‘Souled Out’ is 10: Saluting a Jhené Aiko Classic

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo is an artist’s artist: a poet and an R&B master who doesn’t try to be anyone but herself. Building on the dreamy, hypnotic musical foundations built by Erykah Badu and Sade, the LA singer was the new face of this sound in the 2010s. Plus, her heavy involvement in the West Coast rap scene saw her image build as a high-vibrational, soft-spoken songstress with street cred.

Despite her large fanbase, she still feels underrated. Very rarely in headlines and patient with releases, Jhené could be wrongly mistaken as a non-threatening presence. Don’t be fooled. Her voice is as good as the greats, with vocal runs that sound like angels sighing. Her debut album, ‘Souled Out‘ teems with hits, and was the turning point in which the world at large recognised her brilliance.

The making of a solo success

After a successful mixtape and EP, 2014 was an interesting time for Jhené. She was established and on tour with Drake. She had plenty of industry contacts: ScHoolboy Q, The Weeknd, and then up-and-comer Big Sean, who would soon transform her personal and professional life. Yet, she still hadn’t made her major mark with that big debut. It was her collaboration with legendary record producer and mentor No I.D. that helped ‘Souled Out‘ shine.

This project bravely houses minimal features and is a cathartic listen as the songstress weaves through difficult emotions. The LP is her dealing with the loss of her brother, the growth of her daughter, her wavering concept of self-worth, and spirituality. These bare-it-all songs are my favourites, but in true R&B fashion, it’s the love and revenge songs that got the radio play. ‘To Love & Die‘ and ‘The Pressure‘ are still some of her biggest hits, and deservedly so. However, the below records are the ones that made ‘Souled Out‘ a classic album for me. It’s still a project with no skips from tracks one through twelve.

Promises FT. Namiko & Miyagi

Music has its own language and can help us articulate and navigate through grief. We hear the singer conduct a monologue to herself here. She’s trying to convince herself that everything will be fine after losing the most important person in her life besides her daughter. She grapples with faith and strength on this deep-cut record in such an intimate and soul-bearing way. Featuring the voice of her late brother, and the sweet voice of her baby girl Namiko Love, this is one of her most tender and personal songs ever.

Spotless Mind

Human beings are walking contradictions; imperfect wanderers and ever-changing. In ‘Spotless Mind‘, Aiko leans into this idea and shows the many sides of her personality. Paired with a great music video, she shows the world how hard it is to be tied down to one idea, one label, or one person. This song has aged beautifully, especially the lyrics, “Shame on me for changing / No, no, no / Shame on you for staying the same.”. This song has helped so many, myself included, through life transitions.

Eternal Sunshine

This song holds a special place in Jhené’s heart, and mine. It is the song she likes to close her shows with. Moreover, the type of song that has you sad crying, happy crying, and grateful all at once. She tells listeners that despite all she’s been through, drug use; depression; suicidal thoughts – she can still see and feel “All of the good things,”. She repeats this like a mantra, over a Key Wane beat that soothes the soul.

The song is inspired by the Jim Carrey film ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind‘, a movie that teaches us that our memories make up our lives, even the painful ones. When she needs it, her brother is there in her heart, and how her life pans out is a conscious choice of living optimistically.

Closing thoughts

This unmistakable artist had plenty of hits before this project, and plenty of hits after – but ‘Souled Out‘ marks a special transitionary phase for Jhené Aiko. She curated a modern R&B classic; a display of unquestionable vocal talent and penmanship. It’s astonishing that it is ten years old. Whilst listening back, these records do encapsulate a time in the early 2010s. However, it’s thematically and sonically very current day.

Years before the self-love trend swept the world, Aiko was burning incense, practicing meditation, and tapping into higher vibrations. The fluidity and impermanence of life and emotions is so prevalent throughout her discography, that it gives her music a timeless quality. She is such an important piece of today’s R&B landscape.

Jhené Aiko is on Instagram, X, and TikTok. Stream the album below and read more anniversary reviews here.

About The Author