Chilombo (album)

Chilombo is the third studio album by American singer Jhené Aiko. It was released on March 6, 2020, by ArtClub International, ARTium Recordings, and Def Jam Recordings. Following the release of Trip and her split with rapper Big Sean, with whom she formed the duo Twenty88, Aiko began work on Chilombo. Recorded as a freestyle in Hawaii, the album was inspired by the island's natural landscape and features traditional singing bowls to create a tranquil effect. In order to create her desired sound, Aiko served as the album's executive producer, enlisting the help of long time collaborators Fisticuffs and Lejkeys, who produced eighteen of the album's songs. The album featured a range of guests including rappers Nas and Future, as well as R&B singers Ty Dolla $ign, John Legend, Miguel, and H.E.R. The deluxe edition of the album was released on July 17, 2020, and includes appearances from Kehlani, Mila J, Chris Brown, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa.

Chilombo received generally positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 152,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. It was also certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in January 2021. At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, the album received three nominations: Album of the Year and Best Progressive R&B Album, and Best R&B Performance for "Lightning & Thunder".