Singer, song writer, guitarist

Follow Mona Johansson on Facebook

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Mona Johansson is a soul and blues singer at heart. The lyrics are as important to her as the music. With a mix of old blues songs, soul classics and her own songs, she sings with a voice reminiscent of 1930’s blues divas. She plays the guitar with an intense groove and her performances are expressive.

Mona Johansson comes from a musical family and was exposed to traditional music from an early age. As a child she took trumpet lessons before concentrating on her voice and guitar. Absorbing all kinds of music she soon gravitated towards american roots music.

The talented lap steel guitarist, Per Olof Sjöström, is frequently accompanying her in her shows and they have now teamed up as a duo for bookings.

Book Mona Johansson and Per Olof Sjöström. They can also be booked with full band.

  • Mona Johansson, vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Per Olof Sjöström, lap steel, acoustic and electric guitar, vocals

Home page at MoJo Music Sweden: https://mojomusic.se/mona-johansson/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/mona-johansson-music/

 

Album release December 2017 – “Walk”

Mona has also been working with the Swedish top guitarist Christer Lyssarides. Their sound can be heard in the blues and roots album from 2017, “Walk”.
Mona Johansson, vocals and acoustic guitar
Christer Lyssarides, guitars
Björn Gideonsson, drums, percussion
Ralph Youngblood, electric bass
Allen Finney, backing vocals on “Take a Little Walk”, harmonica on “You can’t judge a book” and Steamy Windows”.
Produced by Mona Johansson and Christer Lyssarides.
Recorded by Per Ängkvist at Real Music Studio, Stockholm, Sweden
Music label MoJo Music, Sweden

Hans Adamson, Art Vista Production – smokes of down-and-out desperation!
“I loved Mona Johansson’s new album ”Walk”!  Mona’s vulnerable, yet soulful voice, paired with Chris Lyssarides mood-setting and laid-back guitar playing smokes of down-and-out desperation. The album is well produced and has the feel of a close-up performance in a smoky blues club.” – Hans Adamson, Art Vista Productions, Los Angeles

Jefferson Blues Magazine a curious innovation, without violating tradition! (translation from Swedish)
A nice album from Mona Johansson and her fellow musicians. I’m used to hearing a ”raw” fifties sound from Real Music Studio, but here the sound is softer, more modern, without losing authenticity. I like the consistent overall sound of these recordings, whether it’s old material like Son House ”Death Letter Blues” or ”modern” like ”Breakin ’up somebody’s home” or Dylan’s ”Tonight I’ll be staying here with you”. Mona has a sound voice, not overdramatized but touching. The music sweeps the voice into a Nordic light, like a fog over damp fields. Christer Lyssarides cautious but precise guitar and pedal steel are exquisite, like Björn Gideonsson’s drums and Ralph Youngblood’s bass. Allen Finney guest plays on harmonica. Here is a curious innovation, without violating tradition. – Olle Wallin, Jefferson Blues Magazine, Sweden (Paper edition, March 2018)

 

Single release 2015 – “Chased by shadows”

Mona Johansson, vocals and acoustic guitar
Christer Lyssarides, electric guitars and pedal steel
Björn Gideonsson, drums and percussion
Hans Adamson, bass, organ, piano
Produced by Hans Adamsson, Art Vista Production, Los Angeles, USA
Music label Blue Standard Music, Sweden

“Her songs are very filmic so to speak… to me they sound like an audio version of these Scandinavian noir detective programs that we’ ve seen a lot on tv, all very moody” – Jason Elliot, The Blues and Soul Show, airplay radio UK, CAN, AUS.

“Mona has a fabulous voice!” Jeremy Rees, Soul of the Blues show, radio Cardiff, UK.

Filmed and edited by Thina Bergvik, Stockholm
“Help Me” with Christer Lyssarides at Blues i Hängmattan, Göteborg, June 2018
“Something to tell you” (Mona Johansson) with Christer Lyssarides at Folk- och Världsmusikgalan, Mars 2017
“Fly Away” (Mona Johansson) with Viktor Johansson at a garden concert, Stockholm, 2017. Photo Magnus Wegler
“Me and my chauffeur” with Lennart Thorman at Åmål Blues Festival, 2012. Photo by Pelle Lundberg

Upcoming gigs

Interested in booking Mona Johansson for a gig?

Mona Johansson’s concerts are suitable for festivals of many types, since the music she plays encompasses americana, blues and roots, soul, singer-song. House concerts, churches, blues and folk societies, and live music venues are all suitable. Mona prefers a listening kind of crowd. Bookings can be made with her duo or with full band. 

We invite you, as a first step, to fill in the form below, so we can get a good idea of your needs and wishes. We will then contact you as soon as possible. And we are off on a good conversation!

If you want, you can also call us over phone, Skype or write us an ordinary email (see contact info in the sidebar). Feel free to communicate either in English or Swedish!

Press/Media resources: Here you find bio, one sheet flyer, high res photos, music files, videos, and rider.