Olev MuskaAU, EE

Olev Muska is an Australian-born composer and multimedia artist living and working in Australia, whose name belongs to a chapter in Estonian music history entirely of its own. Often called the pioneer of Estonian electronic folk, since the late 1970s Olev has been creating bold and playful reimaginings of traditional songs. Already in 1980, he released Estonia's first fully electronic single "Tuljak!", and his 1985 vinyl Old Estonian Waltzes is both the first fully electronic folk music album and the first electronic dance music record in Estonian history. Combining experimental electronics with cultural commentary, his work spans music, design, and film. Balancing synth pop, folk, and sound art, Muska is not afraid of irony or lyricism. His creative output embraces a diverse range of styles that focuses on Estonian and kindred Finno-Ugric peoples’ arrangements. In 2025, Olev received the Cultural Endowment of Estonia’s Musical Arts Endowment and the Estonian Music Council’s Recognition Award.