Domenica "Nikka" Costa (born June 4, 1972) is an American singer whose music combines elements of pop, soul, and blues.
She was musically-inspired from childhood, often surrounded by famous and talented artists as she traveled the world with her father, the well-known producer and musician Don Costa.
In early 1981, two Italian producers, Danny B. Besquet and Tony Renis, were working with her father on his album Don Costa Plays the Beatles [it] when they were inspired to record an album featuring Nikka's vocals, with her father accompanying on guitar.
After graduating from high school, Costa decided to move away from pop music and towards R&B, funk and soul, being especially influenced by Motown artists.
She married Australian producer/songwriter Justin Stanley and moved to his home country; the couple would eventually have a daughter named Sugar McQueen.
While in Australia, Costa began writing songs and formed a "happy funk" band called Little Mona & the Shag Daddies, which broke up after four gigs in Sydney.
In 2006, she and her husband Justin Stanley recorded and performed the theme to the short-lived CBS sitcom Courting Alex starring Jenna Elfman.
Costa was a guest singer on Mark Ronson (who has produced several of her songs)’s album Here Comes the Fuzz.
Her song "Push & Pull" (from the album Everybody Got Their Something) was included on the soundtrack of the 2001 movie Blow, starring Johnny Depp.
Her song "Stuck To You" (from the album Pebble to a Pearl) appeared in an episode of Grey's Anatomy (season five) and in The Peanuts Movie.
The album Nikka & Strings: Underneath and in Between, consisting of covers of rock standards, was released on 2 June 2017.