Mikky Ekko (born John Stephen Sudduth) is an American singer-songwriter and record producer from Louisiana, signed to RCA Records. He is best known for featuring on Rihanna's 2013 single "Stay", which has charted in multiple countries worldwide, becoming Ekko's first-charting material. Born John Stephen Sudduth in Louisiana, Mikky Ekko had a nomadic childhood, moving around America's deep south with his preacher father. Having settled briefly in Tupelo, Mississippi and absorbed as much gospel as he could, he relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, and started playing in bands. Mikky Ekko began working as a songwriter for other artists, but realized that he wanted to be a singer himself. He released his first EP, "Strange Fruit" (produced by Tim Lauer) on February 15, 2009 containing the first songs he’d written by himself, most of them a capella. Ekko says of his location, Nashville, United States that he is "fortunate to be in a city that’s so loving and hospitable." From September 2009, he toured with the Nashville-based collective group, Ten Out of Tenn.