MAYA MARIA is an interdisciplinary artist working at the intersection of alt-R&B and art pop. Raised on the island of Terschelling, she explores the tension between the natural and the artificial, translating personal narratives into music, visuals and performance. Her work is shaped by a prolonged period of illness and silence during her teenage years, from which a strong sense of determination and creation as a form of healing emerged. Through voice and body, MAYA explores themes of womanhood, embodiment and vulnerability, creating intimate and layered live experiences. On 16 January 2026, the night of her ESNS performance, she releases her debut EP the bed-ties, an introspective reflection on healing, longing and memory.