Rita Engedalen

Rita Engedalen is widely regarded as one of Norway’s leading blues artists, praised for her original expression, soulful vocals, and grounded connection to raw Mississippi blues traditions. Her music carries both a personal and roots-based depth, blending original songwriting with a clear reverence for the blues lineage that shaped her.

According to her official biography, Engedalen earned admiration not only in Norway but also in Mississippi itself, where respected figures such as Big Jack Johnson, Super Chikan, and the legendary Jessie Mae Hemphill recognized her honesty and natural talent. Her connection with Hemphill became especially meaningful and remains an important part of her artistic story.

Over the years, Rita has built a strong reputation both as a recording artist and live performer. She won the Norwegian Grammy (Spellemannprisen) for her album Heaven Ain’t Ready for Me Yet, received the Notodden Blues Festival Blues Award, the Gammleng Prize, and the Kongsberg City of Merit distinction, and in 2012 she and her band won the European Blues Challenge.

She is also widely known for her long-running collaboration with Margit Bakken in Women in Blues, a project dedicated in part to honoring the great female blues pioneers and giving renewed voice to their stories and songs. Through both her solo work and collaborative projects, Rita Engedalen has helped keep the blues tradition alive while making it deeply her own.