ILUKA is an Australian-born, musician, actress and model, Nikki Thorburn – known by her middle name ILUKA in the music world. She is now American-based and as a singer/songwriter she is known for her soulful vocals and her Dolly meets Stevie visual style. As fans have noted, there’s the pop sensibility of Adele; the growl of Joplin; the lyrical alchemy of Stevie Nicks. It’s impossible not to be drawn in.
Having grown up with a Dad who was a songwriter and guitar-maker, ILUKA was taught the basics of songwriting from her earliest years, spending hours on the balcony of her Blue Mountains home honing the craft. At 7 years old, she began recording her songs on a 12-track recording desk with her Dad and by 15 she had albums worth of recorded material. This early education, the passing-down of emotion and storytelling from one generation to another, gave ILUKA’s music its spark, the seed that’s still growing to this day. Having left Australia, she’s now armed with her White Falcon Gretsch guitar and readier than ever to embark on her most authentic and exciting musical chapter.
ILUKA has just announced her forthcoming full-length album, ‘the wild, the innocent, & the raging‘ via Nettwerk, arriving November 21, 2025. A fierce celebration of individuality, womanhood, and defiance, the album embraces ILUKA’s unapologetic honesty — a quality that has defined her as one of alt-pop’s most vital disruptors.“I’m open about feeling like an outsider,” she shares. “I never felt like I fully fit into one thing. Much of the music celebrates being a weirdo rather than always fighting it. There are elements of love, heartbreak, and throwing yourself into experiences. It’s personal and political. For as much as it reflects on the dire state of our planet, it also celebrates being alive, finding your weirdo friends, and living a beautiful life.”
Her unflinching approach is laced with intimacy and rage, underscoring her feminist perspective and refusal to shrink herself in a world that often polices femininity. As she shares: “This is a new era of being direct about who I am. I’m completely and unapologetically me. It’s such a rebellious thing for a woman to show up in the world like this. I’m taking up space and sharing how I authentically feel.”
That spirit crystallises in her new single, “Crucify Me,”. With raw lyricism and fearless conviction, ILUKA dissects the brutality of girlhood and the relentless scrutiny placed on women, particularly those in the spotlight. The track embodies the tension between vulnerability and rebellion — a protest anthem that resonates deeply in today’s cultural landscape. Speaking on the song, ILUKA shares: “I started writing this song after getting picked apart online and realising how much strangers build their version of you. The moment you step outside that projection, even fans can turn on you. It was so surreal to watch it happen in real time.”
