Coco Jones achieved a major milestone in her music career by securing five nominations for the 2024 Grammy Awards last Friday (Nov. 10). She’s contending for Best New Artist, Best R&B Performance, Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Album, and Best R&B Song. Two of those nods are for her hit ballad “ICU,” which has seen considerable success on the charts.

In a Teen Vogue interview published today (Nov. 14), Jones shared her initial reservations about releasing it as a single. “I thought it aged me,” she said. The musician further expressed a preference for “pretty girl club music” that reflected her real-life experiences.

“I was like, ‘Y’all, please, I want to do choreo. I cannot dance to this.’ I wrote about one heartbreak, but I’m like, ‘Girl, I really enjoy a lot of aspects of my life. I don’t want to have to harp on that,’” Jones added.

The former Disney star was worried that the song’s appeal to her inner circle might not translate to broader, mainstream success. “I had a feeling it was something special, but I swear, I had made special songs my whole life,” she explained. “I was like, ‘Maybe this will be another time where I give it everything and they don’t care.'”

However, the release of “ICU” captivated both R&B enthusiasts and critics, propelling Jones onto the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart at No. 16 and earning her a spot on the Hot 100. The track also got a remix from Justin Timberlake in July.

In January, Jones released the deluxe version of her latest EP, What I Didn’t Tell You. It boasted a lone guest appearance from Babyface and contained standout cuts like “Caliber” and “Double Back.”