Magnus Ferrell

We meet on Zoom, and he joins the call mid-rehearsal for a gig the next day. “I get really locked into rehearsing, I can be a little anal sometimes with stuff like that,” he laughs, flashing an easy, disarming smile. It’s a moment that pulls back the curtain and reveals his true character. He answers each question with a thoughtful ease, drifting between reflection and quick wit. We talk about childhood memories that shimmer with nostalgia, the small, almost invisible moments that stay with you long after they’ve passed, all moments that seem to quietly anchor his work.

There’s a needle and thread stitching everything Magnus says together, a return to the moments that feel small, but somehow hold the most weight. From fumbling through Jingle Bells as a kid and getting scolded mid-lesson, to laughing at his dad for talking to himself, a habit he admits he’s inherited, his stories carry the same lightness and self-awareness that shape his music. He speaks about writing with his childhood best friend, who he met in a middle school jazz band, which reveals an important history and an unspoken understanding. It’s this closeness that gives his music its authenticity, reflecting not just how he creates, but who he is: someone grounded in connection, memory, and shared experience. His first solo performance comes up as a quiet turning point, not for its scale, but for the feeling of being understood.

It’s that same instinct that guides him now: to write honestly, to notice what others might miss, and to trust those quiet, in-between moments. The ones he returns to again and again are the ones worth holding onto.

So why don't we begin by telling me who Magnus Farrell is?
I hate talking about myself, so that's already one thing! I guess I would call myself humble, even though that's a contradiction. I'm outgoing, and I'm very spacey and dreamy. I'm a glass-half-full type of person. I'd like to say I'm fun. I love being around people. I love making sure my loved ones are happy, and I love making people laugh. Oh! I like nature. I am created out of this mess of organised chaos.

What are three objects that best represent you? It could be anything random.
It’s gonna have to be the piano I have at home that I grew up learning to play. I don't really have that many memories from before I started playing, so I’ve grown up with it. I have an old basketball I used to play with when I was younger. Sports are a huge part of who I am, and I love staying active. For my third, my grandfather used to be an organ player. He can't really play anymore, but he gave me his 1957 Hammond B3 organ.

Aw, that’s great. Speaking of instruments, what is your first memory of performing music? It could be in your bedroom, karaoke, performing in front of your family, etc.
My first memory was learning “Jingle Bells” on the piano. My first childhood teacher had an alarm on her watch that she would set for the lesson time. I just remember it went off. I think my mom was sitting next to me, and I was five years old, trying so hard and completely frustrated, learning “Jingle Bells.” Out loud, not knowing that it was her watch, I said, “What is that annoying noise?” Then I promptly got scolded. That is literally my first memory ever.

Wait, that's so funny! Speaking of funny family stories, what is a funny story that your family tells about you?
I talk to myself a lot, and I get that from my dad. He's notorious. I catch him talking to himself all the time. I don't remember this, but he tells this story at every birthday dinner. I was one or two years old. He was carrying me and talking to himself about something. He just heard this giggle, and he didn't know where it came from. Then he resumed talking to himself, and he heard another giggle. Basically, I was just laughing at him the whole time as an infant, kind of making fun of him, and I still do to this day. I guess it's ingrained in my natural brain chemistry.

That's so good! And, your dad gets made fun of in the process as well! If you could go back in time and relive any day, which day would it be?
Okay, hmm, if I got to go back in time and relive any day, it's gonna be music-related. I would go back to my first solo concert, where I saw people's genuine reactions to the music. It was one of the most special things because it gave me hope in what I was doing, and a realisation that music could work out. It was just special to see people appreciate the music that my buddy and I had created. It was a surreal moment.

Do you have a certain ritual when you approach songwriting, or does your inspiration come sporadically?
I try to, but I think with creativity, it's hard to put structure around it. I try to keep it as loose as possible. Sometimes things just hit me in the shower, or someone says something that reminds me of a memory I hadn't thought about in a long time. The one thing that does stay consistent is that I always try to write as honestly as possible and pull from real-life experiences.

I think that's great, because it also just makes everything more authentic, which is always more special. I want to talk to you about your song, “Asleep Talking”, because I heard it and it's so good! I loved it.
I am so glad you like it!

Yeah, it was great. I need it to come out on Spotify immediately!
We got four more weeks!

