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.
Jukai
Jhené Aiko Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh I, oh I
Oh I, oh I
If anyone should try and find me
Just know I'm where I wanna be
I left the house all clean and tidy
Don't come searchin', please
I've made my way down to the forest
Way down to the sea of trees (the sea of trees)
The eagle grows, it gets enormous
And then it has to bleed
All the way out
All the way out
On my way out
I found a way out
Up in a tree
Up in a tree
Could you believe it?
Wouldn't you believe
Hell is not a place
Hell is not a certain evil
Hell is other people
Or the lack thereof
And their lack of love
And their lack of love
I tried, but my feet kept touchin' the ground (touch the ground)
If I died, would it even make a sound in the sea of trees? (sea of trees)
No need to bother lookin' for me
Don't come, don't come, don't come searchin' for me
You don't get to die until you get it right, you said
I envy the dead, yeah
I'm way out, I'm way out
I'm way down in the sea of trees
I'm way out
What is that I see?
Starin' back at me
Okay now
I'm okay now
Alive, alive
Made it out alive
Made it out alive
Surprise, surprise, surprise
Surprise
I'm out alive
Made it out alive
Made it out alive
Away, away, away
"What are you doing out here?"
"I don't know"
"What's your name?"
"Penny"
"Are you okay?"
"I think you saved me"
Jhené Aiko's song "Jukai" is a melancholic piece that showcases the artist's emotional depth and musical prowess. The song deals with themes of loneliness, self-discovery, and finding oneself amidst the chaos of the world. The lyrics are wise and evocative, and Aiko's voice is hauntingly beautiful as she sings about her journey through the forest.
The opening verses of the song speak to the artist's desire for solitude and isolation. She says that she's left the house clean and tidy and has gone down to the forest and the sea of trees. The eagle is used as symbolism here, as it grows and eventually bleeds. This may refer to the idea that growth and change come with sacrifice and pain. As she tries to find her way "all the way out," she climbs up a tree and finds peace there.
The second part of the song shifts focus to the concept of hell. Aiko notes that it's not a place or a certain evil, but rather it's other people or the lack thereof, and their lack of love. She expresses her desire to escape this hell and makes her way further down to the sea of trees. Finally, she meets a stranger who helps her out and is grateful for their kindness.
Overall, "Jukai" is a powerful and poignant song that addresses issues of loneliness, self-discovery, and the human condition. Aiko's vocals are rich and emotive, and the lyrics are full of insight and meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
If anyone should try and find me
If someone tries to locate me
Just know I'm where I wanna be
I am in a place where I desire to be
I left the house all clean and tidy
I cleaned and arranged the house before leaving
Don't come searchin', please
Please avoid looking for me
I've made my way down to the forest
I moved towards the forest
Way down to the sea of trees (the sea of trees)
I went to the forest with an abundance of trees
The eagle grows, it gets enormous
The eagle develops and grows into an enormous size
And then it has to bleed
Eventually, the eagle starts bleeding
All the way out
The eagle bleeds to death
On my way out
While leaving
I found a way out
I discovered a route to exit
Up in a tree
In a tree
Could you believe it?
Do you find it believable?
Wouldn't you believe
Don't you find it believable?
Hell is not a place
Hell isn't a location
Hell is not a certain evil
Hell doesn't embody a specific evil
Hell is other people
People are hellish
Or the lack thereof
Alternatively, it's the absence of someone's love
And their lack of love
Their dearth of love
I tried, but my feet kept touchin' the ground (touch the ground)
I endeavored, but my feet would always touch the ground
If I died, would it even make a sound in the sea of trees? (sea of trees)
Would my death be unnoticed among these multiple trees?
No need to bother lookin' for me
You don't need to look for me
Don't come, don't come, don't come searchin' for me
Please refrain from looking for me
You don't get to die until you get it right, you said
You previously told me that one can't die until one fixes everything
I envy the dead, yeah
I'm envious of the deceased
I'm way out, I'm way out
I have left
What is that I see?
What do I observe?
Starin' back at me
Staring back at me
Okay now
I'm okay now
I'm okay now
I'm in a good state now
Alive, alive
I'm alive
Made it out alive
I traversed the situation unscathed
Surprise, surprise, surprise
Expressing astonishment
Away, away, away
Leaving
"What are you doing out here?"
Someone inquires what I'm doing out here
"I don't know"
I'm uncertain
"What's your name?"
The person asked for identifying information
"Penny"
My name is Penny
"Are you okay?"
The person asks if I'm alright
"I think you saved me"
I believe you may have saved me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mclean Robinson, Brian Warfield, Jhene Aiko Chilombo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RiaHeartsThis
This is what Jhene said about the song Jukai;
"One night I was in [the studio] with the Fisticuffs and we were partaking in marijuana and we were watching a documentary about Aokigahara, the suicide forest in Japan. My great-grandmother was born in Hawaii, but she's actually Japanese. My grandfather is Japanese, too. So I've always wanted to go. After my brother passed — actually, my whole life — I've been very interested in death. Not afraid of it, but interested and intrigued. I was watching that [documentary] and it was such a beautiful forest. Maybe people go there and they just feel at peace. Of course, everyone has different reasons for making that decision.
