Magic System facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Magic System
Magic System during the opening ceremony of the 15th Festival des musiques urbaines d'Anoumabo, in April 2023.
Background information
Origin	Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Genres	Zouglou, Coupé-décalé
Years active	1996–present
Labels	EMI (2003–2013) Virgin Records (2002–2006) Rec. 118 (2016–2017) Warner Music (2013–2020) Universal Music (since 2021)
Members	A'Salfo Manadja Tino Goudé
Past members	Didier "Pépito" Deigna

Magic System is a super popular music group from Abidjan, Ivory Coast. They started making music in 1996. The group is known for its fun and lively Zouglou and Coupé-décalé music styles. These music types are very popular in Africa.

When they first started, the group had over fifty members! Today, the most famous members are A'Salfo, Goude, Tino, and Manadja. Their songs often talk about everyday life and sometimes even point out problems in Ivorian society. Magic System is famous for many hit songs. Some of their biggest hits include "Premier Gaou" (2002), "Bouger Bouger" (2005), and "Magic in the Air" (2014).

The Story of Magic System

Magic System began in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The group originally had more than 50 members. They were called "magicians." The main members you know today, A'Salfo (Salif Traoré), Goude, Tino, and Manadja (Adama Fany), were part of this first big group.

Their music is inspired by Zouglou. This is an Ivorian cultural style that mixes music and dance. Young people use it to talk about problems in their society. At the start, there were some disagreements in the group. This was because it was so big. Two main singers, Camso and A'Salfo, led the group. Camso and two others later formed a group called "Les Marabouts." They became very successful in West Africa and Europe.

Early Music and First Albums

From 1996, the four main "magicians" played at local parties. They also performed at events all over the Ivory Coast. Their first album, Papitou, came out in 1997. It had a song called "Momo." But this album was not a big success.

They kept going and recorded their second album, Premier Gaou. It was released two years later in Ivory Coast. This album did well locally. However, the group found it hard to get their music distributed in France. No record companies wanted to release it at first.

Breaking Through with "Premier Gaou"

A journalist named Ephrem Youkpo believed in the group. He decided to pay for the entire Premier Gaou album himself. When big record companies still said no, he found a company called Sonima. They released Premier Gaou in January 2000.

In 2000, Magic System was invited to open for Bisso Na Bisso. This was a group of Congolese rappers. In 2001, their third album, Poisson d'avril, had mixed results. Then, in 2002, something big happened. A DJ named Bob Sinclar remixed "Premier Gaou." This remix made the song popular again. It also introduced Magic System to a huge audience in France.

After this, Magic System released more albums. These included Un Gaou à Paris (2003), Petit Pompier (2005), and Cessa kié la vérité (2005).

Later Successes and New Music

On April 2, 2012, the group released their first "best-of" album. It was called D'Abidjan à Paris. It included a new song, "Tango Tango." On May 19, 2014, they released the album Africainement Vôtre. This album had their massive hit song, "Magic in the Air." This song was made with Chawki. Its music video has been watched hundreds of millions of times!

In 2014, another group, Bana C4, covered "Premier Gaou." Magic System even appeared in their music video. The album Radio Afrika came out on June 29, 2015.

A Sad Loss and Continued Journey

On May 1, 2016, something very sad happened. Didier Bonaventure Deigna, who was the group's drummer and sang backing vocals, drowned. He was trying to save someone in Jacqueville, Ivory Coast.

On June 16, 2017, Magic System released a new album called Ya Foye. In 2018, their song "Magic in the Air" became the official song for the French national football team. It was played in the stadium every time the team scored a goal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

At the end of 2020, the group signed with a new record label, Universal Music Africa. They released a new album called Envolée zougloutique on June 21, 2021. Magic System continues to make music and bring joy to fans around the world.