Xenia Rubinos

Xenia Rubinos draws from an array of sounds encompassing R&B, jazz, and hip-hop, shaping her distinctive approach through vocals that echo the expressive depth of Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. Her first full-length effort, Magic Trix from 2013, wove together indie rock with elements of jazz, hip-hop, funk, Caribbean rhythms, and electronic textures in a creative manner. On her subsequent release, the 2021 album Una Rosa, she pushed further with vibrant, politically charged material.

Born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut to parents of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent, Rubinos performs in English as well as Spanish. Although her mother and father lacked musical training, their enthusiasm for music led them to support her vocal development and piano lessons beginning at four years old. She began capturing her performances on a karaoke machine by the time she turned eight, compiling songs into mixtapes. A scholarship allowed her to attend Berklee College of Music, where she pursued structured vocal training.

An instructor's remark likening one of her horn arrangements to the work of Charles Mingus prompted her to explore his discography, ultimately redirecting her efforts toward composing. After completing her studies and relocating to Brooklyn, she handled vocals and keyboard duties on her initial album, which featured drumming from Marco Buccelli, a prior classmate from Berklee, along with bassist Adam Minkoff. Magic Trix came out independently in 2012 before receiving a formal issue from Ba Da Bing Records the following year. This led to extensive touring across the United States and Europe, both leading her own shows and opening for groups like Battles, Deerhoof, and CocoRosie.

Buccelli returned as producer for the 2016 follow-up Black Terry Cat on Anti-, where Rubinos also contributed bass on select tracks. While developing songs for her next project, she created a Spanish rendition of the Clash track "Should I Stay or Should I Go" for the 2018 film I'm Leaving Now (Ya Me Voy), which Anti- issued as a single in 2019. Una Rosa emerged on the same label in 2021. Once more collaborating with Buccelli, the record heightened its focus on electronics, rumba, and Spanish lyrics, embracing a freer recording process.