Jhené Aiko’s sixth album, *Westside Whimsy*, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, giving the California R&B singer the first chart-topping album of her career. Released just three days after its announcement, the project marks her return after a six-year break and highlights the impact of a low-key rollout that allowed the music and her existing connection with fans to lead the campaign.

The album recorded 74,000 equivalent album units in the United States for the week ending 17 September. It is the first R&B album by a woman to top the Billboard 200 in 2026, and the first to do so in more than a year; it is also Aiko’s sixth top-10 release, following her 2020 album *Chilombo*, which received an album of the year Grammy nomination. Her manager, Ketrina “Taz” Askew, said Aiko’s time away was partly spent focusing on motherhood and that future promotion will centre on songs, visuals, storytelling and eventually live performances.