In the glittering whirlwind of international fame, few stories shine as brightly as that of Maye Musk. At 77, this Canadian-born model, dietitian, and author isn’t just riding the coattails of her son, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. No, Maye has carved her own empire, one poised step at a time. And nowhere is her star rising faster than in China, where she’s not merely a visitor but a sensation. From red carpets to bestseller lists, Maye’s journey from a single mother scraping by to a “silver influencer” extraordinaire has captivated a nation of over 1.4 billion. But how did a woman from the prairies of Saskatchewan become China’s darling? Buckle up—this is the untold tale of strength forged in fire, blooming into stardom that even Beijing can’t ignore.

Maye Musk’s life reads like a Hollywood script scripted by fate itself. Born Maye Haldeman in 1948, she grew up in a family of adventurers. Her father, Joshua Haldeman, was a chiropractor, pilot, and political firebrand who uprooted the family to South Africa in search of opportunity. Young Maye blossomed early, winning beauty pageants and gracing magazine covers by her teens. At 19, she married Errol Musk, and soon welcomed three children: Elon, Kimbal, and Tosca. But paradise was short-lived. The marriage crumbled amid allegations of abuse—Errol’s volatile temper left scars that Maye would later bare in her memoir. Divorced at 31, with three kids in tow, she faced the unimaginable: raising a family on a shoestring budget while pursuing twin careers in modeling and nutrition.

Picture this: A glamorous runway model by day, moonlighting as a dietitian counseling clients on fad diets that promised eternal youth. Maye juggled it all, often modeling in one city while lecturing on balanced eating in another. There were lean years—times when bills piled up and dreams felt distant. She once recounted sleeping on friends’ couches with her children, all while whispering encouragement to a young Elon, whose inventive spark was already igniting. “Failure is an option here,” she’d tell him, echoing the ethos that would propel him to Mars. But Maye’s own mantra was simpler: resilience. She didn’t just survive; she strategized. By her 40s, she was gracing covers for Time and Sports Illustrated, proving age was no barrier. By 60, she was walking runways for IMG Models, defying every stereotype.

Enter China, stage left, in late 2016. Maye’s first foray into the Middle Kingdom was serendipitous—a speaking gig at Alibaba’s ecommerce extravaganza in Hangzhou. Dubbed a “fashion legend” by the tech giant, she shared the stage with executives, charming the audience with tales of balancing stilettos and stethoscopes. China was hooked. Elon was already a household name there, his Tesla Gigafactory in Shanghai a symbol of Sino-American innovation. But curiosity about the matriarch who raised him? That was the spark. Biographies of Elon flew off shelves, but fans craved the origin story. Who was this silver-haired siren who modeled into her 70s and lectured on kale smoothies?

Fast-forward to today, and Maye’s schedule reads like a who’s-who of Chinese glamour. In December 2024 alone, she jetted between Hangzhou for a lavish gala dinner, Wuhan for a cosmetics red carpet strut, and book signings that drew throngs of adoring fans. “Signing my book in China—thank you for making it a bestseller!” she posted on social media, her words igniting a frenzy. Her memoir, A Woman Makes a Plan: Advice for a Lifetime of Adventure, Beauty, and Success, hit Chinese shelves in 2020 and hasn’t looked back. Translated with flair, it resonates deeply with readers hungry for tales of triumph over adversity. One reviewer gushed, “A must-read for all girls! Thank you for showing us the resilience and strength of women.” While official bestseller lists spotlight Elon’s bio by Walter Isaacson, Maye’s volume has carved a niche among working women resisting societal pressures to marry young or bow to ageism.

