Nikka's career began at a very young age under the wing of her father, acclaimed producer/arranger Don Costa. Surrounded by music legends such as Quincy Jones, Sly Stone and her godfather, Frank Sinatra, she was destined to make her mark in the music industry no matter the age. In 1981, she released her self-titled debut album featuring the single "Out Here On My Own" from the musical Fame. The record was a huge hit on the European charts, and her performance in front of tens of thousands of adoring fans in Italy is a must see.

With international success as a child star and high school behind her, Nikka started writing music leading her to develop her own voice and branching out to the world of soul, funk & rock. While residing in Australia with her husband, producer/songwriter Justin Stanley, she released her adult debut album Butterfly Rocket garnering an ARIA Award nomination for Best New Artist.

US labels were soon knocking on her door and three additional albums were released. Everybody Got Their Something (2001), produced by Justin Stanley & Mark Ronson, unleashed her talents on the global stage and earned her another Best New Artist nomination this time from MTV. She followed up with Can't Never Did Nothin' (2005) and Pebble to a Pearl (2008) all the while touring across the globe with acts such as Coldplay, Erykah Badu, Lenny Kravitz and Beck and collaborating with the likes of such diverse artists as Ben Harper & Prince.