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Image Courtesy Def Jam
Jhene Aiko is known to pay homage to the greats. In celebration of soul legend Bill Withers’ 77th birthday, the R&B songstress has posted a video of her performing a medley of Withers’ classics, including “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lovely Day,” accompanied only by a single electric guitarist.
In the clip, posted on YouTube, Jhene closes her eyes and delivers a soulful rendition backed by her guitarist. The singer also revealed that Withers was one of her musical inspirations. “One of the things that inspires me the most about Bill is his attention to lyrics and storytelling,” she writes in a note accompanying the video. “It wasn’t about his image, being flashy, or putting on a ‘show.’ For him, it was about the song. No fluff, just pure feeling. It was about connecting. It was about the music. And it is still about the music.”
Jhene adds, “I’m getting older and I realize that I am just a compilation of all the great creators who came before me.”
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