ERJA LYYTINEN - Live 2026

Erja Lyytinen is one of the leading blues-rock guitarists on the international touring scene. In a recording career that has now spanned over 20 years, the high-flying Finnish artist has released thirteen studio albums as well as several live albums. Lyytinen’s musical range is extremely versatile and combines the best of modern blues rock, inspired and shaped by the great blues legends of the past.

Lyytinen is best known for her outstanding, high-energy live performances. Her live album “Diamonds on the Road” (2023) received rave reviews from music media worldwide. She celebrated her 20th anniversary on stage with the release of the CD/DVD “20 Years of Blues Rock!”, which was recorded in 2023 at the legendary Tavastia Club in Helsinki. For this special event, she brought together the rhythm sections from her previous studio albums as well as additional guest musicians.

For her work, Lyytinen has been honored with numerous awards by fans, colleagues, and the music industry alike. These include, among others, second place in Total Guitar Magazine’s “10 Best Guitarists Now” poll and the “Best Guitarist” award at the 2017 European Blues Awards. In 2022, Erja Lyytinen made history when she became the first Finnish artist to be nominated for “BB King International Artist of the Year” at the Maple Blues Awards in Canada.

She has shared the stage with world-renowned guitarists such as Carlos Santana, Sonny Landreth, and Jennifer Batten.

The artist’s latest studio album, “Smell the Roses,” was released in March 2025 and reached No. 6 on the UK IBBA April Charts. The heavily riff-driven album is characterized by Lyytinen’s mesmerizing slide guitar playing and epic solos. At the same time, she is expanding her musical range by paying tribute to the hard rock sounds of the 1960s and 1970s. “Smell the Roses” has been met with widespread acclaim worldwide and has definitively elevated Lyytinen into the ranks of the best modern blues/rock artists of our time.

“Erja Lyytinen is currently one of the best guitarists around—regardless of gender or genre, rock or blues—simply one of the best.”
– Music News

“Smell the Roses is her hardest and most riff-heavy album to date.”
– Guitarist Magazine

“Every single song on this album stands on its own. There are no filler tracks. The album covers a wide range of rhythms and grooves and offers the ultimate listening experience for anyone even remotely interested in the blues. Erja Lyytinen impressively demonstrates her mastery here—this album is an absolute must-have.”
– Happy Metal Geek