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About Erja Lyytinen

(pronounced Air-ya Lute-in-en)


She is the future
- Carlos Santana
One of the 10 guitarists to keep the blues alive & well for the 21st century
- Guitar Player magazine

Photo: Katri Kallio

Erja Lyytinen is one of the leading blues-rock guitarists on the international touring circuit. During a recording career spanning more than 20 years, the High-Flying Finn has released thirteen studio albums as well as several live albums. Lyytinen’s musical pallet is vast, encompassing the very best of contemporary blues-rock whilst inspired and influenced by the blues greats of yore. Lyytinen is known for her stellar and energetic live performances. Her live album ”Diamonds on the Road” (2023) received magnificent reviews in the global music media. She celebrated her career of 20 years by releasing the CD/DVD ”20 Years of Blues Rock!” that was recorded during one of her shows at the legendary Tavastia Club in Helsinki in 2023. To mark the occasion she brought the rhythm sections from her studio albums to the event along with other featured artists. In 2024 Lyytinen delighted audiences by performing as the “Skeleton” on Finland´s Masked Singer and singing songs by Metallica, Kate Bush and Jeff Buckley. Lyytinen has been acknowledged for her work by her fans, peers, and the industry alike with a treasure trove of accolades. This includes being ranked #2 in the Total Guitar Magazine’s “10 Best Guitarists Now” poll as well as being awarded “Best Guitarist” at the 2017 European Blues Awards. Erja made history by becoming the first Finnish artist to be nominated for the "BB King International Artist of the Year"-award at the Maple Blues Awards in Canada in 2022. She has played alongside world-famous guitarists like Carlos Santana, Sonny Landreth and Jennifer Batten. The artist’s latest studio album “Smell the Roses” was released in March 2025 and was ranked #6 on the IBBA April Charts in the UK. This riff-heavy album has lots of Lyytinen´s mesmerizing slides and epic solos, and she is further expanding her repertoire by honouring the sound of hard rock bands of the 60´s and 70´s. The songs on the album have been compared to bands like Black Country Communion, Rage Against The Machine and Be Bop Deluxe. “Smell the Roses” has gotten glowing reviews around the globe and it has elevated Lyytinen amongst the best modern blues/rock artists of our time.

"Erja Lyytinen’s one of the best guitarists on the scene at the moment – forget male or female, forget rock or Blues – just one of the best.” - Music News “Erja Lyytinen continues to evolve as an artist, proving that she’s not just a phenomenal guitarist but also a visionary musician with an unshakable creative drive." - Jace Media Music

Erja Lyytinen guitar, vocals
Harri Taittonen, keyboards
Heikki Saarenkunnas, bass
Jesse Lehto, drums
Olli Huttunen / Uula Korhonen, sound engineer

Photo: Ville Juurikkala

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Albums

 

 

In the media

ON THE COVER OF THE APRIL EDITION OF BLUES IN BRITAIN!

READ HERE!

WAITING FOR THE DAYLIGHT REVIEW IN LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE

A European Blues Award winner, guitarist Erja Lyytinen has yet to gain fame on this side of the Atlantic, but as her new album, Waiting for the Daylight, proves so effectively, she’s a clear contender for superstardom..

Q&A WITH ERJA LYYTINEN IN BLUES.GR

Q&A with Finnish singer/guitarist Erja Lyytinen: one of the 10 guitarists who are keeping the blues alive and well

AN INTERVIEW AND AN ALBUM REVIEW ON RNR MAGAZINE’S SEPTEMBER ISSUE

ON THE COVER OF BLUES MATTERS MARCH 2025 ISSUE INCLUDING AN INTERVIEW AND ALBUM REVIEW!

Read online for free here!

DECEMBER 2024 ISSUE INCLUDES AN ARTICLE ON “THE HRH AWARDS ‘2024 HONORS LIST" -ERJA LYYTINEN AWARDED AS “ANGEL OF ROCK”

SUBSCRIBE HERE

VIEW ONLINE FOR FREE HERE

3 PAGE FEATURE AND AND ALBUM REVIEW ON BLUES MATTERS OCT / NOV 2023

BLUES MATTERS!

The February-March 2023 issue of the UK's leading blues magazine Blues Matters! contains a great review of the album Waiting for the Daylight

ERJA LYYTINEN ON THE COVER OF THE MARCH 2025 ISSUE OF SOUNDI, THE BIGGEST MUSIC MAGAZINE OF FINLAND!

21 TOP NEW BLUES GUITARISTS AS CHOSEN BY YOU

Erja Lyytinen is featured in Guitar Player Magazine’s ”21 Top New Blues Guitarists As Chosen By You” article.

The article tells about young guitarists who are shaping the blues for a new generation of players.

CHICAGO BLUES GUIDE

Waiting for the Daylight album on Marty Gunther's Red, Hot 'n Blues Music Reviews - February 2023 on Chicago Blues Guide

THE BLUES SPECIAL ISSUE OF GUITARPLAYER

AN ARTICLE IN THE BLUES SPECIAL ISSUE OF GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE IN THE USA

9/10 REVIEW FOR THE WAITING FOR THE DAYLIGHT ON POWERPLAY MAGAZINE SEP 2022

The magazine also has a full page interview.

Get your copy at:
https://powerplaymagazine.co.uk/

ERJA LYYTINEN’S TOP 5 FAVOURITE BLUES SONGS ON BLUES MATTERS

And what a list Erja has prepared for the readers on Blues Matters!

ON THE GUITAR WORLD’S WEBSITE!

Erja Lyytinen shares her 6 go-to slide licks for unlocking more expressive soloing

WATCH HERE

FULL PAGE FEATURE AND AND ALBUM REVIEW ON FIREWORKS ROCK & METAL AUTUMN 2023 ISSUE

WAITING FOR THE DAYLIGHT REVIEW IN REAL ROOTS CAFE

Oldest American roots music blog in the Netherlands

ERJA LYYTINEN ON THE GUITARIST MAGAZINE (NOVEMBER 2022)

The Guitarist magazine ISSUE 491 ( NOVEMBER 2022) has a two-page interview with Erja Lyytinen.

THE 30 BEST BLUES GUITARISTS IN THE WORLD ON GUITAR WORLD

Finnish singer-songwriter Erja Lyytinen is one of Europe’s leading blues players

ERJA LYYTINEN ON GUITAR PLAYER'S LATEST ONLINE MAGAZINE!

10 Exciting Guitarists Putting Their Own Fresh Spin on the Blues

ERJA LYYTINEN ON TOTAL GUITAR’S SUMMER ISSUE #361 (2022)

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THE BLUES QUEEN. MELANCHOLIC SOUNDS FROM GUITAR STRINGS. “NO ONE DOES IT BETTER”

Guitar Thrills Magazine interviewed Erja