How did Coco Jones get here? In the most literal sense, by foot. “I walked over,” she says casually when she meets me at the wood-fired pizza spot she chose for our lunch date on a gloomy March afternoon. “In the rain?” I ask, fairly incredulously (as a New Yorker who believes the West Coast stereotypes, I was under the impression that nobody–especially Grammy winners with almost 5 million Instagram followers—walks anywhere in Los Angeles, rain or shine).
“Girl, yes. I literally live up the strizzle,” she says.
It’s a treat to realize that in-real-life Jones embodies embodies the relaxed relatability she’s become synonymous with on social media, greeting me with a radiant smile and no umbrella. Her long hair falls in loose waves, and she’s dressed comfortably—tank top, oversized jacket, loose sweatpants, sneakers—because once our interview ends, she’s headed straight to rehearsals.
On March 7, Jones performed her song “Taste” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and she put on a show. As an artist, she already has plenty of momentum—Jones picked up a Grammy award in 2024 for her single “ICU” and earlier this year The New York Times named her as one of the leaders ushering in a new era of R&B. But that momentum will reach its apex on April 25 with the launch of her debut album, Why Not More?
For most artists, releasing their first album is a rite of passage, an announcement to the world that a new voice has arrived. For Coco Jones, though, the album could be considered a hard-fought culmination of an already prolific, if nonlinear, career. She’s been at it since 2012, with a robust discography of extended plays and singles. She parted ways with her first label, Hollywood Records, and spent years grinding it out as an independent artist. In 2022 she signed to Def Jam and has been working on Why Not More?, a project four years in the making that represents an artist no longer waiting in the wings but ready to receive her due.
“I’m excited to see what sticks and lands—what really changes my life,” Jones says of the album. “Everyone believes that I’m a respectable R&B girl, but I’m trying to see them world tours.”