Niko Rubio

Akin to the ebb and flow of a Venice Beach wave at sunset, Niko Rubio wades through styles, vibes, and emotions.

As if rising out of the ocean, her swell of inspiration crests by absorbing everything from traditional Mexican Ranchera music to nineties alternative rock and 21st century indie pop, reaching shore, and leaving a hypnotic hybrid in its wake. A cornerstone of traditional Mexican music, Ranchera originated in the rural heartlands of Mexico and is characterized by its theatrical vocals and emotive lyricism. Both a proud Mexican-Salvadorian-American woman and a Los Angeles native, Rubio weaves these elements into the fabric of her music, as her heritage and hometown are fundamental components of her artistry.

After earning widespread acclaim and organically building an audience, Niko knows who her people are, and she feeds them with her 2025 Ring Ring EP [Atlantic Records] and much more to come.

"I want young girls to feel seen in the same way I felt seen by the artists I loved," she exclaims. "My sonic palette is different. My music is for the Latina girls who love Gwen Stefani, Foster the People, and Julieta Venegas, heard all of the classic Latin artists at a quinceañera, and went back to school where everybody was listening to Lana Del Rey. I know that girl exists. That girl is like, 'When is some bitch going to make something weird for me?' I'm finally here for you," she laughs.

Growing up around L.A., Niko grabbed a hold of music and never let go. Beyond obsessing over the likes of Sublime, No Doubt, and Lily Allen, she absorbed a passion for old-school Mexican stylings thanks to her grandparents. Following an independent grind, she posted up millions of streams on 2021's Wish You Were Here EP. People appropriately christened her "California girl meets Latina queen." Along the way, she graced the stages of festivals such as Lollapalooza and BottleRock in addition to supporting Omar Apollo on tour. She further honed a genre-breaking, yet culture-integrating vision with her 2023 EP, Un Millón de Besos. As a sought-after songwriter, she has notably penned songs for the likes of Anuel AA, The Warning, and Gwen Stefani, with whom she collaborated on "True Babe" and "Purple Irises" [with Blake Shelton]. Coming full circle in 2024, she paid homage to her grandmother and grandfather on the Mar y Tierra EP. It marked her first full Spanish-language effort — produced by GRAMMY Award-winner Lester Mendez and co-written with Maria Vertiz, Cuco, and León Leiden. Among many highlights, "Sirena" [feat. Cuco] amassed 1.4 million Spotify streams and counting.

Ring Ring sees her continue the collaboration with Lester as she celebrates her heritage. "I've been trying to make this project for my whole life," she notes. "It's part of my puzzle musically. It's the mesh of everything I was raised on and what I'm passionate about. I proved to myself I could do it, and I'm sharing it with the world."

Now, the lead single and title track "Ring Ring" lives up to her ambition to "combine being a Southern California-raised Pisces bitch and my family's Mexican heritage." Powered by live instrumentation, the track revolves around boisterous horns, a laidback reggae guitar groove, and her sun-kissed jazz-y cadence. On the chorus, it slips into an intoxicating chant.

"It's the first song I wrote in Spanish in Mexico City," she recalls. "While I was there, I got a call from a fake number. The guy claimed he was from American Express, and he was threatening me. I was playing with him like, 'Oh yeah, you're going to come get me?' He got really mad, though. So, I was like, 'Fuck this guy. He's just some scammer.' The song sounds like it's about an ex, but it's about a spam caller. To me, it's a cooler concept."

Elsewhere, she leans into the soft sway of "Baby." Her vocals melt into the tropical percussion, evoking tender emotion through a tearful exhale on the hook.

"The theme is sad," she admits. "It's about being in a relationship with someone who doesn't fucking speak. I love my ex-boyfriend, and he'll hear this eventually. There are certain relationships where you really want to make the other person into someone they're not. You can't change anyone, though. I wanted to be told I was loved all the time. He wasn't going to do that. It's a cheeky plea, 'Baby, why are you so quiet? Just tell me you love me.' It's painful, but it's kind of funny."

She picks up the pace on "No Lo Volvere a Hacer." Bright keys pulsate above an upbeat ska groove fueled by electric guitar.

"It's about being a fuckhead 23-year-old girl," she grins. "The first verse is basically like, 'I wish I was the girl who woke up early, but I can't seem to get up.' At the same time, the feeling is, 'Don't tell me what to do, because if you do, I won't do it. I already know what to do.' Sometimes, I'm going to make the wrong decision, and that's okay."

Then, there's "Quisiera Saber." The ballad's Spanish guitar matches the highs and lows of her vocals as she untangles the complexities of a relationship.

"It's the saddest song on the EP," she adds. "It says, 'I wish I knew how to help you and take away all the pain, if you would let me.' I tried to be as vulnerable as possible for this project."

Ultimately, you're getting exactly who she is without a filter in the music.

"I think you can sit by the beach in your car and listen to this in passing because it feels good," she leaves off. "It's introspective, but it's also fun. That's what I always want. At this point, I know what's me and what isn't. This is definitely me."

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BOILER

Akin to the ebb and flow of a Venice Beach wave at sunset, Niko Rubio wades through styles, vibes, and emotions. As if rising out of the ocean, her swell of inspiration crests by absorbing everything from traditional Mexican Ranchera music to nineties alternative rock and 21st century indie pop, reaching shore, and leaving a hypnotic hybrid in its wake. In her words, she makes music "for the Latina girls who love Gwen Stefani, Foster the People, and Julieta Venegas, heard all of the classic Latin artists at a quinceañera, and went back to school where everybody was listening to Lana Del Rey." Following an independent grind, the Mexican-Salvadorian-American singer and songwriter posted up millions of streams on 2021's Wish You Were Here EP. People appropriately christened her "California girl meets Latina queen." Along the way, she graced the stages of festivals such as Lollapalooza and BottleRock in addition to supporting Omar Apollo on tour. She further honed a genre-breaking, yet culture-integrating vision with her 2023 EP, Un Millón de Besos. A sought-after songwriter, she has notably penned songs for the likes of Anuel AA, The Warning, and Gwen Stefani, with whom she collaborated on "True Babe" and "Purple Irises" [with Blake Shelton]. Coming full circle in 2024, she paid homage to her grandmother and grandfather on Mar y Tierra EP. It marked her first full Spanish-language effort — produced by GRAMMY Award-winner Lester Mendez and co-written with Maria Vertiz, Cuco, and León Leiden. Among many highlights, "Sirena" [feat. Cuco] amassed 1.4 million Spotify streams. After organically building an audience, Niko knows who her people are, and she feeds them with her 2025 Ring Ring EP [Atlantic Records] and much more to come.