EXCLUSIVE: Magnus Ferrell Talks 'Drinks On Me' and Release Party

With a captivating and eclectic sound that combines elements of Bruno Mars, John Mayer, and EDM, Magnus Ferrell is well on his way to becoming a household name in the music world. The USC undergrad has successfully juggled his passion for music with his studies for the past two years, effortlessly exuding a carefree, singer-songwriter vibe in songs like ‘Love Drunk’ and ‘Back In Place.’

Eager to make his mark in the music scene, Ferrell immediately captures our attention with his latest infectious pop track, “Drinks On Me.” The rhythm is irresistible, and the groove is incredibly smooth, delivering a captivating musical experience that warmly introduces us to his talent. To celebrate the single’s release, Ferrell hosted a lively event in LA on Thursday, October 19, where his frat surprisingly showed their support, creating a wholesome, energetic, and cathartic atmosphere. We had the opportunity to catch up with Ferrell a few days after the show to discuss his musical journey, the release party, and the inspirations he draws from his father and family.

How’s everything going for you at the moment?

Everything’s been going super well, I feel like things are finally picking up on the music side of things, even if it’s just a little bit

Magnus Ferrell
Photo Credit: Will Heffernan

Your recent single release party for “Drinks On Me” had fantastic energy, especially for an LA event. Were you expecting your whole fraternity to come out and show their support? It added a unique, hometown authentic touch that’s somewhat rare in LA, don’t you think?

It was so much fun! I was blown away by the crowd’s energy. It’s funny it totally had that authentic touch, and I was extremely fortunate. I think USC has given me the opportunity to build a community of people who are not only supporters, but just friends in general.

“Drinks On Me” marks your first foray into pop music, and you seem really excited about it. What was it about this single that resonated with you and made you eager to release it, compared to your earlier work?

My co-writer and producer Gabe and I wrote that song wanting to make something “weird”. It was one of the first songs where we were like ok screw it, lets just create something with an identity, and honestly make sounds that we think are fun. I feel like I can find myself getting lost in the perfectionist aspect of making music, so for Drinks on Me we really focused on just being spontaneous, and honestly we ended up having a blast.

How do you find balancing school and music in your sophomore year at USC?

You know, it can be a little difficult sometimes to balance the two. It can be especially hard when I have to stop writing a song to get up and go to Biology. That being said, I’m in an extremely fortunate position to even be attending school, and there are definitely benefits and lessons to learn from balancing the two. It gives my life structure, and a schedule, and within all that it’s really helped me manage my time efficiently. So yeah, it can be frustrating, but I think in the end it’s good for me.

What was it like having your dad DJ at your frat party during parents weekend?

I came in thinking it would just be a small thing, and not as large at is it ended up being. As soon as he walked in the building people were like crowding him, and of course when he started to show off his exceptional skills on the decks, everyone just went crazy.

You opened for your dad at the Greek Theater in LA as well, what was that like getting to perform on such a well known stage?

I was so fortunate to be able to do that, and to do that with a song that I love so much. To sing creep in front of a sold out Greek crowd was truly a dream come true.

You developed an interest in music at a remarkably young age, starting at just 5 years old. Can you trace that early interest back to something in your family’s history, or perhaps recall a specific song that deeply connected with you at that young age and left a lasting impression?

Well, I was just lucky that my mom got me into piano. If it wasn’t for her making sure that I played piano through highschool, I don’t know what my journey into music would’ve looked like had it not been for my mom making sure I stuck with it. To be quite honest, when I was growing up playing piano I DESPISED it. I didn’t like practicing, I didn’t like playing, I just thought that it was so difficult. However, when I started getting into Jazz, I really began to take a liking to it. I specifically remember there was one day that it all kind of just clicked. I had been practicing these chords, scales, all this theory that felt so difficult, and then one day I sat down and started to play the melodies I was hearing in my brain. Even if it was simple, I still felt this click and instantly got hooked.

If you had the opportunity, which two artists, one widely recognized and one less known, would you be most excited to collaborate with in your music career?

the first one is Billie Eilish. I love her music, love her voice, and I love singing happier than ever. The second one would be Tom Misch, I think he’s so groovy, and is someone who has perfectly woven Jazz into pop to make some incredible tracks.

If you could curate an ideal setting for a fan to listen to your song “Drinks On Me,” what kind of environment or scenario would you choose to enhance their experience?

they 100 percent would have to be at a pregame, or at a party venue where they could literally walk over to the bar, and mouth the words with the song, and have the drinks be on them.