Jhené Aiko moves at her own pace. In today’s frantic climate of near-constant content churn, the LA singer keeps to herself, quietly creating until she feels ready to release her latest work to the world. She’s like a volcano in that way, patiently bubbling under the surface until she’s ready to erupt with a new creative vision.
Maybe that’s why she presents herself as a fiery volcano goddess in the video for “Surrender,” which she shared this week in honor of the fourth anniversary of her most recent album, Chilombo. On Instagram, she revealed she’d be sharing the unreleased videos from the album, including clips for “Define Me (interlude),” “Love,” and of course, “Surrender.” All three videos were shot by frequent collaborator Glassface and find Jhené soaking up nature, whether that’s on the volcanic island from the “Surrender” video or taking in the savannah of Africa in “Love.” You can check out the “Surrender” video above and the “Love” and “Define Me” videos below.
In accordance with Aiko’s laid-back release schedule, she dropped her most recent songs early this year. “Sun/Son” was a dedication to her and Big Sean’s son Noah, and followed “Calm & Patient,” which came out nearly a year before. She may be feeling calm and patient, but her fans have been neither lately, as demands for a joint release with Sean as Twenty88 have become more and more persistent on social media with her increased activity. They said the album is “coming along,” but that was two years ago, so their insistence is understandable.