Let's Go Magic

Lore & Background

The band is heavily inspired by the Police and Bob Marley and the Wailers. They are known for having a signature reggae-influenced pop sound. All members are from the Toronto area. Nasri had worked with and written songs for different pop acts prior to the band, mainly alongside Adam Messinger, together known as the Messengers. He met Mark Pellizzer in the studio and within a week they wrote the song "Don't Judge Me" for Chris Brown. Nasri suggested starting a band like "modern-day Police." Alex Tanas joined next, then Ben Spivak joined in May 2013. The band went on hiatus between 2020 and 2022. In February 2022, the band announced the departure of drummer Alex Tanas. Their fourth studio album Inner Love Energy was released in April 2024.

In Their Own Story

The Magic found their footing in the second half, posting a seven-game winning streak between March and April that propelled them to a .500 record. They finished the regular season at 41–41, securing fourth place in the Atlantic Division. However, this record was not enough for the postseason; they landed in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, finishing just one game behind the eighth-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. Despite missing the playoffs, the era was historic: Doc Rivers won NBA Coach of the Year with 60 votes, and John Gabriel took Executive of the Year honors. Darrell Armstrong led scoring with 16.2 points per game and hit 137 three-pointers, while Chucky Atkins earned a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team.

Reader's Guide

The band's debut single "Rude" was released on October 12, 2013. It peaked at number six on the Canadian Hot 100 and topped charts in the US and UK. Their debut album Don't Kill the Magic was released on June 30, 2014, peaking at number 5 on the Canadian Albums Chart and number 6 on the Billboard 200. The second album Primary Colours was released on July 1, 2016. The third album Expectations was released in September 2018. The fourth album Inner Love Energy was released in April 2024. The band opened for Maroon 5 on their Maroon V Tour from February until June 2015. They won two Juno Awards in March 2015 for Breakthrough Group of the Year and Single of the Year.

Did You Know?

• Magic! performed at the 15th Annual Latin Grammy Awards on November 20, 2014, joined by Marc Anthony for a performance of "Rude".
• On July 2, 2016, Magic! released a special version of their song "No Regrets" in memory of the victims of the shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida.
• A remix of "Rude" by Zedd was released on September 2, 2014, Zedd's 25th birthday.