Erja Lyytinen, born on July 7, 1976 in Kuopio, Finland, is a Finnish vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. She began playing guitar at age 15 and started writing her own songs shortly after. In high school, she performed as the singer of the soul-influenced band Brothers & Sisters. Lyytinen's first album Attention! was released in 2002 with Dave's Special band. Her second album, Wildflower, was released in 2003 during her performance at Finland’s Puistoblues festival, where she met Bonnie Raitt. In 2005, Lyytinen signed with Ruf Records and recorded her international debut album Pilgrimage - Misssissippi to Memphis (2005) in Memphis and Mississippi. She continued to release albums like Dreamland Blues (2006), which was named Album of the Year by the Bluesministeri radio show, and The Grip of the Blues (2008). Lyytinen has collaborated with notable artists such as Joe Bonamassa, Jennifer Batten, and Carlos Santana. In 2013, she released Forbidden Fruit, featuring collaborations with Alan Darby.
