Jhené Aiko debuted her highly-anticipated record Chilombo back in early March. While the singer can’t tour behind the effort, she made sure to take a maximalist approach to her NPR Tiny Desk Concert by bringing with her a full band, as well as her crystal singing bowls, to offer some meditative moments.
Aiko’s Tiny Desk concert was anything but conventional. Kicking off her performance, Aiko set the mood by showcasing the healing nature of her crystal singing bowls, a technique to which she is not foreign. Last year, the singer brought her bowls when she hosted an immersive meditation session that she hoped to spread “world-wide,” which was complete with color therapy, mantras, and meditations.
Not only did the singer share her sound therapy techniques in her performance, but she appeased fans with some older hits. Most musicians choose to have their Tiny Desk segment be an opportunity to showcase their recent releases. Instead, Aiko pulled from three different projects for her eight-song setlist. While the singer did offer a glimpse of Chilombo with “Lotus (Intro),” “Born Tired,” and “Summer 2020,” the singer also performed hits from her 2014 LP Souled Out, electing to play “W.A.Y.S.,” “Eternal Sunshine,” and “To Love & Die.” Aiko even reached further back into her catalog to perform the simmering numbers “Stranger” and “Do Better Blues” from her 2011 debut mixtape Sailing Souls.
Watch Jhené Aiko’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert above.
Chilombo is out now via Def Jam. Get it here.