MAGIC! to perform at Rider

MAGIC! will perform live in concert at Rider University on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 2 p.m. The event is presented by The Student Entertainment Council.

The Canadian band’s first single, “Rude,” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 this month after spending 13 weeks on the chart. "I had this picture in my head of a guy asking a father for his marriage blessing and getting rejected," says Nasri, the song’s Grammy Award-winning lead singer. "It's fun, soulful, easy, and you know the hook right away. That's what we want our songs to do."

The band was chosen in part because students have clamored for a rock concert. “I’m expecting the students to love it,” says Peter Petrino ’15, a senior musical theater major who has been helping to plan the concert. “The band has an island feel, and the first single has a very catchy chorus. The band’s frontman, Nasri, has a great stage presence and a fantastic voice.”

Last year’s concert, which featured Kelly Rowland and We The Kings, was held in October. MAGIC! will perform earlier in the semester during an outside concert, befitting the band’s summery sound. “Students can come back and start the school year with a bang,” says Petrino, who is also the 150th anniversary chair.

The band’s danceable, Caribbean pop sound fuses rock, reggae and pop. A self-described "huge fan" of The Police, Nasri says he wanted to merge those sounds on project of his own for some time. "The moment guitarist Mark Pelli began playing, it felt natural. We had this vision, and it all tied together instantly," he says.

Along with drummer Alex Tanas and bassist Ben Spivak, the quartet of Toronto natives recorded its full-length debut, Don’t Kill the Magic, in Los Angeles, which was released on June 30. "We started recording, and it was so easy," Nasri says. "We're all from Toronto originally. We know the same streets, and we grew up on the same music. It's the real thing."

As one half of the writing and production duo The Messengers, Nasri has written music for artists such as Justin Bieber, Pitbull, Chris Brown and Christina Aguilera. He won a Grammy Award in the category of "Best R&B Album" for Chris Brown's F.A.M.E. in 2012. However, with MAGIC! he's formally embarked on a new phase in his career.

"I want everybody to join us on this MAGIC! adventure," Nasri says. "It's a stressful time out there, and people are struggling to find hope in balance. This music is meant to put you in a good mood. We want to bring people together to have a good time. It's not about us. It's about the music. We want you to be a part of that energy and a positive musical world."

Samantha J, known for her 2013 hit, “Tight Skirt,” will open.

This event, which is open only to Rider students, faculty and staff, will be ticketed. Ticket information is available here.