Shawn Carlson is a STEM and poetry educator.
Souled Out is the debut studio album by American singer Jhene Aiko .. Jhene Aiko. Jhene Aiko. studio album. studio album. It was released on September 9 , 2014 , by Def Jam Recordings and ARTium Recordings .. ARTium. ARTium Recordings. Def Jam. Def Jam Recordings. Def Jam Recordings. Def Jam Recordings. ARTium Recordings. ARTium Recordings. After leaving Epic Records in 2003 , Aiko took a hiatus from her music career and returned in 2011 , with the release of her debut mixtape Sailing Soul -LRB- s -RRB- .. Epic Records. Epic Records. After raising her profile with the mixtape , Aiko met with record producer No I.D. , and subsequently secured a recording contract with his newly found record label imprint , ARTium .. ARTium. ARTium Recordings. Following her record deal , Aiko immediately began working on the album ; during the recording process , Aiko released her debut EP Sail Out -LRB- 2013 -RRB- , to bridge the gap between her mixtape and the album .. Sail Out. Sail Out. Souled Out is an alternative R&B album with a diverse musical style that incorporates psychedelic music , R&B , neo soul , hip hop and elements of electronica .. alternative R&B. alternative R&B. psychedelic music. psychedelic music. R&B. rhythm and blues. neo soul. neo soul. hip hop. Hip hop music. Its songs are loosely structured and feature electronic guitar sounds , synths , drums and atmospheric noises .. electronic guitar. electric guitar. synths. synthesizer. drums. drum kit. A concept album , Souled Out features the evolution of a woman 's heartbreak before becoming enlightened , the album features lyrics that revolve around relationships , life lessons , philosophies and truths .. concept album. concept album. heartbreak. broken heart. Aiko served as the album 's executive producer and wrote the album 's lyrics ; she contracted four key producers to contribute with production and help create a cohesive sound .. An anticipated release , the album was released to commercial and critical success .. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 , selling 70,000 copies , doubling the first week sales of her debut EP ; the album also debuted at number one on the Top R&B  /  Hip-Hop Albums and R&B Albums charts .. R&B. rhythm and blues. Souled Out received generally positive reviews from critics , who commended its production , lyrics and themes and was ranked as one of the best albums of 2014 by several publications .. The album spawned three singles -- `` To Love & Die '' , `` The Pressure '' and `` Spotless Mind '' -- and has sold 121,000 units in the US .. To Love & Die. To Love & Die. The Pressure. The Pressure ( song ). Spotless Mind. Spotless Mind