Nikkita Kalea Alexander was born in 1996 in Brisbane. She was raised in Port Macquarie, where she started performing from the age of 15 and left high school to pursue her music career. Her first extended play, Lion Hat, with six tracks, was issued in March 2013.

It was produced by Jordan Millar and recorded in Sydney. Lisa Tisdell of Port Macquarie News felt, "the finished product containing songs that appeal to a cross-section of people." She moved to Byron Bay, after turning 18.

Alexander found her talent manager, Tim Manton (After the Fall) of TAP Management, via a Google search. Her debut single, "My Own Way" (August 2015), gained airplay on national youth radio, Triple J, and reached the ARIA singles chart top 100.

AllMusic"s Neil Z. Yeung observed that, "[her influences] informed much of her sonic aesthetic, while polished production sheen enhanced her pop sensibilities." Alexander had travelled to the west coast of United States earlier in that year to record an acoustic music video for "My Own Way" at Noisey Acoustics in Topanga Canyon.

The singer"s second EP, Like You Want To (November 2015), was rated by Yeung at three-and-a-half stars out-of five, which he described as, "a fun and carefree quartet of atmospheric pop... a promising start for the young singer, whose sunburned throwback pop displays a maturity well beyond her years.

" The title single was issued earlier in that month, which peaked in the ARIA Singles Chart top 100.Alexander"s third EP, Hotel, was released in April 2017. It peaked in the top 60 on the ARIA Singles Chart in November after charting in the related ARIA Hitseekers Singles Chart for over 20 weeks.

It was certified platinum, for shipment of 70000 units, by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) in the following February.