Six Years After Chilombo, Jhené Aiko opens a new chapter with a 20-track love letter to Los Angeles featuring Kendrick Lamar, Larry June, Ab-Soul, Tyga and OHMA
Six years can feel like an eternity in music. For Jhené Aiko, however, the wait has seemingly been part of the journey. Following the March 2020 release of Chilombo—the Billboard 200 No. 2 album that earned the singer widespread acclaim and seven Grammy nominations—Aiko has finally returned with her long-awaited fourth full-length project, Westside Whimsy.
Released Friday, September 11th, the expansive 20-track album feels less like a conventional comeback and more like a homecoming. Built as an homage to Los Angeles, Westside Whimsy allows Aiko to explore love, heartbreak, healing, reflection and resilience while surrounding herself with artists who represent different corners of the West Coast’s musical identity. Among the project’s guest appearances are Kendrick Lamar, Larry June, Ab-Soul, Tyga and OHMA, creating a collaborative landscape that feels distinctly Los Angeles while remaining unmistakably Jhené.
A Love Letter To Los Angeles
At its core, Westside Whimsy is rooted in place. Los Angeles isn’t simply the backdrop. In fact, it is part of the album’s emotional architecture. Aiko moves through dreamy production, intimate reflections and hazy R&B landscapes while capturing the contradictions of a city that can feel simultaneously beautiful, chaotic, romantic and unforgiving.
The project opens with the brief, jazz-inflected “Wild Cat(s),” setting the tone before seamlessly transitioning into “Ghost,” a dreamy meditation on leaving pain behind, followed by the piano-driven heartbreak of “Break“. Rather than rushing toward its biggest collaborations, Aiko allows the album to breathe. And that patience becomes one of its defining qualities.
When Jhené Aiko Meets Kendrick Lamar
One of the project’s most anticipated moments arrives with “So Good,” a shimmering collaboration with fellow Los Angeles powerhouse Kendrick Lamar. The two artists trade lines about an intoxicating, seemingly perfect connection, with Lamar shifting effortlessly between melodic vocals and his signature laid-back rap delivery.
Their chemistry gives the track an effortless quality, allowing the record to feel intimate without losing the larger-than-life presence expected from two of Los Angeles’ most recognizable musical voices. It is a collaboration that feels less like a strategic pairing and more like a natural intersection of two artists who understand how to make vulnerability sound cool.
West Coast Energy Runs Through The Tracklist
Aiko continues building the album’s world with appearances from artists including TDE’s Ab-Soul and Tyga. On “Love Bomb,” Ab-Soul contributes supporting ad-libs to the simmering kiss-off track, adding another layer to Aiko’s exploration of complicated relationships and emotional boundaries.
Then comes “Like, Whatever” featuring Tyga, while tracks such as “Ceiling (Freestyle),” “Nothing Nice to Say,” “Don’t Be That Guy” and “He Belongs” maintain the album’s steady, midtempo pulse.
“He Belongs” in particular finds Aiko playing with the idea of an elusive man who, as the title suggests, may ultimately belong somewhere other than beside her. It’s a familiar Jhené Aiko theme: love can be beautiful, but self-awareness has to remain part of the equation.
Larry June Pulls Up For “Neighbors”
The album’s sonic momentum shifts on “Neighbors,” featuring San Francisco native Larry June. The collaboration adds another layer to the project’s West Coast identity, expanding its geographic reach beyond Los Angeles while preserving the laid-back atmosphere that runs throughout the album.
Where some tracks feel introspective and meditative, “Neighbors” gives Westside Whimsy another rhythmic pocket to inhabit. It is a reminder that Aiko isn’t interested in confining the album to one emotional temperature. There is heartbreak, flirtation, confidence, and healing. And there is simply enjoying the moment.
A Gentle Landing
As Westside Whimsy approaches its conclusion, Aiko gradually trades the heavier emotional textures for something more reflective.
“Unicorn” embraces the idea of moving slowly with a rare kind of lover, while “Nami’s Haiku” and “A Living Light” lean into the album’s meditative qualities. Then comes “Golden Coast,” featuring OHMA. The closing track functions almost like a final postcard to Los Angeles—a tribute to resilience and the enduring light within a city that has seen its share of darkness.
Aiko sings about continuing to shine through the darkest nights and remaining “a classic” and “magic every time.” It’s an appropriate ending for an album built around returning to one’s roots while continuing to evolve.
Six Years Later, Jhené Is Still Writing Her Own Language
What makes Westside Whimsy particularly compelling is that Jhené Aiko doesn’t appear to be chasing the moment she left behind. She is creating a new one.
Chilombo arrived at a pivotal point in her career, becoming her highest-charting album at the time and earning Grammy recognition across multiple categories. Six years later, Westside Whimsy reflects an artist who has had time to live, process, evolve and return with a deeper understanding of what she wants her music to say.
The result is an album that feels expansive without losing intimacy. Twenty tracks with multiple collaborators and one unmistakable sense of place. And throughout it all, Jhené Aiko remains committed to the atmospheric, emotionally transparent sound that has made her one of contemporary R&B’s most distinctive voices.
The Westside Has Been Waiting
There is a certain poetry in calling this album Westside Whimsy. Because whimsy suggests freedom. The ability to wander, dream, explore and exist without constantly needing to explain the destination.
That’s exactly what Aiko seems to be doing. She wanders through romance and heartbreak. She revisits familiar emotions from new perspectives. She brings some of Los Angeles’ most recognizable voices along for the ride. And eventually, she arrives at a place of light.
After more than six years, Jhené Aiko has returned. Not simply with another album. But with a 20-track love letter to the city that helped shape her, the experiences that helped grow her, and the version of herself she is still becoming. Westside Whimsy is available now. Press play here at The Feature Presentation.
