Ole Paus (1947–2023) was a Norwegian singer-songwriter and poet, widely regarded as one of the most innovative Norwegian musical figures of the 20th century and "Norway's most significant troubadour at the time of his death." Emerging during the Norwegian ballad revival (Norwegian: visebølgen), Paus was instrumental in defining the genre's direction. Over a career spanning five decades, he released around 40 albums, authored novels, poetry collections, and travelogues. His works spanned from protest songs and satirical ballads to deeply reflective hymns and love songs. Paus was known for his distinctive individualism, social criticism, and rebellious stance, standing "fearlessly up for the weakest against the powers that be." Often called Norway's "national troubadour," his song "Mitt lille land" became a unifying anthem after the 2011 Norway attacks.

Born in Oslo into an aristocratic family with close ties to Henrik Ibsen, Paus grew up as the son of a general in a sometimes dysfunctional family marked by loss, anxiety, upheaval, and emotional distance. After his mother's early death he was raised by his grandmother Ella, who had come to Norway as a Jewish refugee from Vienna in 1938. In 1967, he started performing as a singer-songwriter in Oslo, a profession that "did not exist at the time," and was discovered in 1969 by Alf Prøysen and Alf Cranner.

His recording debut came in 1970 with Der ute – der inne, featuring 18 songs about urban life in Oslo. Encouraged by Prøysen, he published the poetry collection Tekster fra en trapp the following year. His early albums blended influences from folk, jazz, and rock, characterized by sharp social critique and deep empathy for society's outcasts, marginalized, and lonely—"all of us who couldn't cope with existence," as expressed in songs like "Jacobs vise," "Merkelige Mira," "Blues for Pyttsan Jespersens pårørende," and "Kajsas sang." Throughout the 1970s, he collaborated with notable artists, including Jens Bjørneboe and Ketil Bjørnstad, creating works that transcended traditional genres. His biting satire found a platform in the Paus-posten series, cementing his reputation as a cultural provocateur.

In later years, Paus focused on more contemplative and spiritual themes. His collaborations with the Church Cultural Workshop produced notable hymn interpretations, and his song "Innerst i sjelen" became a Norwegian classic. Working alongside his son, classical composer Marcus Paus, he ventured into opera, oratorio, and avant-garde music. Alexander Z. Ibsen—of no relation—noted that "Ole Paus held a unique position among Norwegian artists. The songs he wrote touched many, ranging from contemplative hymns to satirical ballads. In light of his many active years and his genre-crossing work, he must be considered Norway's most significant troubadour at the time of his death," while Håvard Rem called him Norway's first singer-songwriter. His posthumously published memoir For en mann (2024) reveals an artist whose life and work defied easy categorization.