On December 16, 2011, Aiko signed a recording contract with American record producer No I.D.'s record label Artium, distributed through Def Jam Recordings. She has been described as having gentle and pop-tinged vocals. [Tyler Antonius]
Jhené Aiko was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Christina Yamamoto and Dr. Karamo Chilombo (birth name Greg Barnes), a pediatrician. She is of mixed race background—her mother is of Japanese, Spanish, and Dominican descent, while her father is of African American, Yaqui, Choctaw, Cherokee, Navajo, and German Jewish descent. She often states her ethnicity as "Japanese, African American, Native American, etc." based on percentages but identifies with all parts of her heritage. Aiko has also stated that she has French ancestry and has stated regarding her ancestry, "I’m a quarter Japanese. That’s the only percentage I know for sure because it’s my grandfather's. And then everyone else is pretty much like mixed." Her older sisters Miyoko and Jamila were in the R&B group Gyrl and toured with Immature, who were signed to MCA/Silas Records. This led to Jhené’s first meeting with producer Chris Stokes when she was five years old, and eventually he heard her sing. When B2K signed with Epic Records, Jhené was signed as well. She served as the opening act for B2K on their Scream Tour 3.
Aiko began her musical career contributing vocals to several B2K releases in 2002. She featured on tracks five through eight of the R&B group's remix album B2K: The Remixes - Volume 1. "Santa Baby", a cover she recorded, was also featured on their album Santa Hooked Me Up and she appeared as a guest vocalist on the song "Tease" from Pandemonium!. Her song "Dog" appeared as a bonus track.
Aiko also appeared in numerous music videos including O'Ryan's debut video, "Take It Slow", B2K's debut video "Uh Huh" and "Why I Love You", P.Y.T.'s "Same Ol' Same Ol' (Remix)" featuring Sarai, Play's "M.A.S.T.E.R. (Part 2)" featuring Lil' Fizz video and Morgan Smith's 2004 video "Blow Ya Whistle". Jhené also has songs featured on the soundtracks of Barbershop, The Master of Disguise, You Got Served, The Proud Family, and Byou. She released a video for her single "NO L.O.V.E" (re-recorded from Tha' Rayne version in 2002) which debuted on BET's 106 & Park when she was 15 years old.
Aiko was set to release her debut album, then-titled My Name Is Jhené, however the album was never released due to tension at the record label Epic, which ultimately led to Aiko asking to be released from the label. She then began to focus on school and continue her education.
In 2007, she made a return to music, in an interview she spoke on the choice saying “Shortly before I conceived my daughter, I stepped back into the field and took a meeting with a label head. In this meeting, I was innocently told, to ‘sell’ myself when walking into these meetings. “That’s when I decided I would ‘sail’ myself rather than sell myself.” Aiko released a mixtape on March 16, 2011 entitled Sailing Soul(s) via her official website, JheneAiko.com. All the songs on the mixtape were written by her, except “July” which was written by Micah Powell and most of the songs were produced by Fisticuffs, except “July” and “You vs Them” which were produced by Bei Maejor, “Real Now” which was produced by Roosevelt, “Do Better” which was produced by J. Lbs and “Growing Apart” which was produced by Tae Beast. The album's artwork was shot by photographer Jay 3. The mixtape also features collaborations from Miguel, Drake, and Kanye West, as well as others.
To promote the mixtape Aiko was joined by Grammy-nominated R&B singer Miguel on a one-off free secret tour on Sunday, July 15. The free tickets were given away at the Key Club box office on July 6 from 11AM-5PM on a first-come, first-served basis. The concert started at 7:00pm and finished as 9:30pm, lasting a duration of two and a half hours. On October 21, 2012 Aiko released a music video for the song "My Mine". Aiko also released a video for the mixtapes second track "Stranger". Datpiff certified the mixtape gold with downloads of 100,000. In 2011, she also began working closely with artists from Carson-based independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment such as Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul.
