1998–2004: Early career At the age of 15, Maksimova decided that she wanted to dedicate her life to music. She had participated in several music competitions in her schools prior, but then decided to become the lead singer of the Kazan group Pro-Z. With Pro-Z, she performed at several local events, enjoying local popularity. After this, Maksimova moved to
Moscow to create a larger chance for her music to be heard.
2005–2010: Breakthrough and peak of fame In 2005, Maksimova signed a deal with
Gala Records and re-released her song "Trudnyi vozrast", then breaking through in the Russian music industry, subsequently releasing an eponymous album a year later. In that time, MakSim also shot her first music videos for the songs "Trudnyi vozrast" and "Nezhnost'". Following the release of her album, MakSim embarked on her first nationwide tour. MakSim's sophomore album
Moy ray was subsequently released in November 2007. In 2007, MakSim was first nominated for the MTV Russian Music Awards. At the ceremony, she was received awards in for both nominations she received: Best Female Singer and Best Pop Project. At the Muz-TV Awards, MakSim won the nomination Discovery of the Year and Best Ringtone for her song "Nezhnost'". A year later, she again received nominations for Best Female Singer at the Russian Music Awards and won the award of Best Female Singer at the Muz-TV Awards as well as winning awards for Best Song with "Moy ray" and Best Album for the eponymous album. In late 2008, it became known that MakSim was pregnant with her first child. Despite this, she continued with her touring activities. In August 2008, she released the single "Luchshaya noch'", which topped the TopHit general radio charts. The follow-up, "Ne otdam", also topped the charts and became her most-rotated song on Russian radio. In late 2020, she returned to the stage with the song "Zabyvay". In June 2021 during a concert in her home city Kazan, the singer fell ill with symptoms of
COVID-19, however a PCR-based test gave a negative result on three different occasions. MakSim was then transported to hospital as symptoms worsened. Her condition quickly deteriorated there and she was moved to an intensive care unit, where she was held in an
artificial coma, from 19 June until 3 August. On 9 August, MakSim returned to Instagram and shared that she had been moved to an ordinary unit. ==Personal life==