Jhené Aiko is baring it all. The R&B songstress graces the cover of the October 2016 issue of Status Magazine, where she shows off some fresh looks and opens up about her image, music, animal protection, body positivity, and healthy lifestyle.
Don’t expect to get much personal life gossip from Jhené though, as usual; she lets her music handle that.
“More sides of me will be revealed the longer I make music. That’s where I like to express every part of me,” she tells Status.
She also states, “I’m in control of my own thoughts, my own happiness, and my own art.”
She did share a few tidbits though: “I love hikes, and I love to write outside. I always feel like you get energy from all the natural elements like the sun, the wind, and the ocean. It just really inspires me because it reminds me that I’m just one little part of this huge world.”
Check out some excerpts and more photos from the fashionable spread below.
ON THE ETHEREAL SOUND OF HER MUSIC: When I was younger a lot of people wanted me to sing songs with very high energy that people could dance to, but I’ve always been such a chill, laid-back person. When I got older, I wanted to make sure that my music reflected my true personality. I always try to be peaceful and I always try to stay positive, that’s what it’s always about.
ON THE EVOLUTION OF HER MUSIC: In each project, I’m older and hopefully wiser [laughs]. When I did Sailing Soul(s), I was more about writing everything myself, which was admittedly an ego thing. This year, I’ve been more open to collaborations as far as writing goes. I’ve also become more serious about my voice, protecting it and trying to widen my range.
ON THE ‘TWENTY88‘ PROJECT: With ‘Twenty88’ I really got to dive into a more sensual side of me, but my music is always going to be evolving. I’ve only put out three projects on my own and I think that’s not enough to show the true interpretation of myself. More sides of me will be revealed the longer I make music. That’s where I like to express every part of me.
ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN MUSIC: I think that it definitely has [gotten better], but in the world we live in, the respect that women are given still needs to be worked on. When you’re a female musician, you live by this standard. You’re always compared to other females, and a lot of male artists don’t have to deal with that. Some men are also given credit for a woman’s success-whether we’re married to someone who’s also famous or rich, or if someone “discovered” us. At the end of the day, we need to just realize that we all need each other.
Read the full feature here.
(Photos by Issac Sterling)
