Kusal Bandaranayake, widely known as Magic Banda, is, as he phrased it, “in the business of putting a smile on peoples faces with the power of music and magic”. He’s a talented magician with a passion for music.
Speaking to The Morning Brunch, Magic Banda took us through his journey as a magician. “The first time I picked up a pack of cards, I was 19 years old. My cousins and I watched a couple of DVDs on magic, and after watching them, I thought, the next time I see my cousins I should show them these magic tricks.”
From there on he dwelled into the world of magic, and the first thing that he learned was card tricks. As a teenager, he would always ask for loads of card packs as gifts, and would stand in front of a mirror to practice his magic, before he eventually began performing for people. “When I finally got the guts to show people my magic, the reactions were amazing! People loved it, which increased my motivation to make people smile with my magic.” He named Yasas Gunaratne, founder of Knight of Illusions, as his inspiration.
When you mention the word magic or magician in Sri Lanka, Magic Banda stated that the first thing that comes to mind is a guy with a coat, top hat, and rabbit, at a kids party. He informed us that this is only one of many different styles of magic: “I am a close up magician, so I like vibing off people and interacting with them. If you think of guys like David Coperfield, they’re big illusionists, and there are also comedy magicians and mentalists and card sharks in the field as well.”
Magic Banda is also a solo musician, who three years ago, decided to enter the music industry full time. He currently plays with five other musicians in a band by the name Link. They play many covers of movie songs, which are loved by their fans. Currently, they are some of the most anticipated performers at Colombar on Saturday nights and Re.pub.lk on Fridays.
He explained that they used to perform quite a lot on the southern side of the country, in cities like Galle, Matara, and Tangalle, catering to both foreign and local crowds, but with the pandemic, they have been unable to acquire any gigs due to the lack of tourists. He is optimistic that business will pick up again with the airports opening, and they’ll be able to perform down South again. “Even with the pandemic, the situation in terms of the music industry is picking up.”
He added that after the first lockdown, the situation picked up quite well around June, but after the second one was placed, it dropped drastically. “I believe everything has a life cycle; if something decreases, it has to come back up again. I know times are tough right now, but the most important thing is to focus on being ready when things pick back up.”
Talking about his plans for the year, he said: “Our main focus for this year is the band.” He also added that they are in discussions about two concerts. He encouraged their fans to keep an eye on their social media page to find out what they have up their sleeve.
Instagram: @MagicBanda
PHOTOS © Kusal Bandaranayake