What makes Maye magnetic in the world’s most populous nation? It’s a perfect storm of timing, authenticity, and cultural alchemy. China is in the throes of a “silver influencer” boom—elders over 50 leveraging social media to shatter youth-obsessed norms. Platforms like Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) and Douyin (TikTok’s Chinese twin) are flooded with septuagenarians hawking skincare and sharing life hacks. Maye, with her porcelain skin and poised demeanor, embodies this revolution. She boasts 577,000 followers on Xiaohongshu—85% women under 35—who devour her posts on everything from high-protein breakfasts to high-fashion hauls. “Chinese people like women whose image is elegant and sophisticated,” notes one makeup artist who once prepped her for a shoot. Maye’s openness about domestic violence survival adds depth; in a society grappling with gender dynamics, her story of rising from victim to victor strikes a chord.

But Maye’s not just posting selfies—she’s a brand powerhouse. As global ambassador for AISE Baobao, a Zhejiang-based mattress marque, she cut the ribbon at their Shanghai flagship in November 2024, posing amid plush displays that screamed luxury sleep. Earlier that year, she sashayed down the runway for JNBY in Hangzhou, her lithe frame draped in ethereal silks that blended Eastern minimalism with Western flair. Fila, the Anta-owned sportswear titan, tapped her for a Shanghai event, where she mingled with influencers in athleisure chic. And let’s not forget OPPO, the smartphone behemoth; Maye’s ads touting their cameras captured her timeless glow, selling out devices overnight. Even a casual endorsement—a $200 massage waistband—shifted 140,000 units after one viral post. “Everyone is kind and friendly,” she raved of her hosts during a 2023 tour, a sentiment echoed in her near-monthly pilgrimages.

Whispers in Beijing corridors suggest strategy beneath the sparkle. With Elon cozying up to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration—poised to helm a “Department of Government Efficiency”—U.S.-China tensions simmer. Tariffs loom, tech wars rage, and Elon’s SpaceX ties to the Pentagon raise eyebrows. Enter Maye: the soft-power soother. Analysts dub her Elon’s “secret weapon,” a goodwill generator softening edges around Tesla’s Shanghai stronghold, which pumps out half the world’s EVs. Her lao pengyou (“old friend of China”) status—shared with the likes of Henry Kissinger—fosters bridges. When Elon visited in April 2024, Maye was already paving the way, her elegance humanizing the Musk brand amid hawkish headlines.

Yet, this stardom isn’t without shadows. Critics question if her ascent is engineered—PR savvy masking geopolitical chess. After all, her book tour in 2023 doubled as promo for a women’s underwear line, blending empowerment with commerce. And while she champions independence, some see echoes of Elon’s orbit: Tesla sales in China dipped amid EV competition, yet Maye’s glow keeps the narrative positive. Still, detractors are drowned out by fans. “She’s proof you can thrive at any age,” beams a Xiaohongshu user, scrolling Maye’s latest: a Hanoi magazine cover from her 2025 Vietnam jaunt, renewing rights for A Woman Makes a Plan in yet another market.

As 2025 unfolds, Maye’s trajectory soars. Rumors swirl of a wellness line—perhaps Musk-branded smoothies or resilience retreats. Her Vietnamese covers hint at Southeast Asian expansion, but China remains home base. At 77, she’s not slowing; she’s accelerating. “It’s great to be 77,” she quips, a line that’s become her signature. From a cruise ship gig in the South China Sea at 50—flying economy to Singapore with five other models—to commanding red carpets today, Maye’s arc is inspirational alchemy.

In a world quick to discard the aged, Maye Musk redefines reinvention. She’s more than Elon’s mom; she’s a blueprint for badassery. China didn’t just discover her—they embraced a mirror to their own ambitions: fierce, fabulous, and unapologetic. As she jets to her next gala, one wonders: What’s next for the woman who turned maternal might into global might? A Beijing runway? A TED Talk in Shanghai? Or perhaps, whispering advice to world leaders on aging gracefully amid chaos. Whatever it is, Maye’s story reminds us: Strength isn’t inherited—it’s ignited. And in China, that fire burns brightest.

But hold on—rumors persist of a bombshell collaboration that could eclipse them all. Is Maye eyeing a role in Elon’s Mars mission, or something earthier, like a Sino-American fashion empire? The intrigue deepens…