Interview with singer Maxim 7 days. Find yourself! Unleash Your Creative Potential! School of Arts MakSim

Marina Abrosimova, known as singer MakSim, long years remains one of the most popular singers in the country. She sings in a half-childish voice about love and death, good and evil, and does not participate in endless blue lights, and takes a whole rock band with him to concerts, with whom he performs “Murka”. We found out whether the singer remembers her difficult age and got inside information about the new album.

— Good evening, Marina. First of all, thank you for the concert. It's unusual to hear that your sound has become much more rock-intensive, with drum solos and hard-hitting guitars.

— We will soon present to listeners new album and completely new program. With the album “My Paradise” I came with a rock lineup, with musicians who always played hard underground or even metal. This is exactly what I wanted, so that the songs would sound different at the concert. With my “pi-pi-pi” songs about love, but the music should be hard and clear. And now we want to invite to new performances, firstly, an acapella group, and, secondly, a group that plays in the style of soul and rhythm and blues.

First of all, congratulations on the release of the album “Loner”. Tell me, those extraneous conversational remarks that ended up in the track “Loner”, did they get there deliberately?

Yes, this was inserted deliberately. Although it was really written down “not for publication.” We often record our rehearsals, and they usually take place in a fairly friendly, imposing atmosphere. Friends-musicians come in, even those who do not take part in the recording, drink tea... Their presence is important for us, so that they listen from the outside as we play... And it seemed to us that suddenly this atmosphere would interest those who are curious about how our songs are born , how we prepare for meetings with listeners.

But you know, this track has already given birth to a wave of criticism on the Internet. You are condemned for using obscene language, which you, however, slightly veil: “Fuck you.”

Still, I don’t think I said anything swearing (laughs).

Yes, it was said as if in a pillow, but people immediately deciphered it. The girls write: MakSim no longer exists for me, I thought she was like this, but she is like this...

Why hide it, sometimes I swear during creative process. I’m generally an idealist-maximalist, and if we don’t agree on something for a long, long time, I can have a big fight. But you can’t judge me directly by the tracks. Many, after listening to the song “Loner,” wrote: “Oh, MakSim, so he smokes? Oh, she’s so, so growing!” So: if tomorrow I write a song about space, do you think I’ve been there?

Are you a bossy person or just harsh? Can you give in to someone, obey?

To obey - maybe not exactly about me, but rather to obey. The people I respect, I consider to be professionals. I even follow their example, which makes me happy. I try to approach what I do sensibly, I understand: this is by no means the crown of my creativity, I want to continue to grow as a professional, and have someone to learn from.

After the speech, MakSim answered questions from local media journalists at a press conference.

Maxim, this is your first time in Syktyvkar, what do you remember?

For now only concerts. But I think now we will meet someone in the city and have fun. We'll have a hearty meal and walk around the city. Moreover, it is warmer here than in Moscow. The north is there now!

Why were your concerts in the republic cancelled?

They explained to me that those people who brought the equipment here were afraid of 40-degree frosts. Like, the equipment will fail. But this never happened because of me.

How do you like the local crowd?

You saw everything yourself! Soulful, amazing people. It’s great that the parents brought their children. I've been a mother for almost a year myself. It is important when you understand your child, and he understands you. I am for common interests.

What gifts were you given at the concert?

These are mainly handmade products. They seem to depict symbols of your city. This is very original, you won’t find anything like it in Moscow. By the way, recently they gave me diapers, and another time they put a jar of jam on stage.

A year ago, when singer MakSim was just about to buy her first own apartment, then promised that her apartment would be very compact. During this year she managed to give her first solo concert at the prestigious Olympic Stadium, receive many awards and gain an even stronger foothold at the top of the Russian musical Olympus. It would seem that it would be possible to reconsider the concept of minimalism by purchasing housing that is more appropriate to one’s status. But MakSim turned out to be true to herself.

“I bought an apartment in a huge, pompous new building, which in appearance looks more like not a city building, but a real royal palace. And when people look at it, they have no doubt that there can only be vast mansions inside,” the singer grinned. - In fact, it is so. All apartments, except mine, are “family estates” with marble columns and other frills. And I chose the smallest one and I’m incredibly happy about it. There is only a dining room, a living room and a bedroom - all more than modest in size, but this is exactly how I imagined my home.”

MakSim loves children very much and does not refuse to take pictures with them.

– For me, the passing year is just a fairy tale. I became a mother - and this is the main thing! No awards - even if there are a million of them! – they don’t make me as happy as my daughter.

