Rita De Los Angeles

I’m a solo singer/songwriter originally born and raised in Los Angeles, and currently live near Cologne, Germany.

I write acoustic-driven songs which is a mix of rock, pop, and a sprinkle of outlaw country. My sound features my dark, smoky voice, but at heart, I am primarily a guitar player who became a singer later in life. That’s why my guitar work plays a dominant role in my sound – I play everything from steel string acoustic, nylon flamenco, electric guitar and even slide guitar for the more country-flavored songs. Sometimes I play flamenco-inspired guitar riffs from the South of the Border soundscape where I grew up in Southern California.

My songs are infused with a melting pot of musical influences. I grew up listening to everything from Rock and Pop to the Arabic music my Egyptian parents would listen to on a typical Saturday night. My mother was proud of becoming a new ‘American citizen,’ so she adored Country music. It was always playing in the car and became the soundtrack of my teenage years.

The lyrics I write are inspired by everyday life… from love to loss, to happiness and grief. Moments of inspiration come to me from the very experiences I face as a fellow human just making her way under the sun.

How did I get my stage name, “Rita de Los Angeles?” My flamenco guitar teacher used to serenade me with flamenco guitar rasqueados and sing, “Rita de Los Angeles is in the house!” each time I entered the room. He did it with great flamenco fire and flair… made me laugh every Saturday morning. That’s how my stage name was born.

My music is handmade. I write, produce, and engineer all my music in my home recording studio. I perform all vocals and guitar parts, and sometimes I perform the piano, bass, cajon and harmonica parts myself. Instruments such as the fiddle, brass, or drums…. well, I do need to get a little help from my friends… sometimes!