In 2012, Aiko met with No I.D., record producer and vice president of A&R at Def Jam, who ended up signing Aiko to his Artium Records imprint through Def Jam. Aiko released the track "3:16AM" which was made available for digital download on iTunes September 4, 2012. The song was released as the first single from Sail Out. In 2012, Aiko was also the opening act on the highly anticipated “Life Is Good/Black Rage” concert tour headlined by fellow American artists, rapper Nas and singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill. In June 2013, Aiko was featured on the Big Sean song "Beware", which ended up reaching the Top 40 in the United States. This was her first song to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100. In October 2013, it was revealed Jhené Aiko would open for Canadian rapper Drake on his Would You like a Tour? concert tour. She had previously collaborated with Drake on his third album Nothing Was the Same (2013), lending her vocals on the tracks "Wu-Tang Forever" and "From Time".
Aiko then released her debut EP Sail Out, on November 12, 2013. "Bed Peace" featuring Childish Gambino was released as the album's second single on September 17, 2013. The single's artwork was inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Bed-Ins for Peace protest against the Vietnam War. The EP features guest appearances from American rappers Vince Staples, Childish Gambino, Kendrick Lamar, and Ab-Soul. The EP debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 34,000 copies. On January 14, 2014, "The Worst" was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio in the United States as the album's third single. On May 2, 2014 "The Worst" rose from three to one on the airplay Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop, in doing so she became the first female artist to top the chart as a lead with a debut single since Jazmine Sullivan reached the same feat with "Need U Bad" in 2008. "The Worst" also rose forty seven to forty three on the Hot 100. The song peaked on the US Billboard Hot 100 at forty-three, becoming Aiko's first solo release to chart in the region, the song also peaked at number eleven on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
On January 18, 2014, Aiko appeared on Saturday Night Live performing the song "From Time", with the episode's guest host, Drake. In a January 2014 interview with Vibe, Aiko announced her debut studio album Souled Out would be released in May 2014. However the album would be delayed. On March 16, 2014, Aiko premiered a song titled "My Afternoon Dream," along with an accompanying music video directed by Aiko and Krissy. It has yet to be revealed if the song, produced by Key Wane, will feature on the album.
On June 23, 2014, Aiko posted the cover art and a snippet of Souled Out's first single, titled "To Love & Die", on her official Instagram page. The single's artwork was described as "space-y" by Adelle Platon of Vibe magazine. The song was released for digital download on iTunes, the following day. On June 26, 2014, Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd, announced he would be headlining the "King of the Fall Tour", essentially a mini-tour across America in September / October 2014, the tour will consist of four shows and start on 19 September 2014 in New York, at the Barclays Center and end on October 10 in San Francisco, at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Aiko and frequent collaborator Schoolboy Q, were confirmed as the tour's supporting acts.
Aiko is a Christian, having been baptized when she was 16 at the evangelical Pentecostal Foursquare Church. At the age of 20, Aiko became pregnant by American R&B singer O'Ryan and gave birth to her daughter Namiko on November 19, 2008. Before losing her brother Miyagi to cancer on July 19, 2012, Aiko recorded "For My Brother" on her laptop, which was initially intended only for her brother's ears. He died soon after hearing the record. On August 27, 2013, Aiko was involved in a car accident in Los Angeles along with her daughter Namiko, older sister Miyoko, and her daughter's father O'Ryan. Aiko suffered a broken wrist, chipped tooth and had stitches in her chin. Her daughter, however, was unharmed in the accident.
3:16 am
Jhené Aiko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of papers I am, not okay
I am out my mind
Outer space, that’s where I been goin'
To a place where, place where nobody knows
Floating at a pace where now you see me now and now you don’t
I do not feel the fear of fallin, I wanna fly
But what if I don’t?
