For the past 11 years, America’s New Public Radio [NPR] has held an annual contest for independent artists to be featured on their wildly popular Tiny Desk Concert. After 7,500 entries, the most in its history, one winner was declared - Ruby Ibarra.

Ruby has been on LiFTED’s radar since the East Bay rapper of Filipino descent put out ‘Bakunawa’ last year, which is an emotional telling of her journey into motherhood. ‘Bakunawa’ was what won her the chance to shine on Tiny Desk Concert as well.

In ‘Bakunawa,’ Ruby compares herself to an old Filipino tale about a dragon who swallows the moon and is banished. She wrote the song when she was pregnant and has said she could already feel her unborn daughter in the room with her. She was also surrounded by an all-female band, which helped empower her. Finally, she wrote the song intentionally in three languages - English, Tagalog, and Bisaya - so people could understand where she came from in Cebu, Philippines.

Within the next few months, Ruby and her band will go on to record her Tiny Desk Concert, and she will stand next to many of the great artists who have made it such a popular series.

Check out Ruby Ibarra’s ‘Bakunawa’ below.