascension”), Big Sean (“Moments”), John Mayer (“New Balance”), Swae Lee (“Sativa”), Kurupt (“Never Call Me”), Mali Music (“Trip”), and TWENTY88 (“OLLA”). Her father Dr. Chill and daughter Namiko Love also make appearances.
In a mission statement, Jhené revealed that she has been on a physical, emotional, and mental journey to find herself following the 2012 death of her brother Miyagi. “My brother and I were very close. We were only two years apart,” she said. “I never thought of him as a separate person, but an extension of myself. He was my reflection. In his presence I was confident and always so sure.”
Trip, the follow-up to 2014’s Souled Out, was also accompanied by a short film directed by Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip). “It’s inspired by every type of trip you could imagine: mental, physical, even psychedelic,” Jhené told Playboy. “I’m at a point where I put it all in the music. It’s a puzzle I want people to put together.”
Take a Trip with Jhené below.