MAGI MERLIN for Glamcult #144 THE NOISE ISSUE

Magi Merlin possesses that lucky quality — not unlike various other stars — of carrying a strong-rooted belief in what she’s meant to do. When (unofficial) songwriting became her creative currency at the ripe age of an Elementary School student, that was only part of the logical sequence after hearing a song and wishing a little too deeply she wrote it. Today, the Montreal-based singer, songwriter, and producer openly speaks about the process of learning to trust yourself, and how self-assurance comes with practice — themes that comfortably inhabit her upcoming debut album POWER HOUSE.

It’s with a contagious solar energy, a playful casualness in tone, and a natural knack for storytelling that Merlin discusses the ground floor she’s been laying down for the project. Sitting at the forefront of the self-coined genre ‘Broken R&B’ — a pioneer-title few can claim — her sound seamlessly melts in soul, electro, and pop. And if personifying her sound were a task, I’d happily say it reminds me of that magnetic friend with sexy confidence, the perfect amount of humour, and the kind of self-awareness most people can only dream of. Basically, nothing short of the quality of a muse. All in all, concerning descriptors, Merlin is mostly excited “for the record to be out there so people can interpret in their own ways.”

But before anchoring Merlin’s sound in this cohesive amalgam of sonic influences, I ask her about her trajectory. Beginning a more serious musical practice in 2018, Merlin’s work took a new turn after meeting her now long-term collaborator, producer Funkywhat — and they actually used to live on the same street. Evolving into a crystal-clear parallel of showing each other their productions, Merlin freestyling on his beats or presenting her own, their workflow doesn’t stick to solely one method, but “always having fun” sets itself as the monolithic way. Having been steadily performing since then, the first five years on stage weren’t as comfortable. Now there is this tantalising effortless energy that flows through her, but she also cheekily reminds us how she’s still “learning how to feel more at home on stage.” And how does she achieve that progress? “Something that I can now articulate with the gift of hindsight is that one of the greatest feelings in the world is the self-assurance that comes with a shit ton of practice.” Seeing Merlin perform live is like being sucked into this hypnotic whirlwinding universe, and she has you tightly wrapped around her little finger.

In 2025, her surprise drop of EP A Weird Little Dog, introduced the world to her deliciously eclectic sound puzzle, making us all wonder what textures POWER HOUSE will bring. To our surprise, Merlin confesses how the upcoming project was the culprit dictating the sound of the EP in the first place, with notes of indie-rock, post-punk harshness, and pop flavours. Described as an ode to realisation, aiming at offering a balanced perspective, where empathy and anger channeled into change cohabitate under the same roof. “I want people to leave the record feeling energised and reminded that they are powerful and don’t have to take anything lying down.”

There appears to be a universal feeling of contradicting feelings in the bridge between two tracks. The first one being the soft quietness and finding empathy for yourself in single So Smart. Straight after comes Thank You’s bold(er) overt confidence. “I think the trick is not to fight anything,” she reckons. Realising that opposites can live next to each other, and resisting their subduement has been a learning in progress. And what would be “the secret to a sweet and unbothered life”? Simply, Merlin has learnt to “both rock… and roll.” Navigating womanhood is another major thread in the record, deconstructing and attacking tropes and expectations. For example, the diabolically beloved manic pixie dream girl trope serves as the inspiration for pixxxie. Conjured on women by their male friends or partners, projections of what they can bring to their male counterparts take a pivotal place in the relationship. “The trend shows that whenever I was no longer positioned in a role that benefited them, I lost my value.” Frustration appears after realisation, but at least, and using her own words, she’s “yelling about it now.”

Visually, her sonic landscape moves into an ultra-tactile world, literally finding its textures in garments. Merlin speaks with a glistening excitement about clothes. Part of her current outfits reach for the soft delicacy of woven fabrics and lovingly recycled pieces, or “the real human touch.” Simultaneously, her wardrobe also welcomes shiny armour-strong metals, intricate knits flowing into sturdy fringes, and the supple stiffness of leather stomped around in her Dr. Martens Aurix Mules — “all the materials that could make up a power house” (no pun intended). The pendulum naturally and punctually swings to both sides, in which dualities don’t have any other choice than to naturally exist side-by-side. And after all, everything snugly fits together, seeing as it is “cut from the same cloth.” 

Montreal is not only the physical incubator of Merlin’s songwriting (as she sometimes writes when walking), but the city also stands as the adored and special creative hub for a large number of artists. And although the music industry is widely recognised as a particular space to navigate with its own rules and quirks, in which “there is so much going on, so many people with millions of followers that I’ve never heard of, and it’s weird to be here trying to cut through the noise.” Ultimately, the comfort of a welcoming place can shift that pressure. Merlin weighs in on how Montreal offers a soft landing spot, fertile for growth, where the intimidation of the larger metropolitan space is absent.

But finally, what about staying true to yourself throughout a creative endeavour? Trusting herself used to be something Merlin had an incredibly hard time with, but through the years, listening with kindness to her opinions and ideas has become much easier. With brightness, she explains how being the creative director of POWER HOUSE has actually allowed her to prove this trust to herself through her work with respected collaborators. She also acknowledges the difference between the challenge of knowing what you like and trusting your taste, which is a whole other thing. And it’s through finding that belief, that remaining true to who she is has become easier. Nearing the end of our discussion, I come to wonder how she knows when her project is done. “I believe the art will tell you when it’s finished,” Merlin says with poise. She explains how overworking happens when the end is too near. And ultimately, it’s about trusting yourself, right? And with a sincere, confident closure, Merlin says: “The music will always find its people, and I am truly so excited for that.”