Mykola Mykolaiovych Bortnyk (, born 8 March 1990), better known by his stage name Max Barskih () and alter-ego Mickolai, is a Ukrainian singer and songwriter.
He has released seven studio albums, one compilation album and two extended plays.Max Barskih (Nikolai Bortnik) Biography
Early life Max Barskih was born on 8 March 1990 in Kherson, Ukraine. He was raised in his birthplace, and moved to Kyiv after graduation. He is the youngest of three children and has an older brother and a sister. During his childhood, his parents were often away on business trips. According to Barskih, his family was rather poor as a result of to his father's actions; he preferred socializing with friends to raising his children. Barskih has stated that he has negative childhood memories connected to his father's alcoholism and physical violence. His mother and older brother often fought with his father when he would attempt to carry out "discipline" after a night of drinking.
When Barskih was 11, his father left the family, and his mother continued to raise him and his siblings alone. Barskih did not see or communicate with his father again until he was 27, when the two unsuccessfully attempted to reconnect.
Career
Max Barskih rose to fame in Ukraine and post-Soviet countries in 2008 as a participant of the Ukrainian talent show "Fabryka Zirok 2" (Star Factory 2).
In 2010, Max Barskih was awarded "Best Ukrainian Act" at the MTV Europe Music Awards, marking his first major award win.
Barskih also made his acting debut in 2010 in Lara Fabian's musical feature film Mademoiselle Zhivago (then released in 2013).
In 2012, Barskih entered the Eurovision Song Contest Auditions for Ukraine with the English version of his song "Dance", but narrowly lost to Gaitana who represented Ukraine in Baku with her song "Be My Guest".
Max Barskih has won numerous awards, including "Singer of the Year" Awards at the Baltic Music Awards 2011, the "Crystal Microphone" Awards 2011, the M1 Music Awards 2017, the GQ Men of the Year Awards 2018, the New Radio Awards 2019, the Love Radio Awards 2019 and at the Top Hit Music Awards 2020.
Forbes Magazine USA and Vogue Ukraine have called Barskih "the most internationally successful Russian language singer".
Throughout his career, Barskih has worked closely with Alan Badoev, who is his producer and has also directed most of his music videos. Barskih's videos have gained popularity in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The director likes to use a variety of visual effects for many of his videos, such as in the music videos for "Теряю тебя" ("Lost in Love") which was released in 3D format in the CIS nations.Max Barskih's single released in 3D in the CIS Nations
Barskih composes the music and writes the lyrics of his songs himself (and was e.g. nominated at the 2019 Russian National Music Awards for "Lyricist of the Year"), and partly also does the producing. Most of his songs are in Russian, but he has also sung in Ukrainian (e.g. "Небо" and "Двоє") and in English (e.g. "Z.Dance" (partly in English) and "Silence" (entirely in English)).
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Barskih joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In summer 2023, he started a world tour in support of Ukraine from Lisbon.
