Erika is an award-winning performer who grew up in Marin County surrounded by music. Her father – Dale Alstrom – is a jazz musician, and her mother, Judy, a singer. She studied music theory and piano at Yamaha Music School at age 4, and sang with the Winifred Baker Children's Chorus, where she performed at Davies Hall in San Francisco. At 12 she started singing with her father's big band, and at 13 she started performing in children's musical theater. She continued through high school, and then went on to study theatre under James Dunn at College of Marin.
In 1991 she moved onto a larger stage, and starred as Dorothy in the Mountain Play's "Wizard of Oz". She was then a lead singer in Grooveline, a 70's soul & funk cover band. Next, during a 2-year stint in Aspen, CO, she sang with the Bette Blue Band, performed in the regionally celebrated improvisational group ART-C, and worked as a radio DJ and voice-over artist on KSPN.
Back in the Bay Area, she kept on performing as an actress in such shows as "The Miser" at Shakespeare at Stinson, the Bay Area One Act Festival, and "Death of a Salesman" with Marin Classic Theatre. She won a Bay Area Theater Critic's Circle Award for her performance as Ado Annie in the Mountain Play's 2005 production of "Oklahoma!". As a vocalist she continued to perform with various groups including the Walt Tolleson Musical Organization, where she started working regularly. Gigs over the years include San Francisco's Black and White Ball, Sacramento Jazz Festival, Fairfax Festival, The Marin County Fair and numerous private bookings. She currently lives in Fairfax with her husband and daughter.