She’s got a broken heart, a killer soundtrack and a reputation to maintain. Meet Niko Rubio, the pop provocateur turning romantic misfortune into her own personal espionage thriller.

There’s a sexy kind of freedom that arrives only after the clock strikes midnight. Clothes (may) come off, inhibitions follow, and, somewhere between the last drink and the first break of dawn, the people we present as in the cold light of day begin to slip away. For indie pop singer-songwriter Niko Rubio, that gap in between is fertile creative territory. On her debut album late night swim, heartbreak becomes a high-stakes game of seduction, revenge and subtle surveillance, soundtracked by the hazy pulse of reggae and the shadowy allure of trip-hop.

Think Ocean’s Eleven by way of a particularly bad situationship. Rubio’s alter ego is a spy girl whose party-girl cover allows her to move between lovers and targets, never quite revealing which is which. It’s a deliciously cinematic conceit, but beneath the smoke and mirrors lies a more familiar premonition: the indignity of loving the wrong person, and the slow business of finding yourself again. If revenge is best served cold, Rubio prefers hers with a killer outfit and an even more killer soundtrack.

The Mexican-Salvadoran-American has spent the past five years honing her instincts, writing for other artists – country legend Blake Shelton and Mexican rock band The Warning – while learning to trust her own voice. After an early EP failed to deliver the life-changing breakthrough she’d hoped for, a period of recalibration followed. Rather than retreat entirely, she took the time to articulate and finesse her taste, explore songwriting in Spanish and figuring out what she wanted to sound like. 

Among her guiding lights was Miss “Hollaback Girl”, pop icon Gwen Stefani, whose genre-hopping fearlessness and unique style helped Rubio understand that finding your voice isn’t synonymous with restriction or holding back. It took working alongside her idol to realise that artistic conviction is a test of commitment rather than instinct. 

Now, with her world mostly realised, Rubio is ready to take her show on the road. For now, she’ll start with California and one date reserved for Chicago, but Jamaica, Japan, London and Mexico City are all on the itinerary for hotposts she wants to take her music to; Tokyo, in particular, has become something of an obsession – enough to keep her dreaming of singing “tokyo” through the streets of Shibuya. 

But while that dream is yet to come to fruition, she takes a pit stop to speak with Wonderland about finding herself as an artist, the influences that inspired late night swim, and when she’s set to make her Tokyo landing.

What are you dreaming about currently?

I am currently dreaming about lying on the beach in Jamaica or having sushi and going shopping in Tokyo… 

What’s the best late-night swim you’ve ever had, and where was it?

Oh, the best late-night swim I ever had was after a long night out with my bestie Paloma and friends. We all went to our friend’s house, which has a fairy-garden backyard pool, and one girl took all her clothes off and jumped in, and we all skinny-dipped until 5 AM. We had the most magical time. We were so free. I woke up so hungover, but the beautiful memories stay forever. 

You started out writing behind the scenes before stepping into the spotlight yourself – what made you want to make that transition?

I have been releasing my own music and writing for other artists at the same time throughout my whole career. After my first EP didn’t change my life the way I thought it would, I kinda took a back seat and was like, maybe I’m just not a great writer yet. It took about three to four years to really grow my taste, write music in Spanish, and explore. I met amazing people, writers, and producers who went on to make my debut album with me. Ultimately, I learned you can’t rush the process. I never stopped making my own music and releasing it; I just started posting about it like an artist has to in this day and age. I didn’t before. I was too afraid to put myself out there and fail. 

Where were you when the idea for late night swim first came about?

The idea for late night swim came from being heartbroken alone at night and wanting my first album to be set in that world. When you get dumped, you sort of always have this broken sense of self and a desire for revenge. I felt like a heartbroken girl at parties, seeking revenge. Personally, I see revenge best served as success in myself. “Spy girl Niko” is my revenge personified. I love concept albums. My last EP, “Sunday Girl”, was a concept album.

The central character was a bad girl nun that sang at bars at night. The idea of becoming a different person at night stuck with me, and I didn’t want to leave it; I wanted to create a new world and new character for my next album. In late night swim, I’m a spy whose cover is being a party girl stoner. I throw these lavish parties and seek out my prey. Sometimes they’re my lovers, other times they’re just bad guys. In this project, one of my lovers is also my target. I ran with that idea throughout the album. It’s a metaphor for loving the wrong man – being stuck in a cycle of loving the wrong men. I made a mood board of my feelings before starting the album, so I knew how it looked and felt to be in this state of mind: stuck between love and revenge. 

