Nikka Costa

Nikka Costa grew up surrounded by music and musicians. Her father, legendary producer Don Costa, made sure the house was filled with music, and since his production studio was just down the hallway, it was, by default, filled with musicians. Some of Costa's earliest memories are of being woken up at night by Sly Stone's piano playing, or being dragged out of bed to sing for this person or that. By the time Nikka was eight, she had her first hit, "Out Here On My Own," which she recorded with her father. And although she now refers to that song as "a chipmunk singing torch songs with my father," the experience certainly gave her the first taste of success. The teenage years proved troublesome for Costa, who spent a great deal of time singing songs she thought she should be singing, rather than ones she wanted to sing. So she stepped back from music for a while, and eventually started writing and experimenting with music that wholly represented her. In 2001, Costa's Everybody Got Their Something was released to critical praise, with comparisons to Prince and words such as "diva" being lavished upon her. In May 2005, Costa's sophomore album, can'tneverdidnothin', also found its way into the hearts of fans and critics worldwide. A sure-footed, soulful release, can'tneverdidnothin' immediately charmed with its solid, sexy groove and Costa's amazingly powerful voice.