The finalist in the audio project, Olga Zadonskaya, shared that her mentor Polina Gagarina would never turn her away. Speaking to MUZ TV, she described their bond and how they stay connected beyond the studio. “We can reply to each other’s posts on social networks and wish each other well during holidays. To me, Polina is like an SOS in life. If anything happens, I know I can rely on her for help, and I believe she would never refuse,” Zadonskaya explained.
In the fourth season finale of the voice-over series, a member of Polina Gagarina’s team secured third place. Today, Zadonskaya performs as the soloist alongside Masha Sheikh in the duo Masha Sheikh & Zadonskaya. The pair has already staged their first concert in Moscow, underscoring their growing synergy and stage presence.
Masha Sheikh, a rap artist and songwriter, previously starred in the group 2Mashi, where she teamed up with Maria Zaitseva. The two met while vacationing in Thailand in January 2014 and decided to form a duo. Their collaboration yielded two studio albums, Now There Are Two of Us and Now There Are Many of Us, along with a mini-album titled All of Us. Among their most recognizable tracks were Barefoot, Mom I’m Dancing, and Red / White. In 2022, after seven years together, the duo announced a creative pause, which ultimately led to their separation.
There has been ongoing discussion about the reasons behind the dissolution of 2Mashi. Reports cited creative differences and shifts in personal priorities as contributing factors, with both artists pursuing individual paths while continuing to nurture the memories of their joint work. Fans have reflected on the impact of their collaboration and watched closely as Sheikh and Zadonskaya navigated the next steps in their respective careers, including live performances and new musical directions.
The dynamic between Masha Sheikh and Olga Zadonskaya highlights how partnerships formed on reality platforms can evolve into enduring musical projects. Zadonskaya’s ascent as a soloist within the new duo mirrors a broader trend in contemporary pop and rap scenes, where artists leverage prior group experiences to enrich their individual voices. Meanwhile, Sheikh’s early-career breakthrough in Thailand serves as a reminder of how international experiences can catalyze creative fusion and long-term collaborations. The evolving stories of these artists illustrate the resilience and adaptability required in today’s competitive music industry, where mentorship, collaboration, and timely opportunities often shape the most memorable moments in an artist’s journey. [citation needed]