Nika Roza Danilova (born Nicole Rose Hummel; April 11, 1989), known professionally by her stage name Zola Jesus, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer.

[6][7] Born in Phoenix, Arizona, she spent her formative years in northern Wisconsin, where she began writing and recording music independently while attending college.

[20] Then followed Tsar Bomba EP (on Troubleman), New Amsterdam compilation on Sacred Bones and an untitled, limited-edition vinyl split with Burial Hex (Aurora Borealis).

[28] A collaboration with Amanda Brown of Pocahaunted, this EP presented "a dingy, lower-than-lo-fi sound and very little of what one would call traditional songwriting," according to Larry Fitzmaurice of Pitchfork.

[28] Danilova followed these three EPs with her second full-length album, Stridulum II, which was released in August 2010, one month after LA Vampires Meets Zola Jesus.

[30] In 2011, Danilova began composing her third full-length studio album, Conatus, which she co-produced with Brian Foote of Jackie-O Motherfucker and Cloudland Canyon.

[31] The album, released in September 2011 and named for the Latin word for "moving forward," featured less electronic components than Danilova's previous records, and included cello, double bass, violin, and viola.

[33] After having resided in Los Angeles for a period, Danilova found living in a large city was negatively impacting her ability to concentrate, and relocated to Vermont, followed by her native Wisconsin, before settling in Washington to begin completing her new record.

[40] Danilova has stated that she has been influenced by a number of singers and bands, including Ian Curtis,[18] Lydia Lunch,[18] Diamanda Galás, Throbbing Gristle, Swans,[41] Bauhaus[42] and Cristina.

[43] On her fourth album, Taiga, she mentioned mainstream pop artists such as Mariah Carey and Barbra Streisand as being influences on her vocal performance.

[34] Her style has been described variously as "commanded by ominous lyrics and a sultry Goth delivery,"[26] According to the NME, Zola Jesus "wails like Kate Bush" on a music sometimes evoking Joy Division.

[30] Q magazine noted her for her "haunting vocals and swirling, electronic atmospherics...  located midway between Florence Welch and Siouxsie and the Banshees.

[45] Numerous Zola Jesus music videos have been directed by Canadian-American director Jacqueline Castel, including "Vessel,"[46] "Seekir,"[47] "Night,"[48] "Nail,"[49] and "Exhumed.