I’m so pleased that girls at concerts give me toys “for Sasha.” We already have a whole toy store! When my daughter grows up a little, we will go together to some orphanage and give our trophies to the kids. I want her to understand: if you have something in abundance, you definitely need to share it with those who are less fortunate.

By the way, in Ufa, fans gave me a wonderful doll - a copy of me in a dress that brought me luck when I was just starting to perform. The girls admitted that they spent the whole night sewing the outfit, and even made a tattoo on the doll’s hand - it turned out very similar! I'm touched. My daughter also liked the girl’s gift. We will never part with him!

— Do you prefer it when people address you by your pseudonym or by your real name?

- I enjoy both. Because my parents naturally call me Marina, it would be strange if they called me “Maxim”. I have an older brother – Maxim.

- Oh, I didn’t give you flowers!

- It's OK. Let's go now!

- I give! It is for you!

- Thanks a lot!

- Thank you for the concert.

— I don’t really like jazz, I don’t understand rock at all, I’m more inclined to your style - that is, to pop music. But I honestly cannot say that I am a great connoisseur of MakSim’s work. Of course, I hear your songs, because they have been heard everywhere for several years now.

— I anticipate your first question. Why - Maxim?

— Is that what your friends called you in your native Kazan?

- They called me since childhood. Brother - Max, me - Maxim.

— Do you have many friends?

— I can call only 5 people my friends, by the way, only one of them is a woman. After one difficult period, I began to choose my social circle more carefully.

- All your friends are from your hometown?

— Yes, I met them in Kazan. But in Moscow I found many close people. They scared me that Moscow was a very dangerous city, and I would certainly be deceived. On the contrary, I met even more good people than in Kazan. I'm sure I'm lucky.

- Are there any friends among famous people?

“I wouldn’t say friends, just a warm relationship.” But not with those in the frame, but with the musicians.

Marina Maximova’s first fee was enough for a cake and four toothbrushes for the whole family. Several years passed - and the singer MakSim ended up in Forbes rating as one of the most influential women Russia.

The artist's nickname as a child was Terminator. And today this “terminator” is a concentrate of femininity: princess dresses, thin legs in high heels, cat-like habits and intonations.

MakSim lightly quotes Yesenin, Tsvetaeva and his beloved Dovlatov. But for most, he remains the author of “tearful texts for teenage girls.”

First higher education MakSim - public relations (PR technologies). The second is the Faculty of Theology. Where is PR, and where is the soul, and why her whole life is a complete contradiction - we asked MakSim herself.

- This is not a contradiction! And it's definitely not fake. I’m not lying about all this - I’m just very different. I, like all twins, am characterized by duality. Duality... And terrible maximalism. Either the way I decided... Or not at all.

— And this maximalism forces you to adhere to such a tour schedule: every day there is a flight and new town? Yesterday - Kazan, today - Minsk, tomorrow - St. Petersburg...

— And you still don’t know about closed events... (Smiles.)
I actually started adjusting my schedule when I became a mother. Now I don’t have more than 12 concerts a month. On the one hand, it seems like a lot. On the other hand, it’s three to four days a week. This way I am able to get into the mode of my children and spend most of my time with them.

And once upon a time there were 30 concerts a month. I wanted everything at once. I understood that I had been working towards this for a long time and had no right to refuse if people were waiting for me. As a result, both I and my entire huge team - and these are grown, hefty men - destroyed ourselves. Both mentally and physically. The fatigue was unbearable.

Therefore, now - only a healthy schedule and correctly set priorities.

MakSim admits: being strong is difficult. But even more difficult, the worst thing is to become dependent on anyone.

- Can you even turn on the girl? Well, this: “I’m weak and I want to be held”?

- I'm studying! With all my might. But it's mine a big problem, which is difficult to step over.

— And you also study theology. Tell us how a PR specialist with a first degree and an artist by vocation suddenly became interested in theology?

- Well, not suddenly. Everyone experiences postpartum syndrome differently. After Masha was born, it was like this: I really wanted to study. I started with history - to restore it in memory and expand it in consciousness.

This is very interesting, but I admit, I’m lost: in history Russian state, in the world - even more so. I got confused in the positions and reinterpretations of different authors... What can I say, even if I can’t get out of the history of painting? I have a huge book about her, and, to be honest, as soon as I finish reading it, I’ll start again - because it’s impossible to remember all this the first time.

At some point, theology appeared - it was she who sorted everything out. She gave me the main thing: an understanding of what I was learning.

- What are you studying?

— The most important thing that theology teaches is love. Love is global, not related to the individual, to something united. Love for yourself, for the world, for nature, for life - and gratitude for what it has been given to you. And, you know, it turned out: there are moments when only this can calm and save.

