Jhené Aiko’s ‘Sailing Soul(s)’ Available On Streaming For 10th Anniversary

Jhené Aiko fans will be delighted to learn that the singer’s debut mixtape, Sailing Soul(s), is now available on streaming services in honor of the project’s 10th anniversary.

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After self-releasing the project on March 16, 2011, Aiko is celebrating the big milestone by giving fans an easier way to access her very first project. Not only that, the “Triggered” singer revealed on Instagram that she would be adding some extras to the project this time around.

“March 12, 2011 i met up with @j3collection in Long Beach as the sun was setting to shoot the cover for my mixtape “sailing soul(s).” there had been a big tsunami in Japan the day before and @j3collection was like…”u sure u wanna do this?!” i really wanted to get everything done in time to release it on my birthday (3/16) so i was like “YES!” lol,” she wrote on Instagram, under a photo of the mixtape cover.

She continued, “This mixtape was a pivotal moment for me. when i was 12 i was signed to a label, singing songs i had no real connection to. besides that, i had no real stories of my own to tell at 12 lol. then i took a break to focus on school. in my teens i was singing demo records and taking meetings. i met with one record exec who told me i needed to do a better job at “selling” myself when i came into meetings. dressing like myself, singing like myself, talking like myself… wasn’t enough. i thought, “why do i have to sell myself? why do i have to try to convince you of my worth? of who i am??? 🧐”

“From that point on i decided i would never try to “sell” myself,” Jhené wrote. “I would simply BE myself and whoever felt a connection would SEE ME and my worth. after having my daughter and going through some thangs i had a LOT to say lol. so i reached out to Fisticuffs @bobbycoleslaw @beatbastard … @kroosevelt and J Pounds for beats and wrote what would become “sailing soul(s)” sailing soul(s)” was an independent project and the beginning of me writing every lyric to every song i sing.”

The singer continued, “I wanted the cover to express me breaking free from that narrative of having to “sell” myself. i wanted the broken chains to symbolize that freedom of feeling unanchored… free to be me, going with the flow… going with the wind like a sail boat… freeing my soul…”sailing” my soul instead of “selling” my soul 💙 (i added the (s) cuz i knew i wasn’t the only sailing soul out there 😊)”

“FINALLY! for it’s 10th year anniversary “sailing soul(s)” (plus a few throwback bonus tracks 👀) will be available on all streaming platforms!!” she wrote. “Thank you #SoulMates for sailing with me for over 20 years!!⛵️ i love u 💙”

Arriving on streaming platforms today, this milestone also commemorates Aiko’s 33rd birthday and the one-year anniversary of her Grammy-nominated album Chilombo. Since its release, Chilombo has earned three nominations for this year’s ceremony for Album of the Year, Best Progressive R&B Album, and a nod for Best R&B Performance for her John Legend-featuring song “Lightning & Thunder.” Plus, she’s set to host the 63rd annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony.