MAGIC!, one of today’s hottest
bands that brought us the smash hits “Rude”
and “Don’t Kill The Magic” is coming
to Manila on October 22 at the Newport Performing Arts Theater in
Resort’s World Manila for their first-ever concert tour.
When something is meant to
be, you just know it immediately. It's as if there was a divine plan or
universal synergy fusing the right elements together at the right time for the
right situation. That's the feeling Grammy Award-winning songwriter and
producer Nasri experienced the first time MAGIC! jammed. During a writing
session in 2012, he heard collaborator and guitarist Mark Pelli strum a
reggae-tinged riff, and something clicked.
"I'm a huge fan of
The Police, and I always wanted to do my own project that merged reggae, rock,
pop, and a little soul for quite some time," he affirms. "The moment
Mark began playing, it felt natural. We had this vision, and it all tied
together instantly. We began recording, and the sound was so locked in on every
song. That's even where we derived the band name. Everything simply worked like
MAGIC!"
That sound distills
Caribbean flavor, arena-size bombast, and glistening melodies into an
undeniably intoxicating musical potion. Soon after that initial jam, drummer
Alex Tanas and bassist Ben Spivak joined the fold as the quartet entered a Los
Angeles studio to record its full-length 2013 debut. There weren't any
boundaries or rules [read more]. It was all about following that collective muse. "We
started recording, and it was so easy," adds Nasri. "We're all from
Toronto originally. We know the same streets, and we grew up on the same music.
It's the real thing." It's also real catchy. The first single "Rude"
coasts from a Jamaican guitar twang and danceable beat into a downright
irresistible refrain. At the same time, the singer's cheeky storytelling pops
out vividly. "I had this picture in my head of a guy asking a father for
his marriage blessing and getting rejected," he says. "It's fun,
soulful, easy, and you know the hook right away. That's what we want our songs
to do."
Elsewhere, "No
Evil" builds up into an anthemic chant, while "Let Your Hair
Down" is meant to get bodies grooving. "I think that one will be a
favorite for a lot of the ladies—or at least I hope," laughs Nasri.
"It's about letting loose and having a great time."
That's what MAGIC! do
best. As one half of the in-demand writing and production duo The Messengers, Nasri has penned music for everybody from Justin Bieber, Pitbull to Chris Brown and Christina Aguilera. He garnered a Grammy Award in the category of "Best R&B
Album" for Chris Brown's F.A.M.E. in 2012.
However, he's formally embarked on a new phase in his already illustrious
career.
"I want everybody to join us on this MAGIC!
adventure," he concludes. "It's a stressful time out there, and
people are struggling to find hope in balance. This music is meant to put you
in a good mood. We want to bring people together to have a good time. It's not
about us. It's about the music. We want you to be a part of that energy and a
positive musical world."
Tickets to MAGIC! Live in
Manila will be on-sale beginning Friday, September 19 via ticketworld.com.ph or call
374-9999 or 891-9999. Follow Wilbros Live for more information and
updates (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @WilbrosLive)
