Key Takeaways
- Jhené Aiko ends the six-year wait since Chilombo with her fourth studio album, Westside Whimsy, arriving September 11 through Def Jam and ArtClub.
- The 20-track album features Kendrick Lamar on “So Good,” Ab-Soul on “Love Bomb,” Tyga on “Like, Whatever,” Larry June on “Neighbors,” and OHMA on “Golden Coast.”
- Aiko roots the project in ’90s music and California car, surf, beach, and road-trip culture, extending the “Westside Whimsy” lifestyle she previously teased through an Erewhon smoothie.
It has been six years since Jhené Aiko released an album. That album, Chilombo, arrived on March 6, 2020, days before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.
That drought ends this week. On Friday, September 11, Jhené will release her fourth studio album, Westside Whimsy—announced on Tuesday, which gave fans all of three days' notice. The rollout was short, the guest list isn't.
She's framing it as a long time coming. "Six years in the making," she wrote alongside the tracklist, thanking fans for their patience.”
Here's everything you need to know about Westside Whimsy.
What is Westside Whimsy?
Westside Whimsy, Jhené Aiko's fourth studio album, is out Friday, September 11 through Def Jam and ArtClub. She announced it Tuesday with the cover art: a close-up of her face against a teal backdrop, crystal tears running down her cheeks. The tracklist and a trailer followed on Wednesday, with the caption, "6 years in the making 💙 Thank you for your patience 🙏🏼 'Westside Whimsy' out THIS FRIDAY ✨"
The title isn't new if you've been paying attention. At the top of the year she teamed with Erewhon on a smoothie called “The Westside Whimsy”—coconut milk, banana, pineapple, and pitaya. In April, Rolling Stone asked point-blank whether “Westside Whimsy was the title of her new album and she played coy. "Westside Whimsy is a lifestyle," she said. "It's not a project. It's a lifestyle. Everything I do is that—you'll see."
What Is the Westside Whimsy Tracklist?
Similar to previous albums in her catalogue, this one is long. The album features 20 songs. Here is the tracklist:
1. "Wild Cat(s)"
2. "Ghost"
3. "Break"
4. "Love Bomb" (with Ab-Soul)
5. "Ceiling (Freestyle)"
6. "Nothing Nice To Say"
7. "He Belongs"
8. "Like, Whatever" (feat. Tyga)
9. "You"
10. "Don't Be That Guy"
11. "Lullaby"
12. "Neighbors" (feat. Larry June)
13. "Mine"
14. "So Good" (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
15. "Beach Boy"
16. "Unicorn"
17. "I Don't Mind"
18. "Nami's Haiku"
19. "A Living Light"
20. "Golden Coast" (feat. Ohma)
Who Are the Features on Westside Whimsy?
The most exciting linkup on the album is the Kendrick Lamar and Jhené Aiko reunion, "So Good." It's the third time the two have worked together, and their first in more than a decade. They first collaborated on "Growing Apart (To Get Closer)" from Overly Dedicated; Kendrick returned the favor on "Stay Ready (What a Life)" from Jhené's 2013 EP Sail Out.
Kendrick isn't the only TDE-affiliated artist here. Ab-Soul turns up on track four, "Love Bomb." The two have a long history together, including "Nothing New," "Terrorist Threats," and "Soulo Ho3," and they last linked on "The Wild Side" from Herbert.
Rounding out the guest list: Tyga on "Like, Whatever," OHMA on "Golden Coast," and Larry June on "Neighbors." That last one matters—June and Jhene are rumored to be dating, and they previously linked on "California Dream."
What Inspired the Album's West Coast Sound?
Jhene hasn’t spoken to in depth about the album, but she has been dropping hints. In April, she hosted wellness experience in California. She talked to Complex about her new album saying:
“All the music of the ‘90s has really influenced me but especially West Coast car culture, surfing culture, beach, laidback…When I think of California, it’s just such a magical place and I love a good road trip and I’ve been doing them for many years.”
What's the Larry June Connection?
Even before she announced her new album, Jhené Aiko was in the news. For months, rumors had been circulating that she and Larry June were dating, fueled by a handful of Instagram posts fans were connecting into a pattern. Then the two medium-launched in the video for "California Dream," their new collab, which finds them getting cozy and, at one point, appearing to simulate sex.
Aiko had been linked to Big Sean for nearly a decade before reports surfaced last November that the two had split—though neither confirmed it. They collaborated as the duo TWENTY88 and welcomed a son, Noah Hasani Chilombo-Anderson, in 2022.
Where Can You Stream Westside Whimsy?
Def Jam Recordings is handling the release. The album hits streaming on Spotify, Apple and other streamers the same day it drops. Stay tuned for more information about physical releases, like vinyl and CDs.
