Crossover into the American music market is a coveted dream for many international artists. Beyond t.A.T.u. breaking through global charts, few artists from Eastern Europe have managed to cross into the mainstream of the U.S. music industry. Language barriers, geopolitics, and marketing budgets often prove insurmountable. However, Max Barskih, Ukraine’s most successful pop export of the last decade, is positioning himself to change that stereotype.
Born in Kherson in 1990 and trained at the Kyiv Academy of Pop and Circus Arts, Barskih first came to prominence in 2008 on ‘Star Factory,’ Ukraine’s version of the popular American music reality show. Since then he has built a career that combines pop craft with visual ambition, working closely with director Alan Badoev to create a range of cinematic music videos that visibly stand out in the crowded Eastern European market. By 2011 his album Z.Dance had secured him regional stardom, followed by an MTV Europe Music Award in 2012. Over the next decade he released multiple successful albums: Tumany (Fogs), 7, Zorepad (Starfall), Po Freidu (By Freud), and 1990, each proving his ability to shift across genres, languages, and cultural contexts.
In a market like Ukraine, where piracy long undercut record sales, Barskih built his career on live touring and visual storytelling. Partnerships with companies such as KitKat, Chivas, and SkyUp Airlines became more than endorsements — they were extensions of his artistic identity. Take, for example, a holiday-themed collaboration with KitKat which doubled as a music video launch. This strategy has allowed Barskih to monetize his art in ways that reinforced, rather than diluted, his creative vision.
A key pillar of that narrative remains his partnership with Badoev. Since 2008, the duo has produced some of Eastern Europe’s most ambitious music videos, from the stylized “Tequila Sunrise” to “Stomach Butterflies,” which featured Ukrainian teenagers confronting real stories of loss and resilience. Barskih describes the key to longevity of their collaboration as focus on craft not profit: “We were never chasing money.”
Now, after more than 15 years in the industry, Barskih is focused on the most difficult leap in global pop: cracking the U.S. market. His forthcoming English-language album has been years in the making, rewritten repeatedly until the lyrics felt authentic. “It was important for me to find my voice in English,” he explains. Songs that didn’t meet that standard were scrapped. Barskih is betting that his combination of authenticity, brand savvy, and creative legacy can help him succeed where many other Eastern European artists from Verka Serduchka to Ruslana have stalled. “I don’t want to sound like anyone else,” he says. “I want to sound like me, in English.”
To accelerate the process, he immersed himself in American culture, deliberately avoiding Ukrainian-speaking circles and forcing himself to think, speak, and even dream in English. He admits to occasional struggles with idioms and accent, but believes that emotional authenticity will matter most. After all, it is quite a balancing act: reaching international audiences while positioning himself as a cultural ambassador for Ukraine. The Russia-waged war against Ukraine has sharpened that cultural ambassador identity. Barskih has stopped recording in Russian, a decision he frames as both artistic and political.
At home, Barskih popularity is unquestioned: millions of YouTube views and sold-out arena tours have made him a fixture of Ukrainian pop. The question now is whether that success can propel him onto the global stage. This fall, American audiences will find out. I sat down with Barskih to discuss how he is preparing for his American crossover, why English remains the universal language of music, and what he hopes listeners will take away from his next chapter.
Where do you find yourself right now in life? What emotions are you experiencing?
Max Barskih: Right now I feel more harmonized and more balanced. I know what I want. I know where I am going. I know what I am saying to people through my music. Life always has ups and downs. One minute you are at the highest point of your life, then you go down mentally and emotionally. It is like waves. I try to ride these waves, go with the flow, and be the best version of myself every day. I am in a good place with the shows and tours. Everything feels successful. I am finally putting out new material. I have been working on this English language album for the past couple of years. The track list kept changing because I kept improving my English and my writing. I tried to write all of the songs without co-writers.
Why is now the right moment to sing in English?
English is the international language. I can expand the audience and the listeners. Some songs come to me in English and melodically it feels close. When the information comes I grab it and turn it into music.
How do you balance being a Ukrainian artist while singing in English?
