I definitely did that on that hiatus, so songwriting is definitely newer for me within the last couple of years. I never was that girl like, вЂњIвЂ™m using this group as a platform.вЂќ I liked being in groups, so I feel like I had to do a lot of searching for myself when they were over, and find out what I wanted to do, what I wanted to talk about, what I wanted my visuals to look like. Like, you donвЂ™t really have to get into yourself so to speak, and I feel like once those groups endedвЂ¦ You know, I was never solo prior to those girl groups. I started when I took my hiatus after I was in those girl groups, as those are way more of a compromising situation. Writing is definitely newer for me, as far as the last couple of years. So it just depends.Дo you write all of your own songs or do you have writers?

I mean, different ideas I might put in my phone as far as what I want to write about, but then youвЂ™ll hear a beat and it takes you to a whole different direction. ItвЂ™s like heвЂ™s kind of sexy on there a little bit! But as far as beats, itвЂ™s just different. I donвЂ™t know, for him I feel like it was a different style. KE did that beat, and I was just like, вЂњWe need a feature on here,вЂќ and we both decided to go with Problem and like you said, it was dope how he sounded on it. вЂњPain In My HeartвЂќ I donвЂ™t want to say is the oldest one, but yeah, it was the first. ThatвЂ™s actually the first one that I recorded.

WhatвЂ™s your process with choosing your beats? And the beat is pretty cool, itвЂ™s almost got an oriental feel to it. The вЂњPain In My HeartвЂќ record with Problem, it really fits his voice. I got a chance to listen to it actually and itвЂ™s dope. I just thought it was a good route to go. You know, just to kind of get a vibe of what people might feel or not feel. The first time around, I had a sampler album and then the album never came out, so I just felt like I never really did a complete body of work yet, so I just felt like because we did the visuals as well, I just felt like 5 was the perfect amount to do that and then follow right with the album for early next year. Just because like before, when I just had the one single and whatnot, some people knew who I was but I feel like other people were just discovering me. Well for me I felt like I needed to that. Now whyвЂ™d you choose to do an EP versus a whole album? Yeah, exactly! ItвЂ™s like, donвЂ™t talk about my baby! ItвЂ™s what youвЂ™ve been working on for so long and then you finally release it and itвЂ™s like, вЂњAhh!вЂќ But yeah, IвЂ™m excited to see what people think. IвЂ™m positive about it, and IвЂ™m justвЂ¦ I mean, of course IвЂ™m excited more than anything. I obviously had to learn patience along the way because of all of the different set-backs that I have had, but IвЂ™m in a good space. Man, itвЂ™s a nervous energy but itвЂ™s a good energy. WhatвЂ™s the emotional feeling this brings? So you finally released your EP! Congrats! ItвЂ™s been a super long time coming with a shelved album and the disbanded girl groups and hiatuses and name changes and all that stuff. Fresh on the heels of its release, I hopped on the phone with Mila to discuss the EP, as well as how she quit her day job, her plans to write for others, Ty Dolla $ign (because IвЂ™m me so of course I had to add him in there,) whatвЂ™s the deal with her and Rome from IMX and more! Check out the interview below.

The 5-song EP features the aforementioned singles, as well as the Problem-assisted вЂњ Pain In My Heart,вЂќ the B.o.B.-assisted вЂњChampion,вЂќ and the ride-or-die love ballad, вЂњ Times Like These.вЂќ The project, completely co-written by Mila, definitely shows the California singerвЂ™s range as an artist, and is the perfect appetizer until we get the real meal early next year. Mila J has been building quite a buzz as of late, thanks to the success of her singles, вЂњSmoke, Drink, Break-UpвЂќ and вЂњ My Main.вЂќ Of course, her stunning looks, powerhouse vocals and dance moves donвЂ™t hurt either! Jhene AikoвЂs older sister ran the risk of standing in the shadow of her successful younger sibling, but Mila J has completely carved her own lane, and after years of set-backs with failed girl groups and even a shelved album, the talented triple-threat has established a promising solo career, and finally released her debut EP yesterday, M.I.L.A.

Mila j and jhene aiko