Discography
Studio albums
1:MAX BARSKIH (2009) Z.Dance (2012) По Фрейду (By Freud, 2014) Туманы (Mists, 2016) 7 (2019) 1990 (2020) Зорепад (2023)
Compilation albums
Words (2015)
EPs
Mickolai – EP (2015) Місто дощів (2025)
Singles
2009: S.L. (Suka Lyubov') [Love is a bitch] 2009: Пусто (Pusto) [Empty] 2009: DVD (with Natalia Mogilevskaya) 2010: Агония (Agoniya) [Agony] 2010: Сердце бьётся (Serdtse Byotsya) [Heart is Beating] (with Svetlana Loboda) 2010: Студент (Student) 2011: Lost in Love | Теряю тебя (Terayu Tebya) [Losing you] 2011: Белый ворон (Beliy Voron) [White Raven] 2011: Atoms | Глаза-убийцы (Glaza-ubiytsi) [Eyes of a Killer] 2011: Downtown 2011: Dance 2012: F**K OFF 2012: Higher 2012: Alive | Пылай (Pylay) [Blaze] 2012: I Wanna Run | Я болею тобой (Ya boleyu toboy) [I'm a fan of you] 2013: По Фрейду (By Freud) 2013: Какой была твоя любовь? (What was your love?) 2013: Hero_in 2013: Небо (Sky) 2014: Отпусти (Let Me Go) 2014: Всё серьёзно (Everything's Serious) 2015: Хочу танцевать (I Want To Dance) 2015: Подруга – Ночь (Night is my friend) 2016: Займёмся Любовью (Let's Make Love) 2016: Последний летний день (Last Day of Summer) 2016: Туманы (Mists) 2016: Неверная (Unfaithful) 2017: Моя любовь (My love) 2017: Февраль (February) 2018: Берега (Shores) 2019: Неслучайно (For a Reason) 2019: Лей, не жалей (Pour, Have No Regrets) 2020: Небо льёт дождем (Sky is Raining) 2020: ПО СЕКРЕТY (In Secret) 2020: Silence 2021: Bestseller (with Zivert) 2021: Tequila Sunrise 2022: Don't Fuck With Ukraine
Other ventures
Songwriting Barskih writes his songs himself and occasionally also works as a songwriter for other artists. Selected list of songs written by Max Barskih for other artistsYearArtistTitleRemarks2010Svetlana Loboda «Сердце бьётся» («Serdtse b'yotsya»/«Heart Beats»)2012Misha Romanova «Невесомая» («Nevesomaya»/«Weightless»)«Не верь мне» («Ne ver' mne»/«Don't Believe Me»)2014Tina Karol «Любила» («Lyubila»/«Loved»)2015Natalia Mohylevska«Всё хорошо» («Vso khorosho»/«Things are good»)2016Kristina Orbakaitė«Ты мой» («Ty moy»/«You are My»)Ani Lorak«Удержи мое сердце» («Uderzhi moye serdtse»/«Hold my Heart»)Won New Radio "Major League" Award and Golden Gramophone Award2017Tayanna «I Love You»Barskih also produced the song2019Misha Romanova «MAKEUP»Barskih also produced the song and directed and produced the music video«Лунная» («Lunnaya»/«Lunar» )Barskih also produced the song«Помада» («Pomada»/«Pomade»)Barskih also produced the song«MAXIM»Barskih also produced the song and directed and produced the music video«Зачем?» («Zachem?»/«What for?»)Barskih also produced the song2020«Кино» («Kino»/«Movie» )Barskih also produced the song«Ты» («Ty»/«You» )Barskih also produced the song Acting Barskih has starred as an actor in two musical feature films.
Filmography Acting roles in moviesYearProduction typeTitleLanguageRoleRemarks2012Musical feature film Z.Dance(ru)Russian and EnglishMain role Featured all songs of Barskih's «Z.Dance» album; Directed by Alan Badoev 2013Musical feature filmMademoiselle ZhivagoFrench and RussianSupporting role (played Lara Fabian's lover)Starring Lara Fabian in the main role; Featured all songs of Fabian's «Mademoiselle Zhivago» album; Filmed in 2010; Directed by Alan Badoev Appearances on TV showsYearEnglish titleOriginal titleProduction typeRoleRemarks2008"Star Factory" Ukraine (Season 2)Singing talent showParticipantFinished on 6th place (was disqualified after a scandal)2012"Star Factory" Russia (Season 9)Singing talent showMember of the "Ukrainian National Team"Special season of the show in which the best graduates of the Russian and Ukrainian versions of "Star Factory" competed against each other in "national teams"2017"Dancing with the Stars" Ukraine (Season 5), FinalCelebrity dancing showGuest appearanceGuest appearance in the 5th Season's Final 2019X-Factor Ukraine (Season 10), Final Singing talent showGuest performance Guest performance in the 10th Season's Final; Performed his songs «Февраль» (in a duet with the show's finalist Maria Stopnyk) and «Лей, не жалей»
Awards and nominations