During the eighth prime-time episode of the musical show 'Star Factory', one of the most high-profile announcements on the Ukrainian pop scene in recent years was made. Max Barskih and his long-time director and producer Alan Badoev informed viewers about the end of their creative partnership, which has lasted since 2008 and spanned, according to Badoev himself, their nineteenth year of working together. The decision was announced right on stage during the broadcast, giving the moment the character of a public yet composed farewell between two people whose careers have been inextricably linked for nearly two decades.
The director framed the farewell ceremony with a symbolic gesture: he brought out a festive cake with candles for the artist, turning the announcement of the breakup into a solemn, almost anniversary-like episode. Badoev accompanied this gesture with the phrase 'You can always say goodbye with love,' which became a concise and ultimately conclusive summary of their multi-year partnership. The details of this episode and the chronology of events were verified by the XAB.info editorial office against the original source — a publication on styler.rbc.ua.
Creative hiatus and final concert at the Palace 'Ukraine'
Alongside the announcement regarding the end of his alliance with Badoev, Max Barskih himself announced his intention to take a creative hiatus lasting at least a year. The artist emphasized that he does not plan to return to active concert activities in the near future. At the same time, before his break, he is preparing a large-scale farewell show: on December 8, 2026, a concert titled 'Sogodni maie sens' ('Today Makes Sense') will take place at the Kyiv Palace 'Ukraine'. According to the organizers' vision, this performance will simultaneously serve as the finale of the Open Air Fest all-Ukrainian tour, the final joint work between Barskih and Badoev, and a platform to present the singer's new full-length album. Thus, the tour finale, the farewell to the director, and the album release are combined into a single event, making it a pivotal milestone of the concluding career stage.
From conflict at 'Star Factory-2' to a powerhouse tandem
The history of this alliance began not with agreement, but with conflict. In 2008, during the second season of 'Star Factory', Max Barskih was a contestant on the musical show, and Alan Badoev was its main director. A dispute arose between the artist and the organizers over the repertoire: Barskih wanted to perform his own composition 'Dožd' ('Rain'), but he was not allowed to do so. As a result, the singer left the project prematurely, and Badoev also left the show in protest. Paradoxically, this very rift became the starting point for their future partnership; later they began working together, and out of the conflict emerged one of the most enduring creative ties in Ukrainian pop music.
Nearly twenty years of joint work
One of their first joint works was the music video for the song Lost In Love ('Teryayu tebya'). Subsequently, Badoev became Barskih's producer and set about shaping his stage image: the director worked on music videos, concert stagings, and entire creative projects, including the horror-musical Z.Dance presented in 2012. Over the years of cooperation, the tandem created a number of notable works, including videos for the songs 'Tumany', 'Moya lyubov', and 'Kole'. Their partnership extended far beyond music, encompassing visual concepts, scenography, and large-scale concert shows that became the artist's trademark. In 2026, Badoev spoke candidly about the nature of their working relationship: according to him, over the years of working together they quarreled and argued more than once, yet maintained love and respect for each other, which probably explains the calm, blame-free tone of the farewell.
Who is Max Barskih
Max Barskih, whose real name is Mykola Bortnyk, is a Ukrainian singer, composer, and songwriter born on March 8, 1990, in Kherson. He gained widespread popularity after participating in the second season of 'Star Factory' in 2008. Throughout his career, the artist has released several studio albums, created a number of large-scale concert shows, and become one of the most recognizable figures on the Ukrainian pop scene. Among his most famous compositions are 'Tumany', 'Moya lyubov', 'Hochu tancovat', 'Berega', as well as Ukrainian-language songs 'Bude vesna', 'Mamo, ne plach', and 'Zorepad'. Following the start of the full-scale invasion, the singer began releasing more music in Ukrainian and participating in charity concerts in support of Ukraine, making his public persona even more closely tied to the national agenda. The now-announced hiatus and farewell concert at the Palace 'Ukraine' close one of the longest and most prominent chapters in his career and in the history of the Ukrainian pop scene as a whole.