- IN Lately Only close people help me. Even those whom I, in fact, did not consider close. They just - even knowing how busy I was and the fact that in some things I was absolutely always a black sheep and remained alone - surrounded me unconditional love and warmth.

At a particularly difficult moment, when, on top of everything else, I had health problems, I had terrible thoughts: “Actually, I have seen everything that a person can experience in a hundred years.” I experienced everything I wanted to experience, I made the main choice - both external and internal. Do you know what saved? Awareness: all this must not only be experienced, but held in your hands.

— Yours autobiographical book ends with a story about parents who separated “forever” 4 times, but then returned to each other again. Are you ready to step into the same river twice?

— It came as a surprise to me recently: it turns out I can! And how - with triple zeal! (Laughs.)

I think that the book about my life can be safely renamed. Do you know what we'll call it? "Rake Runner"!

At some point, MakSim realized that she would best be able to convey her emotions and experiences in music. So she began writing poems and composing music for them. As MakSim herself says, everything in life was easy for her. It was exactly the same with the songs - she simply described her most vivid experiences and emotions, and they turned into beautiful poems.

- Marina, how do you “feel” music? Does it depend on your mood?

As a rule, music depends on my mood, and sometimes, on the contrary, music sets the tone for my mood. In my new album “Good” you can immediately “catch” the state in which I was when I wrote it. Therefore, this album turned out to be the most emotional, I often say that it is “an intimate reflection of me.” In my personal life, I am a rather hidden person; I believe that it is called “personal” for a reason. But in music I sometimes express what I cannot say in words.

- How did your relationship with music and stage begin? Why not painting, for example?

As a child, I didn't plan to be an artist. For example, I wanted to be a fireman who saves dogs and cats, and I even wanted to be a dolphin! (laughs).

My mother, so that I would not be “loitering” without anything to do, enrolled me in various creative circles. School of Music instilled in me a love of working on myself, efficiency, and perhaps even resilience. And then everything went by itself. I think the key to my success depends on my love for music, luck and my listeners. By the way, I often talk about them in interviews as a source of pride - I believe that I have the most intelligent and understanding fans, and even criticism from them sounds more like good advice than a reproach. Many of them have been with me for many years, are family friends, come to my concerts with their children, sometimes even coming to another city. They really like to give me various surprises, organize flash mobs, pleasantly surprise me with gifts made with their own hands, I often receive painted portraits, and this is worth a lot.

- Do you write the words and music for your songs yourself?

For the most part, yes. But I am always glad to have good cooperation. It's interesting when a musician has a completely different vision of music, which is radically different from mine. From such collaboration wonderful songs are born.

- Who is your ideological inspirer?

There is no one person, this collective image. Poets inspire me Silver Age, I really love Akhmatova, Blok, at the same time I can be under a long impression from the film I watched, I even walk silently, not talking to anyone. The beautiful view is captivating, for example, I can be inspired by the view of the Altai Mountains.

- Tell us about those people who are “behind the scenes”? Choreographer, makeup artist, stylist, maybe an acting teacher?

For 10 years I worked with Warner Music, formerly Gala Records. At the end of the contract, I decided to go my own independent way, but I am very grateful to the entire Warner team for creative work they always let me do it, and for me this is one of the most important points. This is probably why I have never worked and will never work with producers.

Now my team consists of a small number of people who are passionate about what we do together, and I am very pleased with the results.

I go on stage with my musical group, with whom we have been together for many years, and went through fire and water, sometimes working 30 concerts a month. Now, of course, I can’t afford it due to the fact that I have a responsibility to the children, and I try to be an adequate mother and spend as much time as possible with my daughters.

- In what direction are you still developing?

Just recently I opened my own art school. I can’t say that this is a business for me, but rather the fulfillment of an old dream that I have been striving for for many years. I believe that it is necessary to accumulate musical experience pass on to the younger generation.

My eldest daughter Sasha pushed me to create a school. In search of the ideal creative circle, we went to many places, and there were always some disadvantages: the room was too uncomfortable, but I understand that the child should go to additional classes with joy, to feel at home. The teachers are not qualified enough. But the main problem is a rather narrow set of disciplines. This is how the idea arose to create a certain ideal place with friendly, professional teachers, a large number of creative disciplines, where you want to return with pleasure.

- You opened your art school in the fall, how can you get there?

Absolutely all people who want to engage in self-development and unleash their creative potential can get into my school. My oldest student is 48 years old, my youngest is 3 years old. For each age we have our own groups, our own teachers, our own disciplines. Since I myself came from a poor family and money was never my priority, I opened a school specifically for middle-class people. And for those who can't afford additional education or courses, I periodically give away training certificates at various talent competitions.

