The enchanting songstress turns pain into art with her latest debut.
Pennsylvania native Antoniette Costa has achieved impressive success in the music industry with her mesmerizing compositions that blend classical, jazz, soul and hip hop. After releasing several chart-topping albums and winning fans internationally with singles like “Void of a Legend,” this University of Pennsylvania alum faced adversity in the form of surgery for a brain tumor last year. But Costa would not be swayed. Recovery spurred renewed creative spirit and a desire to celebrate life through song. Her latest work, the deeply personal album “Pitupatter,” debuts on July 12 and features collaborations with several bold-faced artists (many of whom are Philly-based), including Grammy-nominated artists such as Ray Angry, James Poyser, Dice Raw, TK Wonder, Steve McKie, Anthony C. Bell, George “Spanky” McCurdy and others. It’s an anthem for resilience in the storm and art emerging from life’s most challenging moments. As Costa’s captivating vocals unfold alongside lush instrumentation, listeners are sure to be moved, inspired and uplifted.
“Pitupatter” cements Antoniette Costa’s rise as one of the most distinguished and values-driven singer-songwriters of her time, poised to resonate with all who have weathered their share of storms. Here, she muses on her deep Philly roots (with The Roots), her new album and what it means to her.
You must be thrilled about your new album. What does it feel like to finally have it out in the world? It’s a moment of humbling reflection to finish the process. I’ve nurtured these songs—from an idea to pen-to-paper to production. Part of my DNA is in every note and they gave me hope when I was feeling very sick. Songwriting was my meditation. This album was a team effort and I can’t wait to share these songs. They’re fun, and if we do it right, listeners will get a pop of emotions like the adrenaline of regret, joy, love, rejection, heartbreak and that inertia one feels climbing back from a hard fall—these universal emotional experiences felt through hope-driven rhythms.
What originally brought you to Philly and what role does the city, your time at Penn and the Philly-based people in your world play in your music?
Philly is my musical home. My pregnant aunt Lilly had lived here for years before passing away suddenly two weeks before her due date. My family was grief-stricken. We were awaiting the birth of her first baby but instead, tragedy struck. In the words of Dice Raw in “Crumbles” on the album: “In life, we don’t make plans to crash. We only make plans to last.”
My aunt loved Philly for its rich culture and art. After her passing, we all needed to pivot and change directions. I felt compelled to help my nonna and uncle care for my aunt’s baby who miraculously survived. So I transferred from Cornell to UPenn to be closer to them. As time has passed, the city feels like a Disney character that embraced me in a bear hug, walking me through experiences and leading me to unparalleled friendships. It's a cornucopia of creativity. I was lucky to have some of my first performances in Philly. From “The Studio” to Penn to Silk City to World Café Live, the Philly music community keeps you rooted in who you are. You’ll get booed off a Philly stage if you’re not authentic.
This album was executive produced by Khari Mateen and produced by Steve McKie, both music luminaries. How did it feel to work with them and other local musical legends like James Poyser?
It’s a privilege and similar to a storybook ending that comes full circle. I got the opportunity to collaborate with the music icons I met that first day in The Roots’ studio all those years ago. I remember being in college and asking Richard Nichols, then Roots manager, “How do you decide when to collaborate with another recording artist?” He answered, “It’s organic.”
It was so cool to me that The Roots, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Floetry, Common, Mos Def, John Legend and Jazmine Sullivan all knew each other well and were friends. Their collaborations, whether on stage or a track, just happened like osmosis, not a pairing strategy or coerced by a record label. As a shy college nerd who would write alone in my room, I felt imposter syndrome walking through the halls of Larry Gold’s “The Studio,” where these Grammy Award-winning artists recorded. It wasn’t uncommon to see Blackthought or Patti LaBelle sitting in the common area. I worked out of the legendary Questlove’s vocal booth, adjacent to Axis Production Group with James Poyser, a stone’s throw from Ant Tidd and Mel Chaos Lewis. It was like being on a dorm floor, but each room housed the most talented writers and producers in the industry, and they were working around the clock creating.
After 14-plus years of recording, writing and performing in these talented Philly circles, they became my music family. And under their guidance, I grew as an artist. So when it came time to record “Pitupatter,” every collaboration made sense and felt natural. I knew exactly who I wanted to be on each song and went to my favorite musicians with demos. Once they heard the songs, they were in. The collaboration with Ray Angry on “Shattered is a Weapon” still brings a tear to my eye because Richard Nichols introduced me to Ray circa 2008. He said we would make great music together. Over the years, I’d go to Brooklyn to rehearse with Ray and we became friends, but this song feels blessed by Rich, and Ray brought the magic “Mister Goldfinger” touch to the keys that took it to the next level.
Steve Mckie and James Poyser have always been humble despite their awardwinning body of work and success— they’ve never changed as people. When you’re with them, you’re the only person in the room and they give each project their undivided attention. Poyser is featured on “Brings Me” and McKie produced and drummed on three of the album’s tracks: “Pitupatter,” “Shattered’s A Weapon” and “Me L’Ha Rubato.”
And Khari Mateen was an instrumental part of every song as executive producer. There are not enough words to adequately describe our working history and camaraderie. He’s a musical genius. We’ve known each other since were 19 years old working out of Questlove’s studio and have spent hundreds of hours working together. He knows me as an artist better than anyone.
While recording this album, I remember one late night as we were listening to vocal takes. He stopped mid-one bar and said, “You sounded like Erykah [Badu] here...we’re NOT picking it, but let’s listen another time,” with a chuckle. Skip to the next take, and he replied, “There’s Antoniette. There she is. That’s the one.”
You just recovered from a brain tumor. How has that shifted your perception and outlook on life and music? What impact did it have on "Pitupatter" the song, and the album in its entirety?
I struggled with treatment and was fearful of surgery. I asked my anesthesiologist right before he was to intubate me if the tube or the surgery would injure my vocal cords, and in a joking manner he used his hands as a balancing scale and said, “Let’s see: brain tumor or your voice?”
I knew it was a ridiculous question. As I wrote “Last of a Line” I rolled the dice in my mind knowing that if I could still sing after surgery, then I would do an album. When I made it through the surgery, a week in ICU and recovery, I was walking on clouds and enjoying every minute. I got to spend time and collaborate once again with musicians I love to work with and who are incredible friends.
Making the music was regenerative for me and “Pitupatter” was my anthem of wellness. My outlook on life and music has merged into an enjoyment of the present moment. It is about producing the best art you can and being a support system to your friends.
Photography by: Emma Craft