Ill be right where I was before
But I’m not alone, you said take my hand
And we go (and we go), and we go (and we go)
And I hope that we don’t overdose
Cause we don’t (cause we don’t)
No we don’t (no we don't)
Ever know when we have had enough
Wait
Now my thoughts so cloudy and my hearts so crowded with pain
I am so frustrated like my souls been taken away
Broken promise of everything that I thought you were
Thought you said this would never hurt, that’s what it did that is all
I do not feel the fear of falling
Thought I could fly
It didn’t go well and oh well
What do you know
I’m right back where I was before
But I’m not alone, you said take my hand
And we go (and we go), and we go (and we go)
And I hope that we don’t overdose
Cause we don’t ('cause we don’t)
No we don’t (no we don't)
Ever know when we have had enough
I'm a be so cold, need some more
I’ve never felt these things before
I’m a feind for sure, please don't go
How could you not need me no more?
You're the only thing that I loved
You’re the only thing that I want
You’re the only reason, the only reason
I do not feel the fear of fallin', I wanna fly
If it all goes well, then I will
But what if I don’t?
Ill be right where I was before
You're all that I know
Jhené Aiko's "3:16 am" is a song that explores feelings of confusion and uncertainty. The lyrics suggest that the singer is lost and searching for meaning in her life. She feels out of place and out of time, but also wide awake and not okay. There is a sense of detachment and disorientation, as if the singer is floating in outer space and no one can see or understand her.
The chorus introduces a glimmer of hope: the singer is not alone, as someone has offered to take her hand and help her navigate this difficult journey. However, there is also a fear of overdose and not knowing when enough is enough. This suggests that the singer is afraid of getting too deeply involved or invested in something, perhaps because she has been hurt or disappointed in the past.
The second verse focuses on the pain and frustration that the singer is feeling. She has been let down by someone she thought she could trust, and now she feels like her soul has been taken away. There is a sense of betrayal and broken promises, as if the singer has lost faith in the world and in herself.
Overall, "3:16 am" is a song about searching for meaning and connection in a world that can be confusing and overwhelming. The singer is grappling with big questions about identity, love, and purpose, but there is also a sense of hope and resilience that shines through in the chorus.
Line by Line Meaning
Out of place, out of space and time, wide awake
Feeling disoriented, like I don't belong or exist in this moment, but fully aware
Out of papers I am, not okay
I'm out of whatever I need, and it's not okay. I'm struggling
I am out my mind
I feel like I've lost my sense of self and can't think straight
Outer space, that’s where I been goin'
I'm mentally escaping to a place far away from reality
To a place where, place where nobody knows
A place of complete solitude and anonymity
Floating at a pace where now you see me now and now you don’t
I'm in a state of limbo, where I may or may not be present or visible
I do not feel the fear of fallin, I wanna fly
Despite the risk of failure, I have a desire to take a leap and soar
If it all goes well then I will
If everything goes as planned, I will succeed
But what if I don’t?
But what if things don't go as planned? What if I fail?
Ill be right where I was before
I'll end up back where I started
But I’m not alone, you said take my hand
But I have someone to rely on, who has offered me support
And we go (and we go), and we go (and we go)
Together, we will keep pushing forward
And I hope that we don’t overdose
And I hope we don't go too far, or get hurt in the process
Cause we don’t (cause we don’t)
Because we may not even realize when we've gone too far
No we don’t (no we don't)
We often don't know our limits until we've crossed them
Ever know when we have had enough
It's hard to know when we've reached our limit
Now my thoughts so cloudy and my hearts so crowded with pain
My mind is overwhelmed and confused, and my heart is heavy with hurt
I am so frustrated like my souls been taken away
I feel helpless and empty, like a part of me is missing
Broken promise of everything that I thought you were
The disappointment of realizing someone I trusted let me down and wasn't who I thought they were
Thought you said this would never hurt, that’s what it did that is all
I believed what I was told and trusted the promises made, but pain was all that came of it
I’m a be so cold, need some more
I'm feeling emotionally numb and need something to make me feel again
I’ve never felt these things before
These intense emotions are new to me
I’m a feind for sure, please don't go
I'm craving more of what's causing these feelings and begging for it not to leave
How could you not need me no more?