I am not going to stop writing songs in Ukrainian. While I finish the English album I already keep ideas for a Ukrainian album next. I do not forget my heritage and I support Ukraine as much as possible. More people speak English in Ukraine now. I want to grow and try uncomfortable positions where I do not have the power of a native speaker. That challenge motivates me and gives me energy. I avoid comfort zones and move forward. If I feel like singing in English and the songs are coming in that language, I follow that feeling. My fans in Ukraine understand and support me.
What happens when the challenge becomes a frustration? For example the accent or the lyric that will not land, how do you push through?
Sometimes it hits me hard. Some songs I record in a few takes and they already sound nice. Some songs I crossed off the list because I came back and understood the feeling was not there. It felt like English was not my comfortable language to sing. You have to find the right tone and find your new voice in English. Singing in Ukrainian uses different techniques. We speak more from the throat. Many Europeans and Americans have a more nasal sound. For me that is not comfortable. On some songs I try my best to sound like a native speaker. On the other hand I try not to lose myself because my voice is my uniqueness. Sometimes I write a song and think it is amazing and it has to be on the album. Later I waited a month and came back. If it still sounds good it has a chance to stay. Most of them go away because they are not ready to be shown. I am a perfectionist. Sometimes that gives me energy to keep working and sometimes it stops me from calling it done.
Your videos often showcase Ukrainian youth, design, and fashion. People call that cultural soft power. Do you see yourself as a cultural advocate for Ukraine?
My team and I try to work with talented Ukrainians who have strong vision. Ukrainian history and culture have many sources of inspiration for visuals and music. In the last two years I put more Ukrainian folk elements into the music and used traditional clothing mixed with modern silhouettes. In the video for Stomach butterflies, one of my English singles, we found teenagers and young adults from different parts of Ukraine. Some had very sad stories. We brought them together for a big project that became a psychological experiment about trust. With everything going on in Ukraine people can get depressed or close themselves off. We did not expect it to turn out the way it did, but it did, and I am glad with the result. I love my country and I love Ukrainian culture. There is a lot to explore and use as inspiration.
Do you have a favorite Ukrainian dish?
Borscht. It is basic maybe but it is my favorite. You cannot find it made the same way everywhere. You have to find a Ukrainian place and even then it is not like at home.
You and your producer, partner Alan Badoev have created a striking visual world together since 2008. What is the secret to keeping the relationship creative and respectful?
We met on a project similar to a reality music show called Factory of Stars. We clicked energetically and artistically. I try to grow every day in psychology, music, and art. He is my reflection in his field. He is always progressing and looking for what is new. He gets inspiration from films, shows, concerts, and nature. We surprise each other. When I work on a new song I show him and it gives him instant inspiration. He sees the image of the song and we think about the idea and make it happen. We were never about money. We were about a mission. What we want to bring to the world. What legacy we want to leave. Inspiring people and sharing love.
In the video for “Someone New” you mentioned “A Clockwork Orange” as a reference. Were you trying to provoke the audience?
It was about a feeling. The song translates that. The album is about mental health, breakdowns, ups and downs, and the story of relationships from first sight to the breaking point. It is a cycle. We were not trying to put anything in people’s faces. Sometimes during shooting an idea is not fully formed. We find an image or an emotion that feels like something you saw in a movie and it helps during editing. In the end we sometimes see a video completely different from the plan.
When you hear a voice in your head do you listen to it or question it? How do you balance intuition with feedback?
Trusting your intuition is important. It gives you answers and can come through music, books, movies, or a nearby conversation. When I write a line and it clicks I know it has to stay. If I am not sure about a line I keep working until I get that click. Then I know I am on the right path. The song will be good for this moment.
You are still finalizing the track list. What is the one feeling you want people to walk away with when the album drops?
I get many comments from people who say my music gives hope, answers, and a release of negative energy or depression. It helps them through difficult moments. Before I finish a song I imagine a person with a specific situation. Sometimes it is my life. Sometimes I imagine someone lost in life or in a relationship. I ask what suggestion I can give and what mental help I can offer. Sometimes I ask what God would say from above. That gives me inspiration to say those words. I hope some of the songs on this album give people that feeling of release.