Otto Junior feat Ella Mandt

Notodden Blues Festival continues to follow up and showcase young musicians and talents. Many new blues artists are coming through our blues school, Little Stevens Blues School. Two of these, among many, are Otto Junior Lagarhus and Ella Mandt. 
Otto and Ella have made their mark on each side, but like to be on stage together. They will have the opportunity to do so this time with a concert at Bellman/Barrikaden Blueskro on Saturday morning. We know it will be a full house, so there is every reason to be here early.
The Norwegian Blue Union's Young Artist Scholarship 2025 went to the 19-year-old singer and guitarist from Revetal outside Tønsberg, Otto Junior Lagarhus. The award was presented at the Notodden Blues Festival's Ung Scene on the square on August 1. The jury's justification states, among other things:
- Otto Junior Lagarhus shows through his application an outstanding musicality and a distinctive character that we applaud. Musically, we experience a clear genre connection to the blues, and we look forward to hearing how Otto Junior will take this further in his development. The application testifies to a high degree of motivation and ability to implement.
Otto Junior discovered the blues at the age of 12, and a lot has happened that has taken his career in the right direction in the course of a few years. He began to "sit in" on stage with Norwegian blues guitarists early on, and eventually also international artists. He received the Skedsmo Bluesklubbs scholarship in 2029, and he, together with 18 young guitarists from all over the world, was accepted into the Gibson Generation Group during the NAMM show in Los Angeles. Otto Junior has been playing in clubs and festivals with various bands for several years already. Exciting events have been lined up for Otto and the band. They completed a long tour in Japan in October, at the time of writing they are on tour in Croatia and in the spring the trip will go to the USA for festival and club performances. 
Otto Junior Band consists of Otto himself on vocals and guitar, Jacob Theis on bass and Ola Grindbakken on drums. With him at the concert at Notodden Blues Festival is the talented vocalist Ella Mandt who has also participated in the Little Stevens Blues School for several years. It is a pleasure for us at Notodden Blues Festival to follow these young people who have made a mark at Little Stevens Blues School and who are now in the starting blocks for a further musical career.