Jhené Aiko - Biography
Los Angeles native Jhené Aiko began her musical career at an early age. Signed to T.U.G./Epic Records at the age of twelve, she appeared in several music videos and provided backing vocals for R&B group B2K before leaving the industry at sixteen to finish high school. She returned to music in 2011 with the release of her first full-length mixtape .sailing soul(s). The album title is a response to a label executive telling her she'd have to "sell" herself and her image to be successful and Aiko's decision that she'd rather "sail."
In 2013, Aiko appeared on Big Sean's track "Beware" with Lil Wayne, which landed her a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That same year, she toured with Drake and released her debut EP, Sail Out. In May 2014, Aiko released the album Souled Out and completed a mini-tour with The Weeknd and Schoolboy Q. Her major influences include Brandy, Tupac, and her late brother Miyagi.
