Date Signed: July 2023
Label: Big Noise
Type of Music: Pop, Rap
Booking: Mark Cheatham – CAA
Legal: Matt Buser
Publicity: Samantha LaPare – Big Picture Media
Web: gavinmagnusline.com
A&R: John Feldmann
Five years is an eternity in the music industry, particularly in recent years. In that span of time, popular music often reinvents itself, bands put out a few records and record label executives tap young adults to keep their artist roster fresh.
For newcomer Gavin Magnus, it took that same amount of time for him to get his proverbial ducks in a row before diving headlong in music. But the genre-bending singer doesn’t lament the five-year slog, because he’s still only 16 years old. So, how did he manage to break through at such a young age? Yup, you guessed it: by creating a viral video that introduced him to millions and millions of YouTube viewers.
“It’s funny,” he begins. “When I was listening to music in middle school, I always played it through Soundcloud and YouTube. I was never really into those [platforms,] but when I discovered Spotify, I was, like, ‘Oh, this
is pretty sick.’ So, I downloaded Spotify, started streaming all my music on there and became a musician.”
His social media presence skyrocketed to such grand heights that Columbia Records recruited the then-12-year-old as the youngest signee in the label’s 135-year history.
Even though Magnus and Columbia made history together, their partnership just wasn’t meant to be. Instead, the social media star— whose music melds rap and pop-punk—reached a multi-album deal with Los Angeles’ Big Noise Music Group in July.
“Pop music with a little bit of rap in it—that’s my lane,” the vocalist says.
Magnus and Big Noise’s arrangement came to fruition after the company’s A&R chief, Goldfinger frontman John Feldmann—like Columbia—caught wind of Magnus’ towering online presence (and practically incalculable video views). Five months later, Big Noise released Magnus’ debut EP, Blurry Eyes, produced by Feldmann (a.k.a. “Feldy”) and Grammy-nominated producer K-Thrash.
Having already established himself, Magnus has more decades ahead of him than the vast majority of entertainers or even public figures. So, what’s next for the youngster?
“I’m constantly thinking of new ideas,” he says. “Me and my mom are always talking about our next steps.”
Spoken like a true teen.