Nikka Costa: Stick To Your Guns

As we all know, the music industry can be a thankless, and heartless machine. For Nikka Costa, it's a machine she was ready to say goodbye to after numerous record execs tried to change her image as well as her sound.  Rather than giving in, Nikka went the totally independent route when creating her latest LP, Pebble To A Pearl, a record that she will release with the famed soul label, Stax Records, next week.  The history and integrity of Stax was a major factor in Nikka's signing, as well as the fact that they did not ask her to sound more like any other pop stars. 

"In the past I’ve heard, ‘oh, you’re so amazing, but god, if you’d only work with this guy or that guy we could really change you to sound more like Christina Aguilera.  Then we could really do something!’"  Nikka told us during a recent phone interview.  But Christina Aguilera aside, the music industry as a whole has begun to show a warmer shoulder toward a brand of music that Nikka has been creating for years.  The current atmosphere of the music industry, her feelings of freedom after leaving Virgin Records, and her pride in the new record has given Nikka new feelings of excitement.  

"I was just so happy to come out with that feeling and be excited about being able to make music again," she said.  RH is excited about her excitement, and we caught with Nikka to talk about the new LP, her new feelings of excitement, as well as the start of her nationwide tour.  Check out the full interview below.

RubyHornet: Before we dig into some of the tracks from your new album, Pebble To A Pearl,  I read on your website that this is an album that you are really proud of.  I’d love to know how your feelings after completing this record compared to feelings you’ve had after previous albums.  

Nikka Costa: Well, this record I was able to do without a label.  We did it all on our own dime, so there was a real liberated freedom to making it.  I just want to make a record that I like, that I’m excited about, that feels good and flows.  There were no obstacles to overcome creatively, it just flowed out.  In that way, I feel I was free to express myself exactly how I wanted without having anybody tell me that it wasn’t going to get on the radio or whatever, and that was really exciting.  We ended up signing with Stax after the record was done, and they were excited to have it just as it was.  They didn’t want to change anything, and that was a nice breath of fresh air.

RubyHornet:  That was one of the things I was going to ask you, if you finished the record before signing with Stax, which you just said you did.  The sound of the new record really fits in with Stax as a label, and their history.  Did that history play a role in you deciding to go with them?  What was the deciding factor there?

Nikka Costa:  They were super excited about the record.  That was a big deal, because in the past I’ve heard, ‘oh, you’re so amazing, but god, if you’d only work with this guy or that guy we could really change you to sound more like Christina Aguilera, then we could really do something!’  So, they really just wanted it as it’s own thing, which was huge.  And they really want to uphold the integrity of the historic artists that Stax is known for.  That was really important to me.  I believe them.  They’re not just some company that wants to piss out anything that comes their way.  They have a history to live up to.

RubyHornet:  The album cover, or at least the advance cover, shows you in the studio alone working. I know that this recording process gave you much more freedom.  Do you want this to be taken as the first album that is really all you?

Nikka Costa:  Ummm, I’m happy for people to take it however they want.  If somebody hears this record for the first time and hears of me for the first time through this record, I hope they would want to go and search my back catalog and discover as you do. When you find a new artist you’re like, ‘Oh, what else do they got?’  For the fans that I already have, I hope they dig the vibe that I’m on, the journey that I’m on.  I don’t think it’s that far from what I’ve done in the past really.  The influences are pretty much the same.  I think it makes sense.  I just want people to like it, and I hope they dig it.  I just hope they can hear it first of all, hahaha…I have records that no one’s ever heard too, hahaha…

RubyHornet:  Overall, a couple themes continued to present themselves on the album.   The album seems to be infused with a couple different themes of dealing with the pain of something not working out how you want, either a relationship or another field, then getting over it, how you get over it, and then coming up stronger.  What were you drawing from when writing the record? Am I correct in those themes carrying throughout the album?

Nikka Costa:  Yeah!  I’ve always kind of written about going with your truth and sticking to your guns.  It just so happens that my life is playing itself out where I’ve been tested in that way, so I continue to write about it cause I continue to try to stay true to myself in that way.  Yeah.  It’s definitely about overcoming and sticking with your guns and perseverance, especially having been freed from the label, that was a big influence on that feeling.

RubyHornet:  If possible, I’d like now talk about some tracks starting with “Someone For Everyone”. You say, ‘there’s got to be more than just getting through the day, but I don’t want to settle just to numb the pain away, I’m holding out for everything the obvious and in between.’  That line struck me because it can be applied to relationships, music, even trying to get a regular job. It seems to me that realizing it’s better not to settle is hard, yet almost necessary for someone to go from a pebble to a pearl. Do you agree?

