Nikka Costa (born Domenica Costa on June 4, 1972, in Tokyo, Japan) is an American singer and songwriter whose music draws from pop, soul, funk, blues, rock, and contemporary R&B. The daughter of arranger and producer Don Costa, she entered the music business as a child but later developed a distinct identity as a forceful, groove-oriented performer with a preference for organic musicianship and retro-soul textures.
Costa made her first recorded appearance at the age of five, singing on a Christmas single by Hawaiian entertainer Don Ho. Her breakthrough came in 1981 with "(Out Here) On My Own," a song written by Lesley Gore and Michael Gore for the film *Fame*. Produced and arranged by her father, Costa's version became a major success in several European countries, reaching No. 1 in Italy and placing in the charts in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Belgium. Her self-titled debut album followed that year, although it was released primarily in Europe and South America rather than the United States.
Her early career also included a performance with Frank Sinatra at a White House ceremony and appearances in South America, where she built a substantial audience. She followed her debut with *Fairy Tales (Cuentos de Hadas)* in 1983. The death of Don Costa soon afterward marked an important personal and professional turning point. After a period away from recording, she returned in 1989 with *Here I Am... Yes, It's Me*, an album that continued her pop career and included the single "Don't Cry," a duet with French actor and singer Pierre Cosso.
During the 1990s, Costa moved away from child-pop conventions and toward soul, funk, and blues. She relocated to Australia, where she worked with bands including Little Mona & the Shag Daddies and Sugarbone before resuming her solo career. Her 1996 album *Butterfly Rocket* established her as a mature songwriter and performer in the Australian market. The record reached the Australian Top 20 and earned her ARIA Award nominations, including recognition for breakthrough artist and best female artist.
Costa's international profile expanded with *Everybody Got Their Something*, released by Virgin Records in 2001. The album combined classic soul influences with modern production and hip-hop-informed rhythms. Its title track, "Push & Pull," and especially "Like a Feather" introduced Costa to a wider American audience. "Like a Feather" gained additional exposure through a Tommy Hilfiger advertising campaign and its stylish music video, while "Push & Pull" appeared on the soundtrack to the film *Blow*. Costa supported the album as an opening act on Britney Spears' 2002 Dream Within a Dream Tour.
She continued refining her blend of gritty vocals, funk arrangements, and pop accessibility on *Can'tneverdidnothin'* (2005), which featured contributions from Lenny Kravitz, Questlove, and Jon Brion. *Pebble to a Pearl* followed in 2008 after Costa signed with Stax Records. The album produced the single "Stuck to You," while "Ching Ching Ching" showed her willingness to experiment with electro-pop. In addition to her own work, Costa co-wrote "Diamonds Made from Rain" for Eric Clapton's 2010 album *Clapton*.
After the EP *Pro Whoa!* in 2011, Costa returned in 2017 with *Nikka & Strings: Underneath and in Between*, a collection of rock and pop standards reinterpreted with string arrangements. Her later work culminated in *Dirty Disco*, released in 2024. The album returned her to original dance-oriented material, emphasizing sensual funk, electronic production, and the theatrical energy that has defined her work across four decades.
