Coco Jones is learning to navigate the challenging landscape of self-criticism while celebrating her achievements. In a recent cover story with Vibe, Jones shared her struggles with perfectionism and the emotional toll of creating her latest album, Why Not More.

Jones admitted that instead of feeling excited about the album’s release,she felt overwhelmed. “I just hope it means something… I feel like I’m kind of grieving a little bit,” Jones said. “People ask me if I’m excited about it, f*k no. This sht hurt me. It brings out the worst side of you, ’cause its supposed to, and you gotta write about ’em.”

She elaborated on her desire for everything to be flawless, stating, “I think that was the side of me I felt was the worst, this ‘no grace’ part. Basically,it was just pushing yourself until you’re satisfied with yourself,” she continued. “To have to put together a piece of work and present it to a label after you’ve already had certain levels of success, it’s just a very uncomfortable place to be in. It brings so many expectations from myself, from the world.”

Balancing Expectations and Reality

jones acknowledges her tendency to be overly critical. “I’m also my worst critic,” Jones added. She explained, “I feel like I have an expectation of myself that I can make things happen faster than they happen in reality, in real time. I feel like if I work hard enough and I have the right song, it would do that again.”

“I’m also my worst critic,” Jones added.”I feel like I have an expectation of myself that I can make things happen faster than they happen in reality.”

Despite her internal pressures, Jones has received widespread acclaim. Prior to her album release, she garnered seven grammy nominations and secured a win for “Best R&B Performance” for her hit song “ICU.” In 2023,she was also honored as “Best New Artist” at the BET Awards.

Expanding Her Horizons

Beyond her musical accomplishments, Jones has been making her mark as an actress. She recently completed filming the fourth and final season of Bel-Air, Peacock’s reimagining of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.