Jhené Aiko Announces New Album ‘Westside Whimsy’ & It’s Coming Sooner Than You Think
Jhené Aiko has announced her fourth studio album, Westside Whimsy, with the project set to arrive this Friday, September 11. The announcement came Tuesday, September 8, giving listeners only a few days’ notice before the album’s release.
The album will mark Aiko’s first full-length studio project since Chilombo, which was released in March 2020. Chilombo became her third studio album and received Grammy nominations, making Westside Whimsy her first new album in more than six years.
Aiko shared the album artwork along with the release announcement, but details about the project remain limited. A tracklist and featured artists have not been publicly revealed, leaving the album’s full lineup undisclosed just days before its scheduled arrival.
The title Westside Whimsy had already surfaced around Aiko’s recent creative and lifestyle projects. Earlier this year, she introduced a limited-time Erewhon offering carrying the same name, while her ALLEL jewelry work also incorporated themes connected to her California roots.
Aiko previously discussed the musical direction of her forthcoming album during a California wellness retreat in April. She described the project as being influenced by her home state, including West Coast car culture, surfing, beach life and the music of the 1990s.
The singer has continued releasing and appearing on music during the six-year gap between albums. Most recently, she appeared on Larry June’s “California Dream,” which was released on his latest album Who Coppin’ in August.
The release is now listed for Friday, September 11, 2026, alongside other major new music arriving that week. Pitchfork’s updated 2026 release calendar lists Westside Whimsy under Jhené Aiko and identifies Magic Production as the label attached to the release.
With the announcement arriving just three days before release, Aiko’s latest album is moving from a largely teased project to an imminent full-length release. Westside Whimsy is scheduled to be available on September 11, marking her return to the album format more than six years after Chilombo.
