Filipino-American rapper Rubi Ibarra won the 2025 NPR Tiny Desk Contest.
Photo: Ruby Ibarra, NPR Music (Left) and @swipernoswiping (Right)/Instagram
According to a press release published by NPR, Ruby was crowned the winner for her entry “Bakunawa,” which bested nearly 7,500 independent artists from across the U.S.
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“The Bay Area artist captivated the judges with her striking originality, lyrical depth, and commanding presence,” NPR wrote.
Meanwhile, Bobby Carter, one of this year’s panels, said: “Ruby’s stunning Tiny Desk contest submission was the very first to be featured on our top shelf and the last one standing. ‘Bakunawa’ covers all the bases: beautifully arranged music, passion, and above all, authenticity. We’ve never seen or heard anything like Ruby Ibarra. She’s special and she’s ready. Give it up for our 2025 winner!”
In the same press release, the 34-year-old Fil-Am rapper shared that the song was created and recorded when she was pregnant with her first child.
“That time in my life led to a moment of clarity as I thought about how I wanted to step into motherhood: breaking the generational trauma, celebrating and accepting all parts of myself, and reclaiming my power, both old and new — all things that I want to pass onto my daughter through our private moments and through my music.”
After winning this year’s prestigious contest, she is set to perform an intimate concert in Washington, D.C. Other acclaimed performers scheduled to perform include Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii, Bad Bunny, and Usher, as well as previous Tiny Desk Contest winners.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, she thanked everyone for the overwhelming love and support that she has received following the news of her win.
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“Thank you all so much for the outpouring [of] support and love after the announcement of the @npr Tiny Desk Win! This past week has been beyond my wildest dreams, and we are so excited and honored to perform a Tiny Desk Concert very soon,” she wrote.
“THANK YOU! For all of the new fam here, I’m so grateful for your support & love. Thank you, @npr, for championing independent artists and celebrating songwriters. There were over 7K submissions this year, and there was SO much talent in that pool. This win is for all [of] us independent artists—let’s continue to make the art that we want!” she added.
Ruby Ibarra is a Filipino rapper based in the U.S., best known for her powerful lyrics about cultural heritage and her experiences as an immigrant. She is the rapper behind the rap song played at the end of the 202 documentary “A Thousand Cuts.”
Listen to her winning entry, “Bakunawa,” here:
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