Nikka Costa:  Everyone has their moments of compromise and decisions or forks in the road that they’re faced with.  Hopefully whatever decision you make will start to define who you are and carve out your life.  For me, settling doesn’t make me happy.  For me, I tend to choose what makes me happy.  For other people, maybe they feel like the compromise defines them a little bit more, and they’re cool with that.  It’s up to the individual how it makes them feel.  I think it can be applied to your work, or relationships, or anything.  And obviously there’s compromise in everything, otherwise, you may as well be a hermit up in the mountains.

RubyHornet:  On “Cry Baby” you say ‘time’s a b***h and now it’s turned my heart to stone.”  I’m wondering if doing this record gave you a boost, or in someway restored some of your positive feelings for being an artist, or gave you more faith in the music industry?

Nikka Costa:  I didn’t necessarily have any more faith in the music industry, but I liked having the opportunity to still make records and knowing that while we were making this record that someway somehow-I wasn’t signed so I didn’t know how we were going to get it out-but I knew there were fans out there who wanted to hear something.  That was hopeful.  I was really more so excited to be excited about music again.  After the last couple of years at Virgin, I was really almost just done.  It was so exhausting and I had to fight so hard, and I don’t feel like they held up their end of the bargain.  It can be very soul destroying when you put everything into a record and they’re like, ‘eh, do another one.’  Just because they changed presidents or hands or whatever.  It’s like, ‘but I just bled for you and now you want me to do another one, as if it’s just that easy.’  It can really wear you down, so I was just so happy to come out with that feeling and be excited about being able to make music again.  That’s important.

RubyHornet:  That leads me into the song “Can’t Please Everybody”...When you didn’t have to worry about pleasing record execs and other, what was the process like in making a song and pleasing yourself?  When do you know, ‘ok, I’ve got this song.  I feel good about it.’

Nikka Costa:  When it sits good in my stomach.  When I sing it back to myself and I say, ‘Ok.  Do I feel like a dork at any point, or do I feel like I’m being too preachy?’  If something just doesn’t sit right or if I feel like I’m saying what I want to say but it’s a bit boring or average, I’ll try to be a bit more poetic or metaphoric, or whatever it is. It’s just got to sit right.  It’s a gut feeling really.

RubyHornet:  Lastly, I read an interview with you back in 2002 in which you were talking about Madonna and how she paved the way for female artists.  Since that time, you’ve continued making music and built a solid and long career.  Do you feel that you’ve contributed to that road, and in terms of being a veteran female artist in the industry, has it gotten easier since that time?

Nikka Costa:  Well, has it gotten easier for me?  I don’t know.  I think it’s hard to say.  I think there’s been a good explosion as far as the kind of music that I’ve been doing for years and years and years.  There’s been an opening in the conscious of audiences and industry, they’re more open to it, so in that way it may be easier.  All I’ve just been doing for however many years is just persevering and creating my body of work, and that’s all I can do.  I have no control in how it’s received, I can only just keep doing my thing.  It’s all relative I guess.  Some days are easier and some days it’s, ‘I wish I could just catch a break.’   But it’s like that with everything.

RubyHornet:  That attitude of realizing you can’t control how it’s received, is that something that you’ve gained through experience or did you come in with that attitude?

Nikka Costa:  I have gained that through experience.  Disappointment can be inevitable in life and you just learn that a little bit more, and you learn how to cope with it a little bit more as you get older.  Hopefully it doesn’t make you a bitter crotchety type of person.  Hopefully you figure out how to still see the light at the end of the tunnel and learn a lesson from it, and you can still stay a light, postivie person.  That’s how I try to deal with the ups and downs of everything.

RubyHornet: I know that you’re going to be going on tour shortly.  Before you go, tell our readers what they can expect when they see you on the road, and where they can see more of you.

Nikka Costa:  NikkaCosta.com has all the tourdates and a really easy link to ticketmaster.  It’s really easy to see where I’m playing and get tickets.  We’re going nationwide, and I’m doing a couple dates in Canada.  I got a band.  I got a horn section.  I take huge pride in my live shows and I love being in a club with audiences and getting everybody going.  Hopefully we all forget the troubles of everything for that hour and a bit.  I just try to have a good time and at the end I’m a sweaty mess.  I love playing live.  It’s the best!

Comments (2)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

Go girl.
written by Lily , October 08, 2008

She MUST have been through some serious shit to emote the soulful sounds that she does in these songs. And I can't imagine anything more serious and shitty than dumbass execs rejecting her carefully crafted art.

Basically I'm thrilled she switched labels; we know she's in good hands with Stax, right? The woman has chops and I'm just happy that she's strong enough to keep going. I gotta see her on tour!

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

NIKKA ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
written by Jason Parker , October 08, 2008

i saw her this summer at an outdoor festival while i was traveling in Amsterdam and she was amazing! hopefuly she'll play around here soon!

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

Show/Hide comment form