Stein Torleif Bjella will perform at Bergenfest 2026 Saturday, June 13.
Stein Torleif Bjella is one of Norway’s most critically acclaimed singer-songwriters, known for a distinctive lyrical voice and a body of work that sits at the intersection of music and literature. Since his solo debut Heidersmenn in 2009, Bjella has released a series of albums that have earned widespread recognition for their poetic language, understated humour and emotional depth.
His catalogue includes award-winning releases such as Vonde visu (Spellemann Award), Heim for å døy (which reached No. 1 on the Norwegian charts), Gode Liv and Øvre-Ål Toneakademi, as well as the music composed for the theatre production Heil ved. In 2025, Bjella reached a significantly broader audience through his participation in the Norwegian television series Hver gang vi møtes, where established artists reinterpret each other’s songs.
Alongside his music career, Bjella is also a respected author. He has published the poetry collection Jordsjukantologien nr. 1 and the novel Fiskehuset, the latter nominated for the P2 Listeners’ Novel Prize, awarded the Nynorsk Literature Prize and translated into several languages. His work across music, theatre and literature has earned him numerous honours, including the Spellemann Award, Edvard Prize, Prøysen Prize and Bendiksen Prize.
At Bergenfest, Bjella presents a live set that draws from across his career, offering an introduction to an artist whose songs balance restraint and intensity, humour and melancholy, and whose voice has become a central part of contemporary Norwegian music.