NIKO RUBIO’S MUSIC IS TIMELESS ART
Niko Rubio not only takes her time creating timeless art that can be enjoyed for years to come, she uses the influnces of everything around her when crafting her unique sound. We sat down with Niko to learn about her journey in the music industry and what we can look forward to seeing from her next!
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
Talk to us about who you got started in music?
I got started in music at a very young age. My grandparents really supported my dreams, I think because they wanted a musician in the family. My grandpa was a charro and showed me Vicente Fernandez and my grandma loved Shakira and Paulina Rubio and definitely passed that gene onto me. By 11 years old, I was traveling for latin singing competition shows like EL Factor X and La Voz Kids with my grandma and realizing the dream could become a career. I started writing songs and putting out my own music when I was 16. I knew right away this was what I wanted to do and focused fully on building a life out of music.
Who are your musical heroes?
I’m super inspired by badass women. Gwen Stefani, Rihanna, Shakira, Julieta Venegas… women who do whatever they want and don’t fall into one genre. I felt so lucky when Gwen and I started writing together and she put out a couple songs we wrote. They say not to meet your heroes but I’m so glad I know her, she’s amazing and really helped me when I was confused about what I wanted to put out myself.
What is your philosophy on songwriting?
My philosophy on songwriting is to write from the heart and take the leap. Say the weird thing, write the weird song, and don’t be afraid of making mistakes. I have written an ungodly amount of bad songs. Be honest with yourself and what you want to say, try different things, read and journal a lot. The songs I love the most were never planned, I don’t even think I knew what they were about when I wrote them, but they felt right, sometimes the meaning of a song or lyric changes overtime and that’s beautiful too.
How is your creativity disrupting the world of latin music?
I think the world of Latin music is so beautifully creative and fundamentally disruptive. I wanted to find a way to connect my Southern California roots and my Mexican, Salvadorian roots in one project. I have such vivid memories of me sitting on the floor watching my mom do her makeup to Gwen and Nelly and then going to rodeos and watching my grandpa ride to Rancheras … I loved both worlds so equally, they’re both me. I was just trying to make something honest.
What advice would you give your 15 year old self?
I would tell my 15 year old self to stop trying to write a hit song and write from the heart. Be honest and vulnerable.
How has your sound evolved over the years?
My sound has dramatically evolved over the years. I’m such a writer, I can get a bit obsessive … I was so obsessed with pop writing, I loved the fundamental idea of a perfect chorus, I would obsess over 80’s pop songs and structure and would listen to top 10 radio songs in my bedroom over and over, trying to understand how a great song is written. I’ve made two bilingual projects so far, I had a whole project in English basically done but I scrapped it and started writing in Spanish bc I felt I wasn’t saying what I wanted to say in English and my grandpa wouldn’t stop asking for his ranchera album. I’m so happy I did it. Seeing my grandparents so happy makes me happy. I’ll never stop exploring. That’s the best part.
What is one lyric from your song that sums up you?
“La perdi
Llegaste a las 12 y me en lo que ci
Sabes que me pongo mal
cuando no puedo dormir”
Translation is
“I lost it, you got home at 12 and I flipped out, but you know I’m a brat when I don’t sleep”
Plain and simple, a princess needs her beauty sleep. Easiest lyric to write in my human history.
Who would be a fun collaboration for your sound?
I have so many ideas for fun collaborations for my project. I have so many influences on this project and I’m so lucky Cuco is on Sirena, he’s was a dream collab for me. I’d have to say Julieta Venegas, Rosalía, Bad Bunny, Sade, and Shakira are all on the top of my list.
Dream tour city ?
I’m lucky I’ve already played in my dream tour city and that’s Mexico City. My favorite shows have been in Mexico City, the energy is beyond and the people are true music lovers. I can’t wait to tour more of Mexico. Besides Mexico, a second dream city would be Tokyo, Japan. I’ve never been to Asia and I’m so excited to one day visit and play some songs.
What is next for you in 2024
2024 is full of releasing music and making art, creating a narrative both visually and sonically. I’m writing a lot, just making songs everyday, I can’t stop writing … I hope to be on tour by the end of the year or next …
I’m just excited to finally put this new music out. I feel like I’ve had these songs in my head my whole life. This mermaid photo series was taken 3 years ago… It’s crazy to think it took that long but I had a vision for the mermaid song and I refused to put these out before the right song was written. That’s the beauty of timeless art, it doesn’t matter when the world sees it there will always be a place for it and I was so lucky to collaborate with Julian and Liam.
Finding my voice musically was very hard, I take inspiration from so many different worlds that don’t really go together but they did in my head. lol. I feel like people are either going to be really confused at this next project or they’re gonna really get it. I hope it’s the latter …
I never expected to feel the way I felt making this album in Spanish. I was able to explore so many melodic and sonic choices that weren’t open to me in English. It’s very personal, honest and far more sensual and cheeky than I expected I’d be.
TEAM CREDITS:
Interview By Editor in Chief: Prince Chenoa Studio (@princechenoastudio)
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Photographer: Julian Buchan (@juliandbuchan)
Creative Direction & Set: Liam Moore (@liam.mooore)
Lighting Design: Taylor Russ (@danger.russ)
