Maria Minerva


Maria Juur, better known by her stage name Maria Minerva, is an Estonian musician.

Artistry

Maria Minerva's music is described by critics as a blend of avant pop, electronic dance, and experimental genres.
Critics have described her vocal style as dreamy, mysterious, or Lynchian, but also as casual and slightly off-key, receiving comparisons to Blossom Dearie, Brigitte Bardot, Nico, and Billie Ray Martin.
She has cited Cosey Fanni Tutti, Laetitia Sadier, Kim Gordon, Laurie Anderson and Cabaret Voltaire as influences.

Critical reception

Maria Minerva is amongst the most internationally acclaimed Estonian electronic artists of the 2010s. She is the recipient of two Estonian Music Awards. Her releases have received critical acclaim from music publications such as Pitchfork Media and The Fader. One of Maria Minerva's early supporters was the influential pop critic Simon Reynolds.
She was named as one of the seminal Los Angeles artists by The Guardian and appeared on Estonian World's annual "Top 12 Most Outstanding Estonian Women in the World" list.

Collaboration with Cherushii

Chelsea Faith a.k.a. Cherushii was one of the 36 victims of the 2016 Oakland warehouse fire. In 2019, the EP Cherushii & Maria Minerva was released, which had been nearly completed before Cherushii died and includes repurposed tracks from previous Cherushii releases.

Personal life

Maria Minerva graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts and Goldsmiths, University of London, where she studied with British cultural theorist and music critic Mark Fisher.
She is the daughter of the Estonian humorist, writer, and media personality Mart Juur.
Maria Minerva is a naturalized United States citizen.

Other

While studying Art History at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Maria Minerva authored the first-ever Estonian-language research paper on sound art, with an emphasis on the history of sound art in Estonia.
Maria Minerva appeared as herself in the 2013 musical documentary Silk. She starred as the Estonian Jazz and pop singer Marju Kuut in the 2021 documentary u.Q.
Maria Minerva has worked with and remixed many other artists, including Cities Aviv, Maria Chavez, Mark Van Hoen and John Cale. She has collaborated with visual artists Pakui Hardware, Phil Collins and poet Vanessa Place. Formerly, she hosted a show on LA's community radio station Dublab, where she interviewed fellow musicians such as Nite Jewel and Yves Tumor.
In 2025, Maria Minerva released the lost recordings from the cult 2000s-era Estonian teen pop-punk band Plixid on her boutique label viis.

Discography

LPs

  • Tallinn At Dawn CS
  • Cabaret Cixous CD/LP
  • The Integration LP with LA Vampires
  • Will Happiness Find Me? CD/LP
  • Histrionic LP
  • Soft Power, CS

    EPs

  • Noble Savage 12" EP
  • Sacred and Profane Love 12" EP
  • Nii hea with Ajukaja, 10" Single
  • Bless 12" EP
  • C U Again with Ajukaja, 12" EP
  • S/T with Cherushii, 12" EP