After Writing Behind the Scenes, Niko Rubio Is Ready For the Spotlight

After five years writing songs for other artists, Niko Rubio is stepping into the spotlight with late night swim, an experimental album drawing on reggae, Latin music and trip hop. The record turns her own stories of heartbreak, drugs and finding her way back to herself into a cinematic world, shaped in part by a formative performance at the Hollywood Bowl.

Rubio’s single “tokyo”, which opens with a 30-second spoken passage she thought might put listeners off, became her biggest release after gaining traction on TikTok. The album centres on a character called Kitty and is due out on 30 October. Rubio’s musical influences reflect her Mexican and Salvadoran heritage and her upbringing in a diverse mix of Southern California communities.