- Do you directly teach any subjects there or are you just a leader?

I don't have a teaching diploma, so I act as ideological inspirer, leader, guide students, help with advice and sometimes give master classes on various topics.

- What are the prospects for young talents after graduation?

We try to take into account the interests of each student and have individual approach. After only 4 months of work, we are staging a fairy tale on the stage of one large venue, this is New Year's a charity concert, in which more than 30 students from my school will take part.

My students will perform at various talent competitions, we will do reporting concerts, the school has its own recording studio and production center, where students can record a song, under the guidance of specialists they will create duets and groups, shoot videos, and create albums. The school will help with admission to music and acting universities.

- How do you manage to combine such a busy concert activities With personal life? With raising a child?

I try to manage my time effectively. I'm always with the kids at all times important events, this is a priority: this year the eldest daughter went to first grade, and the youngest celebrated her one year anniversary.

After concerts in other cities, I take the first flight home. Of course, there is no time to walk around the city on a tour.

- Will your daughter follow in her mother’s footsteps?

All I can do is watch my daughters grow and guide them. How the personality will be formed, whether it will be a creative activity, is still difficult to say. I don't think so. The eldest daughter Sashka is very serious, not like her mother. (laughs) But if they decide to connect their lives with music, then I won’t be against it. I didn’t see anything bad in this profession.

- Our shooting took place in an unusual format, how do you feel about fast food? Or are you a supporter of healthy eating?

On film set it smelled very tasty and the props were mercilessly eaten by me right during the shooting. (laughs) Although I don’t often treat myself to such food. But I never exhaust myself with diets. In general, I like to “sharpen” the refrigerator at night.
I believe that every woman can devote an hour a day to herself or go in for sports, even if it’s an ordinary walk with her children in the park.

- Do you like to experiment?

Yes. In music I can call myself an experimenter. I love collaborating with artists of a different genre. I have a duet with the rock group Animal Jazz, and tracks with hip-hop artists such as Basta, Legalize. I'm always for interesting experiments!

- You have a tattoo on your hand, what does it mean?

I even have two of them. On my wrist is the Latin phrase “The wolf changes his skin, but does not change his soul,” which for me has a double meaning: people don’t change, and you shouldn’t be too gullible. And no matter how much they told me that tattoos would bother me, I have never regretted getting them.

- At what age did you do it?

At the age of 13, she got a tattoo on her right shoulder with the image of a cat, although it looked more like a marten.

- Follow fashion trends?

I'm not used to being bothered by fashion trends. In this regard, I was lucky with my job. There are almost always stylists on the set who live for this and earn their living by helping me look stylish.

- In all interviews you indicate that you do not wear perfume, what is the reason for this?

I think that age and skin condition allow me to smell fresh and good soap.

I recently released the single “Good” from my new album. The listeners liked the track and got into rotation on all the top radio stations in the country. I'm planning to shoot a video for it soon.

Preparations for the first fairy tale from the art school are well underway. By the way, I will play one of the roles in the fairy tale.

And if we talk about distant plans, then I want to open my own charitable foundation.

Photo: Ilona Veresk
Bar: Let's Twist Bar
Clothing: LENA TROTSKO (@lena_trotsko)
Shoes: AnnaKitro (@kitro)
Bags: ANNA WOLF (@annawolffashion)
Jewelry: Luxury (@roskoshstudio)

Singer Maxim says in an interview:
How is Love for Life expressed, advice from singer Maxim.
What does success consist of?
What main qualities or sensations should a woman acquire in order to be ready for the birth of a child?
What type of holiday does Maksim prefer? The importance of being alone with your thoughts.
How can one get into the MakSim School of Arts and what results do students achieve?

Find yourself!
Unleash Your Creative Potential!
School of Arts MakSim

Visiting Women’s Time magazine MakSim (Marina Maksimova) – Russian singer, singer-songwriter, music producer and the ideological mastermind and director of the School of the Arts.
The singer MakSim School of Arts began its activities in September 2015 - this is unique institution for children and adults, accessible to everyone who strives to unleash their creative potential. Maksim is pleased to conveyaccumulated experience for his students, helping to realize their cherished dreams. The School of Arts is focused on training true professionals in their field; all the skills that the school’s students acquire in the future will allow each graduate to decide on a career choice, a future direction in life and gain connections in the musical field.

MakSim charming mother of two beautiful daughters. In the interview, MakSim will share with us his love for life, his advice in relationships between parents and children, and will also talk about the importance of creativity in life and unleashing your creative potential.

