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.
Eternal Sunshine
Jhené Aiko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If I were to die today
There's not a thing I would change
I've lived well
Maybe I have made mistakes and been through my fair share of pain
But all in all, it's been okay, I've lived well
And the more that I see, the more that I know
Like the more that I breath, and start to go slow
Oh, one of many things, I can only recall
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good, the good, the good
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good
Living on Sycamore street, and spend your weekends on the beach
We were free, to be everything we dreamed
Flying kites and water fights
Summer nights, we'd ride our bikes
On over hill, and dare our heights
Man I swear
The more that I see, the more that I know
I don't know anything, at all
And the more that I breath, and start to go slow
Oh, one of many things, I can only recall
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good, the good, the good
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good things, good things
Only the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good
In "Eternal Sunshine," Jhené Aiko contemplates mortality and reflects on the quality of her life. The song begins with a surprising statement – she wouldn't change anything if she were to die today. This doesn't mean she's perfectly content, as she admits to making mistakes and enduring pain. But despite her imperfections and hardships, she's lived well. Aiko sees life as a mixed bag, and ultimately concludes that the good things outweigh the bad things.
As the song progresses, Aiko reflects on her experiences and how they've shaped her. She acknowledges that the more she sees and breathes, the less she knows for certain. Life is full of mysteries, and she can only recall a few examples of the good things she's encountered. These good things are important to her – the primary focus of the chorus is repeating the phrase "only the good," emphasizing that negativity has no place here. Aiko is nostalgic for a simpler time, when she lived on Sycamore Street and spent carefree weekends at the beach. These memories bring her joy, and she longs for that sense of freedom again.
Overall, "Eternal Sunshine" is a wistful meditation on life's ups and downs, and an affirmation that what matters most are the good things that make it all worthwhile.
Line by Line Meaning
Is is strange for me to say that
It may be unusual for me to admit
If I were to die today
If I were to pass away in this moment
There's not a thing I would change
I wouldn't alter anything about my life
I've lived well
I've had a good life overall
Maybe I have made mistakes and been through my fair share of pain
It's possible that I've had difficulties and experienced suffering
But all in all, it's been okay, I've lived well
Despite any hardships, I've had a satisfactory life overall
And the more that I see, the more that I know
The greater my experiences, the more I realize
I don't know anything, at all
I'm still very ignorant about many things
Like the more that I breathe, and start to go slow
As I take deep breaths and calm down
Oh, one of many things, I can only recall
I can only remember one of the many things I've experienced
All of the good things, good things
All of the positive aspects
Only the good, the good, the good
Exclusively the favorable parts
Living on Sycamore street, and spend your weekends on the beach
Residing on Sycamore street and enjoying beach weekends
We were free, to be everything we dreamed
We had the freedom to become anything we aspired to be
Flying kites and water fights
Engaging in activities like kite flying and water fights
Summer nights, we'd ride our bikes
During summer evenings, we rode our bicycles
On over hill, and dare our heights
We rode up hills and challenged ourselves to go higher
Man I swear
I assure you
Only the good things, good things
Only the favorable aspects
Only the good, the good, the good
Exclusively the positive parts
Only the good things, good things
Only the beneficial aspects
Only the good, the good, the good
Exclusively the advantageous parts
Only the good things, good things
Only the positive opportunities
Only the good things, good things
Only the favorable options
Only the good, the good, the good
Solely the gratifying elements
Only the good, the good, the good
Nothing but the pleasing facets
Only the good things, good things
Only the desirable components
Only the good, the good, the good
Exclusively the satisfying features
Only the good
Just the favorable parts
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JHENE AIKO CHILOMBO, DWANE M. II WEIR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hitthatbass7092
Try
Oshun (any songs)
Phum's hello anxiety
BTS's love yourself and magic shop
The seatbeats's gotta knock a little harder
Maybe ATEEZ? I know part of the lyrics are part of a plot but these guys LOVE to talk about dreams, ambitions, goals, determination, and passion
The Beatles's she's leaving home
Steven universe's here comes a thought
Mariya takeuchi's plastic love?
@catfeline3622
[Verse 1]
Is it strange for me to say that if I were to die today
There's not a thing that I would change, I've lived well
Maybe I have made mistakes and been through my fair share of pain
But all in all, it's been okay, I've lived well
[Pre-Hook]
And the more that I see, the more that I know
I don't know anything at all
Like the more that I breathe and start to go slow
Of all the many things, I can only recall
[Hook]
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good, the good, the good
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good
[Verse 2]
Living on Sycamore Street and spending weekends on the beach
We were free to be everything we dreamed
Flying kites and water fights
Summer nights, we'd ride our bikes
On Overhill, Ladera Heights
Man, I swear
[Pre-Hook]
The more that I see, the more that I know
I don't know anything at all
And the more that I breathe and start to go slow
Of all the many things, I can only recall
[Hook]
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good, the good, the good
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good, the good, the good
All of the good things, good things
All of the good things, good things
Only the good, the good, the good
Only the good
P.s. The lyrics r here if u wanna cry out while karaoke just like me.
@creolelady8485
I cried so hard when I saw the video clips of her brother & the thought of Jhene passing and leaving her daughter behind would tear my soul apart. I hope Jhene lives a long happy life. I hope everyone lives a long happy life.
@dm3070
The first time I watched this, I started bawling towards the end. And now I still cant watch without sheading a tear or two. Everything about this song is so beautiful.
@MariamTalks
Just watched this for the first time. Soon as I saw her brother miyagi the tears started rolling down my face. Lord God 😢😔. She misses him and thinks of him everyday. That is her way of healing . Jhene is just so beautiful
@ForeverMeexo
Yas!
@jessica-hz5nu
Yeah.. Everybody knows the feeling of death so on later in life. It starts to eventually get too painful but you would start to realize that it happens to every one. Case in point.
@romellocaldwell8460
u n kdkdkkokmeij3i
@InGodshands7
I remember hearing this song back in 2015, I just left a strip club. While I was in the strip club I realized I hated being there but I couldn’t leave because at the same time I didn’t want to. So I finally left, sat on the bus stop extremely disappointed in myself. I opened YouTube and this song popped up. Listened to it and Took a long hard look inside myself and questioned “what the hell am I doing with my life??!” Just completely broke down into tears. Prayed to God, cried, Prayed more.... went back a few more times, but now currently I have no desire to go back, or even go back to what I used to be.
The memories she shared with us in this video, I realized I wanted a healthy wholesome life with love and loved ones and not being in a place of darkness
@summerestee5148
Ryan Powell love your story but just so you know... it’s okay. To go to the strip club or take a drink or do whatever you gotta do. They say only god can judge you but I feel we are our own “god” and that god is love and we are the love when we love ourselves. Do whatever you do and know that if it makes you happy or brings you peace and doesn’t do harm to others (subjective I guess) then by all means. Live yo ur life.
@latazra
So much respect 🙏🏾
@omolaraadeniyi3863
Thanks for sharing, just do what your conscience says it’s okay .