Jhené Aiko’s “Westside Whimsy” is projected to move as many as 70,000 units during its opening week.

Jhené Aiko could be on the verge of earning the first Billboard 200 No. 1 album of her career.

According to Hits Daily Double, her new album, Westside Whimsy, is currently projected to earn between 65,000 and 70,000 equivalent album units during its opening week. That total has the project challenging for a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200.

The achievement would be massive for Aiko, whose previous highest-charting album, Chilombo, peaked at No. 2 in 2020. That project also earned an Album of the Year nomination at the Grammys, making it one of the most successful releases of her career.

Westside Whimsy marks Jhené’s first studio album in six years. The 20-track project includes appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Larry June, Ab-Soul, Tyga, and Ohma. Kendrick appears on “So Good,” renewing a creative partnership that stretches back more than a decade.

It felt like an unusually quiet week in music, and Jhené took full advantage. An opening of 67,000 units would not land at No. 1 during most weeks, but the timing worked perfectly in her favor. Still, her success was about more than weak competition. There has been a noticeable void for this kind of dreamy, introspective R&B, and hearing Jhené deliver it again felt genuinely refreshing.

Should Westside Whimsy claim the top spot, Jhené will finally earn her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200. It would also serve as a beautiful reminder that some of life’s biggest accomplishments can arrive in your late 30s—or even later.

Quincy

Quincy is the creator of Ratings Game Music. He loves writing about music, taking long walks on beaches, and spaghetti that fights him back.