Their lead single “Rude” stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for an impressive six weeks. “That was crazy. That was not something that we ever expected to happen,” Alex said. “Sony did a fantastic job around the world. We have a great team around us,” Nasri said.
“Everybody at the label believes in our group, which is really nice. They all have a genuine interest. We love RCA. Our team is incredible, ” Mark said. “There is a real warmth to the building and a respect for us,” added Alex.
On playing at The Paramount in Huntington, lead singer Nasri said, “We have only heard amazing things about The Paramount from all of our musical friends. We cannot really describe it. The Paramount is really elegant. The sound is incredible and they have a Founder’s Room, with hidden rooms. It is gorgeous. We actually don’t really hang out after shows, but tonight we are going to have a good time.”
Drummer Alex continued, “The Paramount is cool. It has a 1930s bar. It is really cool, and there was a cool list of bands that have played here. It has the perfect size for a new band that is building a fan-base.”
“It is beautiful. The venue is awesome. We just did a sound-check and it sounded great. It has a lot of character to it,” bassist Ben said.
Guitarist Mark added, “The Paramount has an antique, beautiful area called The Founder’s Room, and I was there all day playing the piano. They have a nice upright Steinway piano, and they have different rooms that are dedicated to different time periods. It is really amazing. We are going to hang out after the show, do the best we can, impress everyone and then chill and play some piano.”
Nasri is drawn to the reggae genre of music due to “the carefree attitude that comes with it.” “From my standpoint, I had a time in my life, where it was stressful and I was writing for a lot of music. Life is about music that people love and share, and I have a voice too. Reggae felt good and we wanted to make a living out of it,” he said.
Each day Nasri is motivated by music, as well as the love that they receive from their dedicated fans. “When you get up in the morning and see tweets from fans saying that they love the new single ‘No Way No,’ and that sparks you,” he said.
Mark noted that the theme of their album Don’t Kill the Magic involved staying true to themselves as artists. “The lyrics are from our own heads and our lives, as well as our experiences in music,” he said. “We made an album that we like, and I think that’s why people like it. We still listen to it ourselves,” Nasri added.
When asked about their personal favorite tunes on the album, Nasri and Ben concurred with their latest single ‘No Way No,’ while Mark selected “Let Your Hair Down” and Alex levitated towards “No Evil.”
Regarding “No Way No,” Nasri said, “All the women in our lives loved that song, so we placed it on the album. The video is really taking off. It is such a great song, so we are in a good place with it. We are in the same place that we were with ‘Rude’ and it has the same energy.”
Success for Magic! means longevity in music. “The level of success is not monetary. It involves us getting along as a band: doing all of these things and still being able to be friends and not lose touch with what is really important, such as a good life with friends and family. Magic! is going to grow. We have to retain the four of us as a unit. We are very blessed and lucky people to have such a supportive audience,” Mark said.
Alex concluded, “We are just so thankful to the fans. It’s Thanksgiving Day everyday for Magic! We are playing in this crazy band in this crazy venue and all of you are buying the tickets and albums.”
For more information on chart-topping band Magic! and their new music, check out their official website.
