Los Angeles-based magician and illusionist Gabriella Lester opened up about her influences in magic, and being a part of the digital age.
A 21-year-old escape artist, Lester has been praised by veteran magician Lance Burton. “Gabriella Lester is one of the most dedicated and talented young magicians in the world. I predict she will be a major force in magic for many years to come,” Lance Burton exclaimed.
How did you get into magic?
I got into magic at a really young age. I genuinely feel like it was what I was always meant to do. It kept coming into my life until, eventually, it never left.
When I was little, I had waiters, teachers, and friends who all did little bits of magic. It was all around me.
By the time I was 10 or 11, I already knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life… and I still feel that way.
Lester’s TED Talk may be seen below.
What inspires you each day as a magician?
My biggest inspiration is my “dream.” I remember falling asleep every single night of my childhood, dreaming of the life I’m living now. Whenever I step on stage, I feel like a kid imagining being where I am. There are no words to describe it.
I think one of the beautiful things about finding your passion at a young age is getting to chase it as you grow up.
All I’ve ever known is this dream. It still doesn’t feel real. I have everything I want, while still constantly dreaming about more. It’s the perfect place to be.
My second biggest inspiration would be people—especially kids. I know it may sound cliché, but I genuinely try to look at every single audience member when performing.
There is nothing in the world that makes me feel better than seeing a kid smiling or waving in the audience. It’s worth everything to me.
I think I see a little version of myself in every starry-eyed kid out there. Sometimes I feel like I can’t continue performing until I wave back to every single one… and sometimes, I try.
How does it feel to be a part of the digital age?
It feels great and terrible at the same time. I think the digital age is a massively double-edged sword.
While it’s an incredible tool for building a brand, growing an audience, and gaining an international following without moving, it can also be pretty detrimental.
I want to make art, not content. I don’t want to make things for social media—I want to make things I love, and if they end up on social media, that’s just part of the game.
What do your plans for the future include?
A lot of everything. I want to travel the world doing what I love on the largest scale possible, while still maintaining a lifestyle and mentality that feels healthy.
I’ve always said I want to get as high up the mountain as I can, while still liking who I am and the people I’m surrounded by. This really matters to me.
My dream is everything—but I’m happy in my dream, not just rich or famous. I really believe balance is key. Be crazy and shoot for more than the moon, but look around on your way there.
Were there any moments in your career that have helped define you?
I think my straitjacket escape was a defining moment. I was 14 when I decided this was what I wanted to do. Nobody wanted to help or understood why a kid would want to attempt something so crazy—which I can understand. But nothing was going to stop me.
My ideas felt more like plans than passing thoughts. I always knew it was going to happen. What started as hanging upside down on the monkey bars, envisioning my future, became a suspended straitjacket escape 60 feet in the air for nearly 2,000 people just six months later.
It is now one of the things I am most known for. It has put me on national TV and taken me all over the world.
If I never trusted my gut or brought my fantasy to fruition, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Not even close.
What is your advice for young and emerging magicians?
Jump. Do whatever it takes. No one will ever understand your dream as much as you do. The first few years of my career I was nothing but a kid with a crazy passion and ideas nobody understood. I gave it everything I had 24/7.
I performed for friends, family, strangers, teachers, and and and. I practiced and learned something different every single day.
I stayed up all night watching old magic videos and reading books. I asked questions. I ignored anything and everyone around me.
You are your own empire. Whether you are 5 or 50 – no one will do your work but you, and that work never stops.
What does the word success mean to you?
For me, success means happiness. You feel success in your bones—you don’t just have it around you. Oftentimes, the things you imagine will make you feel successful end up making you feel the same. And sometimes, familiar things can make you feel successful. It’s all about perspective.
I’ve done 10,000 shows—every single one is worthy of being an accomplishment. Doing what I love is success. Of course, I have goals and want to go further than far, but that’s not where my happiness lies.
My happiness is on stage. My happiness is in the audience. My happiness is in the family I build on tour and with other performers.
I could be the biggest performer in the whole world (which is what I want), but if I don’t like who I am, who I’m surrounded by, or how I feel, then I’m not successful—I’m just famous. And that’s not good enough. That’s nothing.
Little me didn’t dream about money or awards. She dreamed about being good, going far, and smiling all the damn time.
The day I stop loving this will be the day I stop succeeding. Fortunately, that day will never come.
What would you like to say to your fans?
Hello all one of you! Kidding…. although I don’t think I’ll ever get used to having “fans.” I think I’ll always be taken aback (in the most beautiful way) when I meet people who want to meet me.
It’s such a gift to have people all over the world see and know what I do. I could easily be brought to tears meeting anyone.
Trying to process that people I don’t know travel and spend their time and money solely to see me do this thing I love is unexplainable.
So, I guess I just want to say thank you. It means more than I could ever explain to have people supporting me. I will never get tired of this, I will never not want to meet my audience, and I will never let myself take this life for granted.
I’m so extremely grateful, and I care immensely about every single person who cares about me. Immensely.
To learn more about magician, illusionist, and escape artist Gabriella Lester, follow her on Instagram.