What’s the perfect setting to listen to this record?

The perfect setting for listening to this record is alone in your room, but there are also party songs meant for big groups. It really depends on your mood. I wanted it to feel like you’re walking through the party, and there are times when you just want to go to your room for a second and cry because you see the man you love with another girl, so you take drugs to cope. 

late night swim feels like a sonic reverie – swirling, expansive, and, as you mention, psychedelic. What was the sensory experience of making this record like?

The sensory experience of making this record was very defined by being in love and being heartbroken. Those mixed emotions are almost out of body, psychedelic, and pure chaos. It’s gritty and grimy and sexy. 

Your music moves through so many different sounds and genres. How do you decide what belongs in the mix?

I love playing with genres. Genre bending is a defining part of my music. I think fans expect it from me at this point, which I love. They want something new; they want to explore as much as I do. In this world, I wanted to stay in reggae and bring in trip hop because trip hop is so amazing at making you feel vulnerable but still in control. I was pulled toward Portishead and Massive Attack after my breakup, and knew it was the right genre to blend because of its proximity to reggae. Trip hop derives from Jamaican dub and slow burns like reggae. They are sister genres. 

Is there a track on the record where you feel like everything – the sound, the story, the feeling – comes together most completely?

The record that feels like everything comes together might be “tokyo,” the opening track, or “all i want is you.” “tokyo” is fun and sexy and slinky, but “all i want is you” is when you’re broken down in your room. They’re polar opposites. 

What did making this record teach you about yourself as an artist?

Making this record taught me that I’m capable of making a project with a serious through line and succeeding to the best of my ability. It’s hard to make a concept album and stick to it. It has morphed many times, but being able to follow through and not change your mind is hard. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do that and not falter. 

While creating the record, what references – visual or musical – were you tapping into?

Creating this record, I was tapping into 90s and 2000s spy movies as my visual reference. James Bond and Ocean’s Eleven all had trip hop elements in their soundtracks. I wanted it to feel like those movies and that era of Hollywood. What would a female James Bond kill to? What would a female George Clooney walk through the casino to? 

Who or what first shaped your musical instincts?

Gwen Stefani and Shakira first shaped my musical instincts. They started making music as rock girls and transformed with each album. I was super inspired by Love. Angel. Music. Baby. as an Alice in Wonderland concept album of a girl finding herself as a pop star. I love a pop star who commits. 

You’ve been likened to Gwen Stefani, and you’ve worked alongside her as a co-writer. What has that relationship taught you about making music – and about finding your own voice?

Writing with Gwen taught me everything about making music. She’s so hard-working and so dedicated. When I would talk through my projects with her and tell her about how I wanted to make reggae, she was so supportive and kind. Having an idol that is actually a kind person who wants to see her baby counterparts win is such a boost of confidence when trying to find yourself. It pushed me to think and try harder and commit to my work and trust my instincts. She was 24 when she wrote “Just a Girl”. Knowing that made me feel like I had time to find myself when I thought my time had passed. 

Are there any other artists that you’re loving right now and would love to work with?

I am loving ADÉLA, Love Spells, and After right now. I also think there are so many artists making trip hop right now. I feel like 2027 is gonna be a big year for underground genre-bending trip hop and alternative music. I’d love to work with After or Kelela. They’re doing their own versions of trip hop that I think are super dope. I’d also love to work with a Japanese rapper for a “tokyo” remix, like Yuki Chiba. He’s so talented. I really think Tokyo is gonna be a big part of my life. Maybe I’ll make a spy movie in Tokyo. I also love the Gorillaz. I actually would not know what to do if Damon Albarn hit me up. That’s when I know I’ve made it. 

You’ve been an artist in your own right for about five years now. What do you want the next five to look like?

I want the next five years of my life to look like world tours and festivals all around the world, and making music in Jamaica, Japan, London, and Mexico City. I want to travel and play my songs all over the world. 

Will you ever perform “tokyo” through the streets of Shibuya? Asking for the fans x

I am trying my hardest to get to Tokyo. I hope I will be singing “tokyo” in the streets of Shibuya, partying with everyone soon!!!!! I need it biblically!!!

Words – Aswan Magumbe

Photography – Lea Garn