"It's definitely a place I've been in my mind: 'Hmm, if I were to decide to do that, how would I do it?' So we started with a guitar and I wanted to write a song about that place and go there in my mind. I know that sounds morbid, but it was true. It was a fantasy of me going there. It's not super obvious in the song, but I say how my feet keep touching the ground [and] it's not working for me. Then I'm saved by a guy. But in real life I was on a hike in Big Sur and I was getting emotional. Then I looked up through the trees and I saw the sun. It felt like the sun saved me, which, in itself, is [symbolic]: the Son of God or the sun in our solar system. It just felt like a love story.
"It's a double/triple entendre: The male voice that you hear throughout the album is the love interest or my conscience. He also represents the devil disguised as an angel, because he keeps offering me these drugs. It's like, 'Who are you, really?' He appears at first to be an angel, but then he turns into someone that is not."
<3 <3 <3 Lots of love & light though, so happy to see you angels being so kind and caring to Jhene. She definitely deserves all the kindness in the world. xx
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REPLY
@sophiemoon6604
Lyrics:
Oh I, oh I
Oh I, oh I
Oh I, oh I
If anyone should try and find me
Just know I'm where I wanna be
I left the house all clean and tidy
Don't come searchin', please
I've made my way down to the forest
Way down to the sea of trees (the sea of trees)
The eagle grows, it gets enormous
And then it has to bleed
All the way out
All the way out
On my way out
I found a way out
Up in a tree
Up in a tree
Could you believe it?
Wouldn't you believe
Hell is not a place
Hell is not a certain evil
Hell is other people
Or the lack thereof
And their lack of love
And their lack of love
I tried, but my feet kept touchin' the ground (touch the ground)
If I died, would it even make a sound in the sea of trees? (sea of trees)
No need to bother lookin' for me
Don't come, don't come, don't come searchin' for me
You don't get to die until you get it right, you said
I envy the dead, yeah
I'm way out, I'm way out
I'm way down in the sea of trees
I'm way out
What is that I see?
Starin' back at me
Okay now
I'm okay now
Alive, alive
Made it out alive
Made it out alive
Surprise, surprise, surprise
Surprise
I'm out alive
Made it out alive
Made it out alive
Away, away, away
What are you doing out here?
I don't know
What's your name?
Penny
Are you okay?
I think you saved me
@elenatheunicorn
If anyone should try and find me
Just know I'm where I wanna be
I left the house all clean and tidy
Don't come searchin', please
I've made my way down to the forest
Way down to the sea of trees (the sea of trees)
The eagle grows, it gets enormous
And then it has to bleed
All the way out
All the way out
On my way out
I found a way out
Up in a tree
Up in a tree
Could you believe it?
Wouldn't you believe
Hell is not a place
Hell is not a certain evil
Hell is other people
Or the lack thereof
And their lack of love
And their lack of love
I tried, but my feet kept touchin' the ground (touch the ground)
If I died, would it even make a sound in the sea of trees? (sea of trees)
No need to bother lookin' for me
Don't come, don't come, don't come searchin' for me
You don't get to die until you get it right, you said
I envy the dead, yeah
I'm way out, I'm way out
I'm way down in the sea of trees
I'm way out
What is that I see?
Starin' back at me
Okay now
I'm okay now
Alive, alive
Made it out alive
Made it out alive
Surprise, surprise, surprise
Surprise
I'm out alive
Made it out alive
Made it out alive
Away, away, away
@morgan21dm
This saved me from mental distress
I mean I could beat my bones
Hell, why not
To hear that crunching feeling so not afraid of going to hell
That's so not my ego
It would be so profound I could just sit under a big old tree
Legs crossed like I'm big bino no Internet can intercross me
Watch the bears swim, eat, live like themselves do
Yes I could just feel my bones crushing.......
This where I want to be
@rodneywarner6466
She isn't suicidal, she's just so content with Life she isn't afraid to face the darkness anymore. 🌻🦄
@lovealwaysheartful
Thanks. only the real understand this
@IMarie-xs5dg
Rodney Warner 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾✌🏽
@asiamckinnie5997
Exactly!! Simplicity is life just let it flow freely. Ase . Ase . Ase
@flowerrchilddxchase
you have to be aware of and acknowledge the darkness to love and appreciate the light 🥰🌝🌱🦋
@celestedayrider6040
Very true, but the only reason she isn't afraid of the darkness anymore is because she lived through it by experiencing suicidal ideations and possible attempts; can't get any darker by hitting that form of rock bottom.
@RemiLekun
This album has resonated throughout my entire being. I have had a rough year. My boyfriend and I got robbed several times, losing our art and work in the process. My boyfriend got into a horrible accident and miraculously survived but totaled his car. His car was how he made his money. And last week, he was shot and killed due to senseless gun violence in Atlanta. We were one body, one mind, one laugh. One voice. We went everywhere together, we did everything together. We lived together and planned on spending the rest of our lives together. Tragedies like this you feel lost in this abyss of madness that we are so used to calling 'reality'. It makes you wonder what is real. What is fake. What is our real potential and purpose as humans on this earth? What is on the other side? Is my boyfriend okay on the other side? I lost my best friend and this type of devastation drives you to long for death. But something's there. Some force. One may call it God, the Most High. Reminding you that you're journeys not over. Jhene aiko has always been my safe haven because oddly she drops her albums around the same time life cuts me down. Though I felt like I couldn't go on with my life, I, somehow, made it out alive 💙 #longlivesmurf
@AnabelPena15
May you continue to carry through with strength. Thank you for sharing your heartbreaking story. Sending love your way <3 Glad her music can help you..
@RemiLekun
Anabel Pena thank you my dear
@uareri27
*hugs to you, stranger. Stay strong.