credit Pia Riverola
EXECUTIVELY PRODUCED BY GRAMMY-AWARD WINNER LESTER MENDEZ
THE RISING SINGER-SONGWRITER’S FIRST FULL SPANISH EFFORT HONORS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
“Executive-produced by Méndez, the production mastermind behind Shakira’s Fijación Oral, Vol. 1, the EP Mar y Tierra hears Rubio sing completely in Spanish, marrying modern pop sounds with the influence of Mexican music — mariachi, boleros, rancheras, rock en español.” – ROLLING STONE
“Niko Rubio not only takes her time creating timeless art that can be enjoyed for years to come, she uses the influences of everything around her when crafting her unique sound.” – GALORE
Rising Latin singer-songwriter Niko Rubio releases Mar y Tierra, her first full Spanish-language effort produced by Grammy-award winner Lester Mendez (Shakira), and co-written with Maria Vertiz, Cuco and León Leiden.
After using the Pacific Coast Highway and her California upbringing as inspiration, Niko decided it was time to bring her Mexican heritage to the forefront. Described simply as ‘ranchero-chic’, Mar y Tierra, blends together traditional Mexican instrumentation with Niko’s signature songwriting and carefully curated visuals from a remarkable team of Latina creatives.
The Sugar Ray-inspired opener, “Besito” (‘Little Kiss’) written alongside Maria Vertiz, depicts a girl struggling to express her frustration without taking it out on her partner. “She truly believes that a kiss will make everything better, when in reality they should probably break up,” (Niko Rubio). Watch the charming official video for “Besito” here.
“Sirena” (‘The Mermaid’) explores the dynamic between a mermaid and a sailor she lures into her spell. The song was recorded with live instrumentation, which Niko attributes to her heritage, “That’s the beauty of rancheras and mariachi, you need to have that raw live energy in the song to make it feel orchestral… and romantic, and Mexican.” The lustful song is accompanied by an official music video featuring Cuco – watch here.
“30 Mil Pies” (‘30 Thousand Feet’) was inspired by the messy themes of classic Mexican songs, “there are all these great songs about being crazy, and cheating, and being drunk and in love, and I thought, ‘wouldn’t it be awesome to do this from a female perspective?” Niko explains. “It’s about taking ownership of my own desire and sexuality in a genre that’s mostly men doing the same thing.” The track is accentuated by a surf rock guitar that ties back to Niko’s Californian roots.
The surprisingly lush closer “Feliz Por Conocerte” (‘Happy To Know You’), delves into the end of a romantic relationship and all the conflicting emotions that come with it. “Triste porque te vas pero feliz por conocerte,” shesings over Gwen Stefani-approved ska drums and a breezy accordion reminiscent of Julieta Venegas. Little odes like that can be found all over the EP, calling back to the women that came before her.
NIKO RUBIO
MAR Y TIERRA TRACKLIST
Besito
Sirena (feat. Cuco)
Feliz Por Concerte
30 Mil Pies
“I’ve had these songs in my head for what feels like my whole life. I started singing because my grandparents pushed me into it, almost like they were living the dream of being singers through me. I’ve never felt like my music was just mine, I’m just a lucky vessel for a dream that has been growing in me for generations. My mom was a single mom at 19 and my grandparents were a saving grace. Grandpa played Vicente Fernandez and old rancheras picking me up from school when my mother was waitressing and he would beg me to learn them. I hesitated but I obliged. little did I know, my taste would catch up to his later in life, after a terrible break up, Vicente cured my heartbreak. This EP is a thank you to them for supporting my dream, no matter how crazy it seems.”
– NIKO RUBIO ON MAR Y TIERRA
ABOUT NIKO RUBIO
In her third EP, Mar y Tierra, Mexican-Salvadorian-American artist Niko Rubio deeply explores her heritage while maintaining the influence of her California upbringing. Her first full Spanish-language effort, produced by Grammy Award-winner Lester Mendez and co-written with Maria Vertiz, Cuco, and León Leiden, merges traditional Mexican instrumentation with Niko’s distinctive songwriting style. Dedicated to her grandparents, who have been her constant champions, the EP features singles “Besito” and “Sirena,” which reflect her personal journey and storytelling prowess. Mar y Tierra is about the struggle between the dreamer and the realist, the land and the sea, the real Niko and the character she portrays through her art. Described simply as ‘ranchero-chic’, the EP blends together traditional Mexican instrumentation with Niko’s signature songwriting and carefully curated visuals from a remarkable team of Latina creatives.
Writing has always been an integral part of Niko’s journey as she has written songs for multiple artists, including Anuel AA and The Warning. Most notably, she wrote alongside Gwen Stefani to help pen her latest singles, “True Babe” and “Purple Irises” (with Blake Shelton).
Niko conjured the endless promise of the Pacific Coast Highway on her breakthrough 2021 debut Wish You Were Here EP. Anchored by highlights such as “Saving Me,” “Bed,” and “You Could Be The One,” the project tallied millions of streams and garnered critical acclaim. People appropriately christened her “California girl meets Latina queen,” while Rolling Stone pegged her as one of the “10 Latin Acts Set to Make It Big in 2023.” Along the way, she graced the stages of festivals such as Lollapalooza and BottleRock in addition to supporting Omar Apollo on tour. Inspired to embrace who she is, Niko honed a genre-breaking, yet culture-integrating vision with her 2023 EP, Un Millón de Besos. In 2024, she fully steps into her own with her third EP, Mar y Tierra.
CONNECT WITH NIKO RUBIO:
