Maye Musk: I, Elon’s mom, an electric woman

This article is published in number 9 of Vanity Fair on newsstands until March 3, 2021

As in dreams, where perhaps it happens to fly lightly over heavy images and instead get distressed by trifles, so the top model Maye Musk, 72 (read correctly, 72!), to laugh out loud about the blows received by the ex-husband, but do not ask for them if, by chance, he is a believer or a spiritual one because, to the limit of the angry one, he takes refuge behind a «I don’t speak of religion “. And good luck if you hope to get political comment from her.

After answering “yes” when asked if she was happy that America had changed president, perhaps regretting the albeit laconic admission, she barricaded herself behind vague statements about the importance of health and mutual respect. Ice, in the iceberg-colored eyes and in the tone of voice, as angular as his cheekbones, it melted as soon as we passed from opinion to story of a life, his, which has nothing ordinary and astonishing every second. From her first holidays with her parents, spent in the South African desert in search of the lost city of Kalahari (paternal obsession, never satisfied), to the violent marriage with the engineer Errol Musk with whom she will have three children in three years (including Elon, now owner of Tesla and SpaceX and always competing with Jeff Bezos to win the title of richest man in the world). Since the day the 15 year old daughter she sold her house without asking her permission for success in fashion after the deadline. Yes, because for a lifetime she was an esteemed dietician and nutritionist who, on occasion, paraded to supplement her salary. Crossed 60 years, thanks also to an increasingly inclusive fashion industry, she finds herself posing naked for the Time, then for the New York Magazine. At 68 she is crowned “top model”. Today, at 72, while many of her peers are thinking about buen retiro, she is highly sought after by the most prestigious brands, she gives one interview after another to promote her autobiography, A Woman Makes a Plan (A woman makes a plan, ed. Penguin, ed). And he packs his bags to move to New York where, he says, “a brilliant career awaits me.”

Do you mind leaving Los Angeles?
“Absolutely not. I came here seven years ago when my daughter Tosca gave birth to twins and asked me for help. But now she has moved to Atlanta for work. Elon has recently gone to live in Texas, Kimbal, my second son, is in Colorado. I no longer have any reason to stay in California. In Manhattan I’ll work a lot more ».

How does it feel when do they call her a “supermodel”?
«Happy: I speak out for the right of all women to feel fabulous even if they are no longer very young. I am happy to be my age ».

No disadvantages over time what’s going on?
«Well, a few months ago I was chasing my grandchildren on the stairs and I got a sprained knee. Here, I’m getting old, I thought. But then another of my nieces made me think: she has already undergone two knee operations at the age of 20. My problem, therefore, is not age related at all. I also defeated Covid ».

Was it very bad?
“A week of nausea and fatigue. And now I feel very powerful because I survived and I have less chance of getting it back. Or so they say. Actually, I don’t find any negative side in being 72, quite the contrary ».

Rather?
“I learned to say ‘no’ and to avoid unpleasant people, rather than trying to change them.”

A person who was convinced to be able to change was his ex-husband.
“Before marrying him, he promised me he would become a better man.”

This was not the case: in his book he says he beat her and insulted, even in the face to your three children. She never is was convinced to marry him, but eventually he gave in. Why?
“I had just moved to Cape Town and felt very lonely. I had gained 50 kilos. I was 22 years old and I was beginning to feel a certain social pressure: then, at that age everyone was getting married.The preparations for the wedding were already in an advanced state: 800 guests were arriving, the gifts were piling up inside the house, the cake was ready, my older sister made me the white dress. It seemed impossible to me to get out. I didn’t want to cause trouble for all those people. ‘

And so she caused herself trouble: nine years of abuse. Even during labor, she says, the man took no pity on she and forced her to hard work. Couldn’t he run away first?
“I was in shock. In those situations you don’t know what can happen to you: you are unprepared, afraid, embarrassed. It took me a long time to feel strong enough to leave. ‘

His parents and siblings Didn’t they notice anything?
“No, because I made up a thousand excuses not to see them. I was ashamed. When my brothers read the book they discovered so many things they didn’t know. I’ve never mentioned it to anyone. This is why I now feel the need to talk about it ».

Was she very much in love with her ex-husband?
“For nothing. Never been. He buzzed around me and I hung out. He was one of the few suitors I had: most guys were intimidated by the fact that I was a model. I felt alone, so I accepted his attentions. After the divorce, however, I learned: when I dated other men, at the first sign of aggression I pushed them away. This did not spare me from being betrayed anyway, given up… ».

Always attracted to not really recommendable subjects?
“They were attracted to me. But soon they began to treat me badly. It’s a very common thing among us models ».

