AIKO TOMI links with Jesse Lucas on “INVOICE”

Since her debut single “Lotto” landed in 2020, Toronto-based genre-bender AIKO TOMI has been on the rise in the alternative pop landscape. She coined her own style she calls “internet-tinged diaspora-pop,” which fuses her cultural background with futuristic sounds and DIY vibes. Her 2021 EP For the Love introduced her sound to wider audiences, while her debut full-length album Animal’s Awake dropped jaws with its fearless energy and left-field pop experimentation.

Known for her striking visuals, genre-fluid sound and a flair for the unexpected, AIKO TOMI has consistently delivered music that’s unique and engrossing in equal measure. After a prolific 2024 and the release of her Delulu Demon EP, AIKO is back to prove she’s not slowing down anytime soon. AIKO TOMI returns with a razor-sharp new single that speaks directly to creatives who’ve been strung along one too many times.

Blending alternative pop, hyperpop and hip hop with an angsty message, “INVOICE” is a cathartic release wrapped in glitter and grit. The new track sees her linking up with Jesse Lucas, a fellow sonic pioneer whose genre-hopping output spans underground hip hop, satirical rap and experimental production.

Together, the pair deliver a venom-laced anthem that goes out to everyone who’s ever been ghosted by a “collaboration opportunity” that turned out to be free labour dressed up with buzzwords. Jumping straight in with stuttering vocal samples, AIKO’s impactful vocal delivery kicks off over a driving, bass-heavy beat, serving up a sound that rages against the performative generosity of fake gatekeepers in the creative industry.

With the zap of biting synths and rattle of thumping beats, the arrangement presents a gripping soundscape above which AIKO and Jesse Lucas trade vocal lines, resulting in a thrilling alternative pop outing that shakes with raucous energy from start to finish. It’s a blistering sonic punch wrapped up in a potent two minute burst of striking drums, angular synth lines and sharp vocal performance.

Once again putting her fiercely original sound and fiery vocal delivery on full display, with “INVOICE,” AIKO TOMI lays down an incredible collaborative outing that’s powerful and engaging while championing artists, creatives and freelancers. As she hits the ground running in 2025, we can’t wait to see what follows this year from this exciting and truly unique artist.

Commenting on the single, she shares, “We all want to believe in collaboration, but too often, ‘opportunity’ is dangled like a clout-carrot—just out of reach, leading to unpaid labor with no return. That’s when the illusion shatters.” With Jesse adding, “This song is for anyone who’s had their work taken, erased, or exploited. ‘Fuck that’ isn’t just rebellion—it’s a declaration of self-worth.”

Listen to INVOICE below

More from Music

---

Editor Picks

---