Erika Nelson grew up immersed in the gritty Seattle grunge scene. The “Big Four” of that era – think Nirvana and Alice in Chains – became culture-defining icons of the 1990s, and took off right in Nelson’s hometown. As a teenager, she didn’t quite recognize the significance of where she was at the time, but she says it shaped her fundamental sense of creativity.
“You would have these moments realizing that your parents had accidentally bought a house in the middle of a [music] scene and you have no control over it,” Nelson told KHOL over the phone from her home in Cheyenne.
Nelson grew up singing in church choir and performing on stage in musical theater. She gave up music when she moved to New England for school and began a career in public relations. She found expression in the form of cyanotypes, a camera-free photographing process that produces images in a monochromatic blue relief.
It wasn’t until 2021 that she began singing with a Tom Petty cover band. Her husband then received a federal job offer that would allow them to live wherever they wanted. After researching and visiting several towns across the Cowboy State, they settled on Cheyenne to raise their family.
“What’s interesting about Wyoming is that people say [we should make music] then they actually do something. I think it’s easier here than in other places to get something started,” she said.
Not long after settling in Cheyenne, Nelson connected with DJ and producer Jason Sanchez, also known as WalkTheDoctor. Their paths crossed at a local recording studio called Wyoming Waves, a space rooted in collaboration between open-minded artists. The studio’s owner Vante Anderson (VanteSlayedIt) is a stalwart of Cheyenne’s burgeoning hip-hop community.
When she’s not taking her two boys to karate or soccer practice, Nelson carves out time for songwriting. Her collaborative spirit mixed with do-it-yourself ethos has allowed her to produce a trio of songs since 2025. She started practicing home recording techniques which now allows her to collaborate with friends in New York City.
“There are all kinds of ways to make music throughout your whole life, and there are fewer barriers [to entry] than you probably think,” said Nelson.
Her newest tune, “Crack the Sky,” explores the idea of growing up as a small-town freak and balancing the pressure of other people’s expectations while trying to hold onto one’s sense of self.
With time and perspective now under her belt, Nelson said she is more confident than the song’s subject. As a mother and a wife, a singer and an artist, one aspect of life informs the other.
“Sometimes we all feel like we’re outsiders and it’s hard to find your people. How do you differentiate who you think you’re supposed to be from who other people think you’re supposed to be,” she said.
More information about Erika Nelson’s work is available at https://www.erikanelson.art/.
Listen above for KHOL’s full conversation with Erika Nelson.
Support for this arts and cultural coverage comes from the Wyoming Arts Council.
