Jhené Aiko Lands Secluded Contemporary Retreat in Encino

As her star wattage has grown, Jhené Aiko has steadily upgraded her real estate circumstances. First came a 1980s home in the guard-gated Bell Canyon neighborhood, out in the far western reaches of L.A.’s San Fernando Valley, that was sold earlier this year for about $1.9 million. And in December, the Grammy-nominated alt-R&B/neo-soul chanteuse paid $2.5 million for an East Coast traditional-style property in Pacific Palisades.

Though she’s owned the Palisades place for less than a year, the L.A. native is already on to new digs; records reveal she’s plunked down another $3.4 million on an admirably private property in Encino. Sequestered behind gates and up a very long driveway, the house is tucked into steep foothills near the Encino Reservoir.

Described in the listing as an “ultra-private midcentury dream home,” the single-story sprawler was technically built in 1966 but underwent a complete overhaul this year, blossoming into a glitzy contemporary with four bedrooms and 4.5 baths in 3,500 square feet of living space. There are a host of designer amenities, including wide-plank oak floors, a temperature-controlled glass wine “showroom,” a kitchen with curved breakfast bar and top-of-the-line stainless appliances, and walls of glass that flood the interiors with natural light and provide a simplified indoor/outdoor lifestyle.

The wood-sheathed house also offers a master retreat with a fireplace, bespoke closet and sliding glass doors that open to a back patio, where guests will enjoy a plunge pool with inset spa and Baja sunbathing shelf, a waterfall, sunken firepit and ample space for al fresco dining/entertaining. Thanks to the sloped lot, which spans more than two-thirds of an acre, there’s additionally a raised deck with peaceful canyon and city lights views.

Encino, once the butt of many a L.A. insider’s neighborhood-centric jokes, has suddenly become the area of choice for many of Hollywood’s biggest names, and homes there now boast skyrocketing price tags to match. Current residents include Gwen Stefani and Black Shelton, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, Selena Gomez and Tristan Thompson.

Aiko, 33, first came to public attention as a teenager by appearing in several music videos, in the early 2000s, for R&B group B2K. A long-delayed debut album on Sony and Epic record labels never materialized, and Aiko subsequently left the industry for several years. Her first album, 2014’s “Souled Out,” was released to critical acclaim and commercial success; her third album — 2020’s “Chilombo” — was certified platinum and earned her three Grammy nominations, including for the big-kahuna prize “Album of the Year.”

Amanda Lockwood of Sandlot Homes held the listing; Tai Savetsila with Agents of LA repped the buyer.