Introduction to Myself MAGIC – FLAIR – FASHION

London is an amazing city. It’s full of colours and sounds, different cultures and people. It’s vibrant, exciting, slick and a little bit quirky. Perhaps at times it’s a bit showy and over the top, but those of us who love it, love it all the more because of that. And that’s why it’s the perfect place for me to do my magic. It inspires me, because it’s a lot like me, including the over the top bit!

I’m Brendan and if you’re reading this, you already know I’m a magician. Since having won the Magic Circle Close Up Magician of the Year 2016 competition my life has given me so many opportunities I never thought I’d get. From television appearances to a recent trip back to my home county of India, one man shows in exclusive clubs to playing around with ideas of fashion. And this is why I wanted to start writing a blog. I’ve got a lot of fans who get in touch all the time, and obviously if someone takes the time to get in touch with me I’m going to get back to them, but it made me realise that people want to know more about me the person, not necessarily me the performer. After having a bit of a think about this I decided that a blog would be the perfect way to do this.

When I’m around people my natural instinct is to perform. I’ll suddenly produce coins or do some other kind of trick. I’m always ready to ‘switch it on’. In fact a very talented friend of mine was taking photos of me a little while ago and had a bit of a laugh as he said that it’s impossible to take a candid shot of me as the second a camera comes out I’m ‘on’.

But that’s exactly what I wanted; that ‘candid shot’. So over the next few months I’m going to be creating this blog for you, the people who have been so supportive and kind over the years. I’m still not sure if it will work – I’m a magician, not a writer after all! – but hopefully this little experiment is going to be some fun for all of us. I’m still not sure exactly what it is I’ll be saying, but I do know some of the broader categories:

Magic: I’m a magician. I love it. I really got into it when I first came to this country almost ten years ago. I’m very proud of everything I’ve achieved and will be sharing some hints and tips with anyone interested in taking up this amazing art form. I’m also going to be talking about some of the lectures I’ve done and continue to do. Actually, I really love doing lectures. It gives me a fantastic opportunity to meet and share my passion with other magicians. I’ll also be talking about the gigs I do at clubs, corporate events, and of course one of my favourite types of event: weddings. I have to be honest, weddings are one of the only times when I’m not in the most spectacular outfit, but I never complain!

Flair: For those of you who don’t know, flair is a very specific kind of juggling performed by bartenders as they mix drinks; think Tom Cruise in the movie Cocktail. Before I moved into magic professionally I was a flair bartender, competing in and winning a lot of national competitions. Though I never fully ‘retired’ from flaring, I did focus almost exclusively on magic for a number of years. However, as my magical style has evolved I’ve begun to incorporate more and more of my broader skills into what I do, and a big part of that is flair. As an artist it’s so great to be able to paint from other palettes, and it’s amazing to be rediscovering flair. I’ve also found out that it’s becoming increasingly popular again in and around the bars and clubs of London, so I have started teaching and lecturing on the skills and techniques involved.

Fashion: What can I say; I’m a sucker for shoes with sparkles! People are always asking me about my fashion choices, where I get my ideas (and where I find my shoes!). I’m looking forward to talking to you all a lot more about this in upcoming blogs, but really it comes from a lot of different places. Culturally I’m very proud to be from India; we’re a colourful, joyful country and that’s always had a big influence on me. And then of course I love block buster movies and all the glitz and razzmatazz of Hollywood. Finally there was the need to stand out from other performers. These things all came together to help create my look. But most importantly there is the fact that I adore fashion. I’ve got some really exciting projects in the near future that, though I can’t say too much now, I’m really looking forward to sharing with you.

Obviously these aren’t the only things I’ll be blogging about, but it’s safe to say you can expect some pretty eclectic posts. I’m already planning one on giving some tips on flair and another on reviews of some of my favourite perfumes! However, what you will always get is an insight into me. What I’m thinking, what I’m doing, and why.

I’ve always been flattered, and even humbled at the support I get from my fans. Every time I’m recognised in the street and asked for my autograph I remember how lucky I am to do this for a living. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be starting this little journey with all of you!

If you’ve; got any ideas for blogs, or questions you would like me to answer, please get in touch. And of course, if you need an award winning magician for your special event, or if you’re a magic club looking for a unique lecture, I would love to hear from you.

Watch my video on Welcome to the channel!