Jhené Aiko is taking fans on an emotional Trip in her new short film.
Written and co-directed by the R&B songstress and Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip), the 23-minute short film also features original poetry from Aiko. The mini-movie is said to be a semi-autobiographical exploration of “love, loss, and self-discovery.”
“Crazy, how I can stare into empty space and see his smile, crystal clear as day,” says Jhené in the intro. “I close my eyes and hear his voice.”
The film finds Aiko playing the role of Penny, who sparks a romantic relationship while struggling with memories of sadness, grief, and loss following her brother’s death. “I am looking for a brother’s love in every single man,” she says. “But you’ll never see me like my brother did, you’ll never need me like a brother did. There’s a black hole in my soul. It’s beginning to show.”
Throughout the evocative movie, Jhené expresses herself through spoken word backed by her original music like “While We’re Young.” “I have never had it easy,” she says. “Fuck you, if you don’t believe me / Fuck me for crying over spilled milk that I never planned on drinking.”
In between drug-influenced moments, animated vignettes pop up, while Aiko’s poetry helps drive the narrative of self-discovery and letting go. “I was a sunken ship,” she says at the end. “A drunken sip of something thick / And then I took a trip / There was no captain / But you were my anchor.”