I'm struggling to understand why someone who was once so important to me no longer feels the same way
You're the only thing that I loved
You were the only thing I cared about and invested my love in
You’re the only thing that I want
You're the only thing that can make me feel complete
You’re the only reason, the only reason
You're the sole motivation and purpose for everything I do
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN WARFIELD, MAC ROBINSON, JHENE AIKO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@zakiyaali829
Lyrics
Out of place, out of space and time, wide awake
Out of papers I am, not okay
I am out my mind
Outer space, that’s where I been goin'
To a place where, place where nobody knows
Floating at a pace where now you see me now and now you don’t
I do not feel the fear of fallin, I wanna fly
If it all goes well then I will
But what if I don’t?
Ill be right where I was before
But I’m not alone, you said take my hand
And we go (and we go), and we go (and we go)
And I hope that we don’t overdose
Cause we don’t (cause we don’t)
No we don’t (no we don't)
Ever know when we have had enough
Wait
Now my thoughts so cloudy and my hearts so crowded with pain
I am so frustrated like my souls been taken away
Broken promise of everything that I thought you were
Thought you said this would never hurt, that’s what it did that is all
I do not feel the fear of falling
Thought I could fly
It didn’t go well and oh well
What do you know
I’m right back where I was before
But I’m not alone, you said take my hand
And we go (and we go), and we go (and we go)
And I hope that we don’t overdose
Cause we don’t ('cause we don’t)
No we don’t (no we don't)
Ever know when we have had enough
I'm a be so cold, need some more
I’ve never felt these things before
I’m a feind for sure, please don't go
How could you not need me no more?
You're the only thing that I loved
You’re the only thing that I want
You’re the only reason, the only reason
I do not feel the fear of fallin', I wanna fly
If it all goes well, then I will
But what if I don’t?
Ill be right where I was before
You're all that I know
@coulibalymariyama8776
Play "3:16 Am"
"3:16 AM"
Out of place, out of space & time
Wide awake out of papers, I am
Not okay, I am out my mind
Outer space, that's where
I've been going
To a place where
Place where nobody knows
Floating, at a pace where
Now you see me, and now you don't
I do not feel the fear of falling
I wanna fly
If it all goes well, then I will
But what if I don't?
I'll be right where I was before
But I'm not alone
You say "take my hand"
And we go (and we go)
And we go (and we go)
And I hope that we don't overdose
Cause we don't (cause we don't)
No we don't (no we don't)
Ever know when we have had enough
Wait
Now my thoughts so cloudy
And my heart's so crowded
With pain
I am so frustrated
Like my soul's been taken away
Broken promise of everything
That I thought you were
Thought you said this would never hurt
That's what it did
That is all
I do not feel the fear of falling
Thought I could fly
It didn't go well, but oh well
What do you know?
I'm right back where I was before
But I'm not alone
You say "take my hand"
And we go (and we go)
And we go (and we go)
And I hope that we don't overdose
Cause we don't (cause we don't)
No we don't (no we don't)
Ever know when we have had enough
I'm a be so cold
Need some more
I've never felt these things before
I'm a think, for sure
Please don't go
How could you not need me no more?
I don't get it
You're the only thing that I love
You're the only thing that I want
You're the only reason
The only reason
I do not feel the fear of falling
I wanna fly
If it all goes well, then I will
But what if I don't?
I'll be right where I was before
You're all that I know
@34ksk95
It's crazy to see how many views she finally getting on older songs. I remember when no one knew who she was and she had a small close knit fan base. I'm glad to see that she's finally getting recognition and people are becoming fans
@dominiquemckenzie5280
Exactly
@misaelvillela
right
@abpbpjabber8630
A
@kimuladixon9917
Rite
@joshgoldenc
i heard her before, didnt really get to feel her the best until "the worst" she is the best female out imo, she picks great beats as well like n.o. id who produced for jay and common, very underated
@lilien211
Jhene Aiko will be the next big thing.
@mellotalk6492
she already is :P heh heh
@lilien211
;)
@colemanrmc1
shes been outt since 2002 . (excuse my typing errors)