One of the earliest videos of Erin captures her singing a made-up tune to two cloisonné birds in her grandma’s windowsill. Music was always a part of her life, but so were many other art forms, including dance, acting, and poetry. In some ways, her journey to becoming a singer-songwriter was creatively circuitous.

“I think I was running from a lot of things that I wanted to be. And ultimately, I ran right into the epicenter of them all.”

Upon relocating to Los Angeles to integrate creative pursuits with her career in non-profits, Erin had no intention of performing her original music live. When she gradually showed her melodies to other musicians and was met with positive feedback, she started collaborating with instrumentalists and playing duo sets at local venues. “I pretty quickly realized I was never going back. The days of tentativeness were over. My songs were meant to be shared and there were people who wanted to listen. It was kind of surreal.” Since her first live show of original songs in 2019, her focus has expanded to recording her music and she looks forward to releasing her first EP and finding her footing amongst a wider audience.

As a self-described creative dabbler, outdoor adventurer, and non-profit professional committed to global hearing health, there was a time when Erin was not sure whether her array of interests could fit together. “Moving around taught me to be chameleon. I can put on a good front, but the reality is, I never fit in a box. A former manager of mine used to joke that I couldn’t even see the box.” Turns out the collection of experiences and insights wrestling with identity and purpose can be wonderful songwriting material. “I thought I was cursed and wished I had the personality to focus and specialize in a single area. But short of having nine lives, I could never do that and be truly happy. It was a very dark time for a while, but worth the perseverance. These last couple years have been amazing. I finally seem to have struck a balance that lets me be fully me.”

When asked what makes singing and songwriting stand out from all the other parts of life that are worth living, the answer takes a spiritual turn. “I like to think that whatever you go through on this earth, your creator has gifted you with your own antidote. Part of our journey is to discover what that is and to honor the call. For me, this is it. There is nothing like it. I write and sing through the pain, I write and sing through the joy. And by showing up for myself in this way, I show up—through my songs—to uplift others. ”