Jhené Aiko is celebrating her upcoming album release with Big Sean, Kehlani, Queen Naija and more.
“Chilombo” is Jhené Aiko’s third studio album, and it drops this Friday. Ahead of the release, the singer invited all her closest friends and family to join her at a listening party where they enjoyed the 20-track album. Jhené was even at one point reportedly dancing with her dad to one of the songs. The listening party was a great way to kick off the impending release this Friday. It featured performances from Queen Naija, Kehlani, and more. Jhené was beautifully clad in an artsy, multi-fabric, and multi-patterned dress that stole the night.
Some of the songs from the album have already been released, including “Triggered,” “None Of Your Concern,” “Pu$$y Fairy,” and “Happiness Over Everything,” which features Miguel and Future. The latter premiered with a music video that has already garnered over 1 million views in less than a week.
The album name is actually Jhené’s real last name, which she decided to use because of its strong background. “‘Chilombo’ is a word that means ‘wild beast’ — they’re strong, confident and graceful,” the singer told Billboard. “Beasts are also beautiful.”
Jhené was reportedly really concerned about keeping the energy pure while she was creating the album. The singer might have been burning some incense in the studios while she recorded, according to Billboard. She also explained that the use of crystal sound bowls as an instrument was an integral part of the making of the album.
Jhené Aiko has always been a deep and spiritual person, so it came as no surprise that she incorporated these elements in the project. However, she said it’s not just a healing album. “Obviously, there’s other instruments, and this isn’t [solely] a healing album — the bowls were just a component I wanted to add because this is something that I’m moving forward with,” she said. “You’ll see a lot more of me owning this.”
Jhené Aiko’s new album and namesake “Chilombo” will be released this Friday, March 6.