A woman with strong self-esteem, however, avoids certain individuals a priori.
“It’s hard to maintain high self-esteem when your boyfriends start tearing you down bit by bit. I heard myself say: you are too ugly, too thin, too fat, too sophisticated, too unsophisticated. I was always too much. The funny thing is, looking at the photos of those men, it’s not exactly like Adonis. Now that I think about it, I wonder: why did I go out with them? I must have been crazy! ‘

Among other things, she had a good example at home. His parents loved and respected each other. Or am I wrong?
“Yes, they have always considered themselves equal. And they treated us children, boys and girls, the same way. They left us very free. We became independent quickly: we went to school alone, to play sports, I sewed my own clothes. My parents never even checked my homework: it was my responsibility. “

He did the same with his children.
“Yes, I worked too hard to take care of their school chores. I didn’t even have great feelings of guilt: I couldn’t do otherwise, I was a single mother ».

Severe?
“I thought I was. Instead they confessed to me that they have always considered me a very soft one ».

How often did he say to them “I love you”?
“Maybe we tell each other more now than when they were little. I don’t remember my parents ever telling me. I think we took it for granted. Now my children and I conclude the phone calls and emails with “love you” (I love you, ed) “.

He may have said little but proved a lot. Like when he left that his children spent the holidays with the father who, being wealthier than her, he made people live unique experiences for children.
“Yes, he had a lot of money. When it was my turn to keep the kids, he went out with: Shall we go skiing in Austria? How could I deny them that fun? I let them go. And I was waiting for them at home alone and sad ».

Weren’t you afraid that he would also raise his hands on Elon, Kimbal and Tosca?
“He wasn’t a good father, but no, he never touched them.”

Why did she keep her surname, Musk, after the divorce?
“Out of solidarity with my children. You see, in English Musk immediately brings to mind the muskrat (muskrat, ed). My children were teased, they were called “muskrats”. I didn’t want to leave them alone: ​​I preferred to be a muskrat with them. “

The teasing has sometimes turned into real acts of bullying. Elon even ended up in the hospital once.
“I too was bullied as a child. Because I was smarter than average, at seven they put me in class with ten-year-olds because I read and count better than them. Obviously, this didn’t make me particularly popular: the comrades wanted to beat me. To my rescue came Kaye, my twin sister, super gifted for sports. They were afraid of her, so they left me alone. ‘

The question, however, concerned his son.
“I don’t know why they targeted him. Probably because, as often happens, thugs when they join a gang have to prove their worth by beating someone. They found my son by himself and beat him. ‘

Did she intervene?
“I got the news in the newspaper. Kimbal minimized: “We all get beaten”. I wanted to go to school to talk to the teachers, but he forbade me: “If you go, they will beat us more”, he said ».

That didn’t happen.
“At that time Elon was living with his father, I couldn’t do much.”

He had chosen to live with dad?
“It was my ex-mother-in-law who convinced him. A bad woman. She blamed him by saying: your mom has three children and poor dad not even one. And then there was more ».

What?
“My ex-husband had a set of encyclopedias and a computer. All things I couldn’t afford. Elon was not happy there, but when he was at the pc it was as if he lived in a world of his own ».

So much so that at 12 he patented the first video game. When did you understand that it was an out of the ordinary child?
“Three. I talked to him like he was an adult. He was able to reason. So I took him to kindergarten. They didn’t want to take him, they said he was too small. I explained to them that he needed to confront the world ».

He now has the world at his feet. How his life has changed since Elon became the richest man on the planet?
“It hasn’t changed: we both continue to work a lot.”

But now people will be kinder with her, more doors will open to her …
“Not that I have noticed. Even today, there are events to which I am not invited and fashion shows where I am ignored ».

Are we upset when they don’t call her?
«I wonder: why, don’t you want an old woman on the catwalk? Seriously, do you know what has changed since Elon became so influential? Who has more money to save the planet. This is the important thing ».

To save him, he always talks of wanting to colonize Mars. According to her, it is an intention true or a boutade?
“Of course it’s a real intention.”

Will he succeed?
“Let’s say he won’t stop until he succeeds.”

Mars for Elon is like Kalahari, the lost city, for his father: something worth looking for to the end. Do you have one too?
“I do not know”.

Love maybe?
“I fell in love many of those times.”

I’m not talking about crushes, but about a soul mate: have you ever found her?
“Never. Just a lot of infatuations. At least those didn’t break my heart. ‘

Video credits:

Modella: Maye Musk
Photographer and director: Alexo Wandael
Editing: Daniela Ovi
Fashion editor: Stephanie Tricola
Make up artist: Gregory Arlt
Hair stylist: Jon Lieckfelt
Soundtrack: Synthagma by Ivan Iusco feat. Maria Bochmanova
Location: Elsewhere Art Gallery
Less thanks to an Records

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