__

BR: You recently released an EP, you’ve been touring with the Jonas Brothers, and you just attended the VMAs. How are you feeling with all of this?

Magnus Ferrell: I mean, it’s just everything that I’ve ever dreamed of is kind of happening, or it is happening. And it’s kind of been a state of disbelief for me. It’s just been such an incredible experience to get to go to the VMAs as someone who’s nominated; it’s crazy to me. And to get to open for the Jonas Brothers, a group that was around when I was a kid and growing up, it’s just unbelievable. Just so excited and happy about it all.

The title of your EP, Groove Therapy, suggests music can be both an emotional outlet and something that gets people moving. What does that idea mean to you personally?

Ferrell: I just think it’s the way I express myself. I like to listen to groovy stuff. I think that making music that I like to listen to is something that’s extremely important to me. I never want to put something out that I’ll look back on in like eight years and be like, ‘hmm, I don’t know if I like that song.’ And I mean, that may happen, but to try and just always put something out that’s true to me and something that I like is what I aim to do. I just am expressing real things that have happened in my life, and they happen to be groovy.

What do you want listeners to walk away with after listening to the project?

Ferrell: Just a better sense of who I am as a human being. I hope that they can feel like they’ve gotten to know me a little bit more. I also hope that they have found their own uses for the music, and I hope that they can take the music and interpret the meaning in whatever way makes them connect with the songs. And just to be able to listen to it whenever they want.

What was it like collaborating with Jenevieve on “She’s Going to Break My Heart.”

Ferrell: That was so cool. It was such a fun session to be in because I got to kind of watch. I’m normally the one who’s singing, and she’s so talented and super easy to work with, and she absolutely crushed it.

You started playing piano at five and grew up studying jazz legends. How has that foundation shaped your music today?

Ferrell: I think it’s informed a lot of the natural melodies that I go to. I am really picky about what melodies go into the songs. Whenever I hear jazz music, I love all the melodies, so I use that almost as a standard, or I guess a bar to strive towards. When I’m writing stuff, it’s like, okay, if it makes me feel the same way I do when I’m listening to the people that inspire me, then we’re going in the right direction.

“Asleep Talking” has become a fan favorite and even made its way to Michelle Obama’s IMO podcast when your dad played it for her. How did that feel?

Ferrell: It’s just crazy to say that Michelle Obama kicked off this start to my career, and I can say that for the rest of my life. It was just such an authentic moment. And what I kind of didn’t see initially was how people were gonna finally get to see my dad as a dad, and I’ve been lucky enough to have that my whole life, but I think it was a combination of exposing the song to people, seeing someone’s live reaction to it, and seeing my dad as, like, my dad. And that’s something that people haven’t really seen before, you know.

Music and entertainment have been a part of your family for generations. What are some lessons that you’ve learned from the creative people in your family?

Ferrell: The biggest lesson is just to continue to do what you like and to do what makes you happy and to stay authentic to who you are. I think that the best music, the best entertainment, is stuff that is so pure to the performer, and I think that the best performances, in my opinion, and the people I look up to, they’re just believing in what they’re doing a hundred percent, one hundred and ten percent. And I’ve gotten that advice from my dad. I’ve gotten that advice from my grandpa. He played for the Righteous Brothers his whole career, saxophone, keys and organ. I think that the most valuable advice is just to stay authentic.

You recently performed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and are now playing some major stages alongside incredible musicians. How have these experiences challenged you as a performer?

Ferrell: Yeah, it’s another level up. It’s just a test of the work. I have discovered that sticking to my guns and staying true to the processes that I’ve built up over the years in performing in smaller stages is exactly the same thing that I do now, even on the bigger stages. So it’s the same process. It’s just on a little bit of a heightened scale. And it’s just been such a joy to get to do it. I’m so grateful for the opportunity.

Do you ever get nervous?

Ferrell: Of course. Yeah, I get nervous. I think everybody gets nervous to some degree. But it’s just about using that as energy to fuel the performance.

Are there sides of yourself as an artist that you’re still excited for people to discover?

Ferrell: That my musicianship is something that I want to continue to lean into, and it’s something that I’m actively working to improve. I also think that there are a lot of different factors of my songwriting that could get a lot better. And I’m excited to do so. And I’m excited to see how the project develops and to get to share that with this new audience.

What are you most looking forward to as the year wraps up?

Ferrell: I’m just super excited to wrap up this tour and play the shows on this tour, and get to reflect on this whole new experience that I’ve gotten to do and really start writing from the inspiration of all these new experiences I’m doing right now.

Are you already writing or working on new music already? 

Ferrell: I’m thinking about it. I want to get into it in the next couple of weeks again and see what comes out and see what new inspiration I have. So much experience to choose from that we can write about. And so I think I just gotta sit down, think about what’s happened and just start writing and see what speaks to me.

Head to AdmitONE to see artists like Magnus Ferrell LIVE!