The song captures the little intimacies shared with another person. You reference falling asleep in conversation, dreaming about them, and just existing in that in-between space. What draws you to those small, almost invisible moments in a relationship?
I'm very much a daydreamer, and I was a notoriously spacey kid in school. I am diagnosed with ADHD. That used to be a huge flaw in my life. But as I've gotten away from school, my ADHD has become creative. It's actually been such a strength because I catch myself dreaming about moments of vulnerability and tiny little things that actually stick with me. For example, just walking alone at 10 pm is a really core memory for me, for whatever reason. So, all this stuff in “Asleep Talking” touches on little moments that people can take for granted. To me, those moments of vulnerability are so special.

Those moments can slip by unappreciated, so I love that you put the spotlight on that intimacy. What are some of your favourite lyrics that you've written?
To give context, I write most of my music with a very close friend of mine. We met in a jazz band when we were twelve or thirteen, so all of it's with him. I can't remember who wrote this or when we wrote this, but there's a song coming out called “Flower After Rain.” I personally like it when a title or a lyric isn't necessarily clever, but it has a deeper meaning, even though it might seem a little plain.

What was this experience like for you, writing your album? I know you spoke about how you typically write a lot of music with your friend, which is really great. How is this new album different from other music you might have released?
To be honest, the way we've approached it has been making as much music as we fucking possibly can, and then getting together, ranking them, and seeing what our favourites are. Then we’ll ask ourselves, “What do we have?” Then we're going to start putting them out and see what the demand is looking like, whether it's three singles, five singles, an EP, or an album. It's been really freeing to just create, create, create. It’s super satisfying when you get to look back and see the body of work and time paying off.

Yeah, that's great. It’s really nice to be able to approach it that way as well. Obviously, you perform as well, which is so cool! I could never do that. I even get nervous doing karaoke. So how does it feel performing music that feels very vulnerable to you, too, because I'm sure that adds another layer.
Oh, I get so nervous before I perform. Believe me, I'm sure we get the same amount of nerves. I promise you. But it's super fun when I am prepared, and it feels like I can just let go. That's the only way I enjoy it, but I make sure I do that every time, so I enjoy it every time. It's literally like studying super hard for a test. You sit at the test, and you're kind of nervous, but then you see the first couple of questions, and you're like, “Oh, this is exactly what I was studying.”

How does it feel watching fans react to you performing? Because I'm sure a lot of people connect to your lyrics and your songs in an emotional way.
I’ve had to change my mindset. For a while, I was looking at people who actually enjoyed the song and almost writing it off. I’d think, “Ah, no. That's just like a friend of a friend, that's why they like it.” That was a weird thing I had to deal with. It’s a very minimal problem, but I've really learned to look at the individuals who are really rocking with this stuff, and interact with them even more, to make them feel seen. I want them to know that we share the emotion of the song.

Do you have any artists that are your dream to collaborate with? Someone who makes you think, “I need to sing with them someday?”
Are we talking dead or alive?

Either!
It's funny, I've gone through so much change in what I thought I wanted to make. I originally wanted to open for Bruno Mars. Then it was Silk Sonic, Anderson Paak, or KAYTRANADA. As of late, it would probably be Stevie Wonder. That would be insane. Or Billie Eilish. I think we sing in a similar way. I could go on and on and on.

Other than singing and writing, what are some secret talents you have?
I'm a pretty decent soccer player. I played until I was eighteen.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
There are a lot of things out of my control. If I could control the universe, and I could control every luck-based outcome, then I'm the biggest artist in the world. But that might not be the case in ten years. Shit may happen. All I can control is how much time I put into the passion and this awesome opportunity I have to chase my dream. If I'm surviving off of music, that’s the goal. But I'm not going to limit myself to only that. I think the sky's the limit, but we'll see where life takes me.

If you could give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
To learn all your scales and all your keys and not just pick favourites! It's pissing me off now that I didn't do that. I was lazy when I was fifteen! On a real note, though, I would say just to believe in yourself more, because that's all you really need. I know everyone says that, and that's cliché, but I think a positive mindset helps everything in your life. Subconsciously, it's doing so much more than you think.

What fictional universe do you think you’d thrive in?
If a fortune teller told me that I would survive all of it, I would want to be an old classic mobster from The Sopranos.

Who was your favourite cartoon character as a kid?
I’m a big Tom and Jerry fan. But I probably couldn't decide which one.

Some days you're Tom, sometimes you're Jerry. I get it. If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be?
An Evening with Silk Sonic

What is your guilty pleasure music?
I listen to a lot of Bill Evans’ jazz, very loungey elevator music, but I fucking love it!

That's such a good answer! Is there anything that you want to add?
From now on, I've finally found the most honest version of myself, and so I'm super excited. It feels like I've just reached the beginning of whatever marathon of music I'm about to go on for however many years, so it's super exciting for me!