Magi Merlin (pronounced MADGE-eye) grew up in Saint-Lazare, Canada. A place that may sound unfamiliar to you, but it is a lot closer to home than you realize. A suburb like all others. The epitome of normalcy. Unless of course you replace white with black, straight with queer, then, normalcy is challenged. This, amongst other subjects – such as the impact of capitalism on art, nepotism, the relationship one has to taking pleasure in belonging to those things while rejecting them all —, is what fuels Magi Merlin's creative universe.
It would not be entirely accurate to refer to her as only a singer or a songwriter. Music is indeed at the core of her artistry, but her world expands beyond the medium. It is one that is equally visual as it is auditory, one that is continuously shaped through collaborations with producers such as Funkywhat, designers, photographers, video directors and even film directors: Magi Merlin recently made her acting debut with a role in the movie Mile End Kicks from writer-director Chandler Levack (I Like Movies), alongside lead Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria), Devon Bostick (Oppenheimer), Stanley Simons (The Iron Claw) and Juliette Gariépy (Red Rooms).
As she’s been spending the majority of her time in the studio working on her long-awaited debut LP, Magi Merlin is back with A Weird Little Dog, an unexpected and unapologetic EP which comes out right on time for the start of an American tour in support of contemporary jazz artist Nubya Garcia. Co-produced by Merlin and Montreal beatsmith Funkywhat, A Weird Little Dog sees the former leaning deeper than ever into her artistic integrity, intentionally avoiding traditional commerciality and trusting her fans and listeners to take their time with this work and hopefully see themselves in it.
It’s been almost three years since Magi Merlin’s critically-acclaimed, audacious 2022 EP Gone Girl came out. Drawing influences from 90’s house, drum and bass, Motown and hip hop, the EP was praised by Bandcamp Daily, Complex, Nylon, CBC Music, The FADER and The Line of Best Fit. It also allowed Magi Merlin to support Noga Erez on a European tour and Omar Apollo in Mexico City. Since its release, she performed at several festivals including Osheaga, Montreal Jazz Fest and Treefort Festival.
With A Weird Little Dog and Bip / 9volt, a stand-alone double single released in November 2024, Magi Merlin provides a glimpse of what's to come from her in the next year or so.
