Nikka Costa facts for kids

Domenica "Nikka" Costa (born June 4, 1972) is an American singer. Her music mixes different styles like pop, soul, and blues. Nikka started her singing career when she was very young, in the early 1980s. She is the daughter of a famous music producer, Don Costa.

Nikka Costa's Early Life and Career

Nikka Costa was born in Tokyo, Japan. Her parents were Italian-American. She grew up surrounded by music and famous artists. This was because she traveled the world with her father, Don Costa. He was a well-known music producer and musician.

When Nikka was five years old, she recorded a song with a Hawaiian singer named Don Ho. In 1981, two Italian producers wanted to record an album with Nikka singing. Her father played guitar on the album. This album was very popular in Europe. Nikka became famous as a child star. When she was nine, she even sang with Frank Sinatra at the White House.

In 1981, Nikka's singing career really took off. She recorded the song "(Out Here) On My Own" from the movie Fame. Her father, Don Costa, was featured on the song. This song did very well in many countries. It reached number 1 in Italy. Her first album, Nikka Costa, was released outside the U.S. in 1981. After that, Nikka toured all over the world. Her second album, Fairy Tales, came out in 1983. Sadly, her father passed away shortly after this album was recorded. Another pop album, Here I Am... Yes, It's Me, was released in 1989.

After finishing high school, Nikka decided to change her music style. She moved away from pop music. She started focusing on R&B, funk, and soul. She was especially inspired by artists from Motown.

Nikka Costa's Adult Music Career

In the early 1990s, Nikka Costa was already an experienced musician. She changed her style from pop music to a more grown-up soul sound. She married an Australian producer and songwriter named Justin Stanley. They moved to Australia. The couple later had a daughter named Sugar McQueen. While in Australia, Nikka started writing new songs. She formed a band called Little Mona & the Shag Daddies. It was a "happy funk" band.

When Nikka was 22, she started another band called Sugarbone. They toured Australia in 1994. Nikka said it was a bit scary to show her new music, but people liked it. This helped her feel more confident. After touring with Sugarbone, she signed with Mushroom Records in Australia. In 1996, she released the album Butterfly Rocket. This album earned her nominations for the ARIA Music Award. She was nominated for "Breakthrough Artist" in 1996 and "Best Female Artist" in 1997.

In 2000, Nikka Costa's song "Like a Feather" was used in a Tommy Hilfiger TV ad. This helped her become more known in the U.S. music industry. Her album Everybody Got Their Something was released in 2001. It reached No. 120 on the Billboard 200 charts. The main song and "Like a Feather" became popular on the radio. In 2002, Nikka opened shows for Britney Spears on her "Dream Within a Dream Tour" in the U.S. and Canada.

In 2005, Nikka released the album can'tneverdidnothin'. She also toured with Lenny Kravitz, who played on her record. In 2006, she and her husband Justin Stanley recorded the theme song for a TV show called Courting Alex.

Nikka Costa has also been a guest singer on other artists' albums. She sang on Mark Ronson's album Here Comes the Fuzz. Mark Ronson has produced many of her songs. Her song "Push & Pull" was on the soundtrack for the 2001 movie Blow, starring Johnny Depp. The song "Everybody Got Their Something" was used in the 2009 movie All About Steve. Her song "Stuck To You" appeared in an episode of Grey's Anatomy and in The Peanuts Movie.

Nikka Costa is currently signed with Stax Records. She released the album Pebble to a Pearl in 2008. In 2010, she released the song "Ching Ching Ching" in Europe. This song was different because it was more electro-pop instead of soul/funk. It was her first song to chart in Germany since 1981. A new EP (which is like a mini-album) called Pro Whoa came out in 2011. Nikka also helped write the song "Diamonds Made from Rain" for Eric Clapton's 2010 album Clapton. Her album Nikka & Strings: Underneath and in Between, which features covers of rock songs, was released in 2017.

Nikka Costa's Albums

• Nikka Costa (1981)
• Fairy Tales (1983)
• Here I Am... Yes, It's Me (1989)
• Butterfly Rocket (1996)
• Everybody Got Their Something (2001)
• Can'tneverdidnothin' (2005)
• Pebble to a Pearl (2008)
• Nikka & Strings, Underneath and in Between (2017)
• Dirty Disco (2024)

Awards and Nominations for Nikka Costa

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards show in Australia. It started in 1987.

See also

In Spanish: Nikka Costa para niños