[1] She is noted for her portrayal of the title character in Lulu, which has received very positive reviews in the press.

Born in Buffalo, New York,[5] Aikin is the daughter of a metal worker and a housewife, growing up together with four sisters in modest circumstances.

She first studied art at the State University of New York in Buffalo,[5] and then music at Indiana University Bloomington, as well as on a German Academic Exchange Service scholarship with Reri Grist at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München.

[7] Also in 1995, she performed at the Salzburg Festival in a choral concert in the Mozarteum, and returned for many opera performances,[8] as both Blonde and Konstanze in Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, the Queen of the Night, Badi'at in the world premiere of Henze's L'Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe, Marilyn in Robin de Raaff's Waiting for Miss Monroe, Marie in Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Die Soldaten and in Birtwistle's Gawain.

[9] Aikin is acknowledged for her vocal range of three octaves, acting talent and stage presence.