Magnus Ferrell on Success, Love, Jazz, and Finding His Sound with Groove Therapy

From the °1824 Press Conference

By Bethany Mikrut

Los Angeles-born and raised contemporary Jazz singer Magnus Farell released his EP Groove Therapy this September and is ready for more. After the previous release of the hit single, "Asleep Talking," which gained over 10 million Spotify streams, he received co-signs from various superstars, including Justin Timberlake, Joe Jonas, and Jimmy Fallon, and recently began touring as the support act for the Jonas Brothers' The Burning Up All Over Again Tour. Magnus mentions that this recognition motivates him to continue developing his craft and becoming "the best I can be."

Recently, Magnus was nominated for best new artist at the VMAs (Video Music Awards) alongside Bella Kay, CORTIS, Malcolm Tood, Sienna Spiro, and more. Wearing a modern disco-inspired outfit, Magnus says the VMAs were one of the highlights of his musical career so far. Although this is just the beginning for him, this moment just proved he can "get to the level I have been admiring for so long."

Ferrell was exposed to music and jazz at a young age, which influenced his decision to include a balance of jazz and contemporary elements in his work to make it accessible to new audiences. He also mentions the importance of jazz in order to stay authentic and happy with his roots. His grandfather, Roy Lee Ferrell Jr was a musician for The Righteous Brothers and shared many precious moments with Ferrell as a child. Magnus states, "I grew up playing piano [with him]," and that the feelings he got while playing influenced his work heavily. Those emotional moments are catalysts for Magnus' musical inspiration, and he frequently uses simple moments such as sunsets and movies as lyrical and melodic inspiration. His father, Will Ferrell, also exposed Magnus to the entertainment industry and helped him learn a lot while on set for films and music videos, helping him observe the small things and learn that "the best entertainers are vulnerable." Outside of Magnus' family, he takes musical inspiration from artists such as Bill Evans, Stevie Wonder, and DiAngelo.

Ferrell states that Groove Therapy is "authentic to me as a person," and was titled after his tendency to always play piano to process deep emotions. He mentions that each track serves a different purpose, but is musically cohesive to tell a story. The project opens up with "She's Gonna Break My Heart," featuring r&b artist Jenevieve. This track is about the dilemma of knowing someone is bad for you, but choosing to stay with them. Magnus mentions he wrote this song quickly and hung on to it for a while until Jenevieve collaborated with him, which changed the entire meaning of the song and turned it into magic. Ferrell stresses that "it was a pleasure working with her in the studio," and that she brought new meaning by adding a female perspective. The next song, "Whyami," describes intense anxiety over a relationship, pacing, and arguing with yourself. It is a beautiful soul and r&b track that feels cohesive to the thematics of Groove Therapy. "Flowers After Rain" is a sweet track about a crush and noticing small details about someone else.

It is followed by "A Little Fun," which Magnus mentions "feels like him as a person." It is a soulful track about desiring intimacy outside of busy spaces, which anyone can relate to. It is one of his favorite songs to play live, and it is frequently the closing song for his set. In addition, this was one of the songs he fidgeted with and kept tweaking until he realized, "it was no use keeping refining it." Ultimately, he decided to keep the baseline the same but changed the drums and added more modern synch. The next track is "On Your Dress," which came naturally to Ferrell. He mentioned how he just wrote out what happened, and that became the lyrics. It describes the feeling of wanting to leave an impression on a person you notice.

"Asleep Talking" is a powerful track that describes the feeling after someone leaves and you're alone after an intimate moment. It mentions the juxtaposition of lingering presence during physical absence. This was the breakout hit of Magnus' career. The project is then closed out by "Waste Your Heart," a bittersweet song about the commitment to not let down your romantic partner and break their heart. Ultimately, Groove Therapy is an incredible, cohesive project about romance, intimacy, anxiety, and commitment to love.

In October, Magnus embarked on his first month on tour with the Jonas Brothers, performing songs from Groove Therapy. He has been developing his set to include more intimate moments with fans through conversation and small interactions, as he loves getting to know his fast-growing community. He also mentions that he strives to capture the feeling of live performance in his studio recording. It is a future goal of his to tour, grow his community, play festivals, and eventually release more music, including a full album, as he is motivated to "keep going."

Magnus is still processing his success through quiet moments of reflection. As he was reflecting on his career so far, he mentions that a way to enjoy your career is "putting emotion, feeling, and authenticity in the work you put out," because it is important to stay true to who you are. In addition, he states that it is important to develop your own personal musical and artistic taste, as it helps you develop your unique identity through repetition. Most importantly, "getting ready for it to happen… and enjoy the process." As an emerging artist, Magnus' sound is still developing and growing. He suggests that "my sound will change as I develop as a human being," but it is important to find people to push you and help you grow creatively and personally.

Ultimately, Magnus Ferrell is someone you want on your radar. He is carrying this motivation and momentum into the next chapter of his career. Make sure to stream Groove Therapy and catch him at an upcoming Jonas Brothers show across North America.

The Burning Up Tour All Over Again Dates: (tickets)

^ – Magnus Ferrell support

11/1 – Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum *^
11/2 – Saint Paul, MN – Grand Casino Arena *^
11/17 – Palm Desert, CA – Acrisure Arena *^
11/18 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl *^!
11/21 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center *^
11/22 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center *^
11/27 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena *^
11/28 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena *^
11/30 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena *^
12/2 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center *^
12/5 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena *^
12/7 – Salt Lake City, UT – Delta Center *^
12/9 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena *^
12/10 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena *^
12/12 – Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford PREMIER Center *^
12/15 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena *^
12/19 – Belmont Park, NY – UBS Arena *^
12/21 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center *^