Erja Lyytinen

About

Erja Lyytinen (born 7 July 1976 in Kuopio, Finland) is a blues-rock guitarist, vocalist and songwriter who has released thirteen studio albums over a career spanning more than two decades. Known internationally as Finland's "Queen of the Slide Guitar," she won Best Guitarist at the 2017 European Blues Awards and was ranked #2 in Total Guitar magazine's "10 Best Guitarists Now" poll. She has shared stages with Carlos Santana, Sonny Landreth and Jennifer Batten, and in 2022 became the first Finnish artist nominated for the BB King International Artist of the Year award at Canada's Maple Blues Awards.

18.5K

Spotify monthly listeners

24.4K

YouTube subscribers

#2

Total Guitar "10 Best Guitarists Now" poll ranking

13+

studio albums released

What's new

2026-08
Lyytinen announced the live album '50th Birthday Live 2026', recorded at the House of Culture in Helsinki on 21 March 2026, due for release on 9 October 2026 via Tuohi Records.
2026-08
The lead single from the upcoming live album, 'One Thing I Won't Change', features Sami Yaffa of Hanoi Rocks and New York Dolls on bass and backing vocals.
2026-02
Lyytinen announced a seven-date UK leg of her 50th Birthday Tour for October 2026, covering Dudley, Sedgefield, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Oxford, London and Faversham.
2025-03
Her thirteenth studio album 'Smell the Roses' was released in March 2025 and reached #6 on the UK IBBA April Charts.
2024
In 2024, Lyytinen appeared as the 'Skeleton' contestant on Finland's Masked Singer, performing songs by Metallica, Kate Bush and Jeff Buckley.