Maria Prokopchenko: The theme of this issue is “Love of Life,” so first of all I would like to ask: how does love for life express itself for you, how does it manifest itself, and what can you advise people who want to find a creative flow within themselves, but do not know where to begin. Can a person start with any creative activity, without even understanding whether he chose the right direction, and then suddenly understand where to go?

Singer Maxim: My love for life is expressed in the sun, in children and in the fact that we are in this world.

The hardest thing is always to start. It all depends on what kind of creativity we’re talking about: if it’s, say, poetry, then there’s nothing left to do but just sit down and write something, and then read it as best you can more people, without necessarily telling who the author of the work is.

It is better, of course, if a person starts with creative activity from childhood. It’s not for nothing that parents send their children to all sorts of creative clubs. Just to unleash the child’s creative potential.

It also happens that a person, already in old age, decides that he wants, for example, to paint pictures, and not do business - this is his choice, and in this case he can help himself with this decision. At least it’s never too late to get creative.

Maria Prokopchenko: Which are the most important stages on the path to becoming an artist? Tell us from your experience how you came to this.

In general, I always say that success comes from little things. If this or that event had not happened, it is unlikely that we would be talking now, including you, and everything could have turned out differently. Therefore, each stage is important and must be completed.

As for me, the fact is that I never dreamed of being an artist. I thought songwriting was very natural process, and I didn’t understand why others weren’t writing. Fate brought me to this and put me in that very right place - it was a foregone conclusion, no matter how much I strived for some other peaks. The stage has always accompanied me throughout my life, it has not gone anywhere, and for me it has always been very natural.

DATA
Success came to MakSim with the release of the album “Difficult Age” in 2006, which sold more than 1.5 million copies; in 2007 MakSim became the most commercially successful singer in Russia. At the MTV Russian Music Awards and the Muz-TV Awards, MakSim twice won the “Best Performer” category. MakSim is the owner of 13 Golden Gramophone statuettes. The singer’s second album, “My Paradise,” sold more than 1.3 million copies. MakSim is the only singer whose 7 singles consistently took first place in the overall radio chart of the CIS countries.

Maria: You are a wonderful mother of two daughters, tell us from your experience what main qualities or feelings a woman should acquire in order to be ready for the birth of a child?

MakSim: I think that this is a natural, instinctive feeling that comes unconsciously, and a woman’s desire to have a child arises even in a dream. And a woman can no longer think about anything else, this is her destiny from Above.

Maria: Was there an event in your life that radically changed it, gave it a special meaning - an event that made you realize “I’m not living in vain”?

MakSim: Such events happen to me very often, because the flow of life runs ahead of me, and I generally like to go with the flow of life.

Maria: What's the best way to relax for you? Do you like to be alone with yourself and your thoughts?

MakSim: I prefer leisure. The best way getting rid of negative thoughts is playing hide and seek with children, or running. I love holidays with children, I prefer children's discos to various social events.

I have never suffered from loneliness, so sometimes I want and even like to be alone, this state leads me to the right outcome and the right thoughts.

DISCOVER YOUR TALENTS
SING
DANCE
PLAY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
LEARN ACTING
PARTICIPATE IN COMPETITIONS AND TV SHOOTINGS
RECORD YOUR OWN SONGS

Maria: We know that you opened an Art School. What do children achieve, what results do they achieve and how does it help them not only in professional activity, but also in life itself?

MakSim: Opening your own Art Schools– my old dream, the realization of which I have been going for a very long time.

Absolutely all people who want to engage in self-development and unleash their creative potential can get into my school. My oldest student is 48 years old, my youngest is 3 years old. For each age we have our own groups, our own teachers, our own disciplines. Since I myself came from a poor family and money was never my priority, I opened the school specifically for middle-class people, I believe that they have the greatest desire to learn and experience. And for those who cannot afford additional education or courses, I periodically give away training certificates at various talent competitions.

We try to take into account the interests of each student and have an individual approach to each one. My students will perform at various talent competitions, we will do reporting concerts, the school has its own recording studio and production center where students can record a song, duets and groups will be created under the guidance of specialists, videos will be shot, and albums will be created. The school will help with admission to music and acting universities.

Under New Year we made a fairy tale for parents and everyone on the stage of one large stage in Moscow. The fairy tale was prepared quickly, and in just a few weeks we put together an amazing performance, where I played the role of the Snow Maiden, and the children and I sang my song “Christmas Lullaby.”

Maria Prokopchenko: It’s very cool when dreams come true, I’m sure that studying with you, with your light hand, all students will find their way. What are your wishes for our readers?

Welcome spring with the smile that the first sun will give you. To do this, just look out the window.

Interview with Maria Prokopchenko

Look video interview with Maxim