Niko Rubio And Zuri Marley Team For New Version Of 'Ring Ring'
by antiMusic
Video snapshot
(Atlantic) Acclaimed Mexican/Salvadoran-American singer-songwriter Niko Rubio has united with rising artist Zuri Marley for "Ring Ring (with ZURI)," a brand new spin on her intoxicating single, "Ring Ring."
The new song is available now via Atlantic Records and is also joined by an official video available on YouTube. Rubio first teamed with Marley - the daughter of Ziggy Marley and granddaughter of Bob Marley - to perform the rendition earlier this summer at a sold-out hometown headline show at Los Angeles, CA's Moroccan Lounge, while celebrating the release of her recent acclaimed EP, Ring Ring.
"Turns out my dad's drummer played on it [the original 'Ring Ring'], and he's an iconic reggae drummer," says Zuri Marley. "His name is Santa, and I was just like, oh that's fire, and then Niko was like, 'we should do a remix.' I don't really make a lot of reggae but when I heard this, I was like, it's the perfect way to try it."
Produced by GRAMMY Award-winner Lester Mendez (Shakira, Santana, Nelly Furtado), Rubio's Ring Ring EP includes the original version of the sultry title track, "Ring Ring," joined by an official music video - directed by Los Angeles-based filmmaker William Bonnell and award-winning British fine artist Lucia Farrow - HERE. Co-written by Rubio, Mike Rincon, and Julian Bernal (Kali Uchis, Sebastian Yatra), "Ring Ring" fast proved a fan favorite thanks to its boisterous horns, a laidback reggae guitar groove, and Rubio's sun-kissed jazzy cadence. The single was heralded by a series of hugely popular teases across social media, in part prompting a rapid rise in followers and weekly streaming totals in the weeks that followed.
Ring Ring - which also includes the tender, Spanish guitar-inflected ballad, "Quisiera Saber," - was further highlighted by outlets including the Los Angeles Times and tmrw magazine, the latter of which raved in a recent feature, "Written between Los Angeles and Mexico City, Ring Ring is more than just an EP - it's a declaration of identity. 'Sirena Latina baddie' is how Niko describes its core energy, and it fits. The songs drift between dreamy alt-pop, mariachi roots, and nostalgic R&B, but always feel distinctly her."
"Sonically inspired by the California beaches and trips to Mexico City, my second Spanish EP Ring Ring might be my favorite project I've ever made," Rubio says. "I wanted to be really honest and real, but I try not to take myself too seriously. There's a song you can dance to, one you can cry to, one you can sing along to, and one that'll make u wanna do it all simultaneously (let me know if you know which one I'm talking about when you hear it).... If you choose to listen to this EP the old-fashioned way, then you'll have to find a body of water, grab a margarita, and your closest friends. Also, don't forget to wear sunscreen!!"
