Performing magic is an art form that has been around for centuries, and it continues to captivate audiences of all ages & transcends race, language or religion. But ask anyone in the entertainment industry and they can attest to the fact that finding a steady stream work can be a difficult task – especially in Singapore where the arts & live performances are still not quite as mainstream or as popular.
There are a variety of magicians in singapore making a living from performing. From close up magic to stage performances, from mind readers to children's entertainers, it takes a whole lot of dedication, obsession, hard work and a pinch of magic to make it work.
While there really are no easy, straight forward guide to become a professional magician in singapore, it's always fun to over simplify things while trying to be helpful to a small percentage of the population who might just make the cut. So here we go!
Step 1: Learning Magic Tricks!
The good news is that this is probably going to be the most enjoyable part of your journey. Depending on what you are interested in, you can look up top 10 lists on youtube such as “Top 10 All-Time Magic Tricks” or search on forums such as “The Magic Cafe” or “The Magician Forum” where both aspiring magicians and full time professionals provide valuable insights to almost any question you may have.
Set a goal of learning at least 6 to 9 tricks with good variety that you can perform well, and you would be ahead of the curve.
Step 2: Finding a Place to Practice your Magic
The biggest problem that prevents most hobbyist from becoming a working magician is not that they don’t practice enough, but that they don’t practice in front of real people. There’s no way around this. You must first find a safe environment that you can perform without fear of making a mistake. This might be friends or family but Magic Clubs such as the International Brotherhood of Magician or Singapore Association of Magic both provide a good platform to perform regularly.
& eventually, you need to pluck up your courage and “social skydive” into performing for the real world. Admittedly, approaching random people in Singapore to perform magic can be daunting. But over time, with the right approach, you will learn what it takes to perform professionally.
Step 3: Find & Watch Fellow Magicians!
Unfortunately, there's no way to become an 'official' magician, as there isn't any kind of certification process for it. More often than not, by this stage, the imposter syndrome kicks in.
One of the easiest way to know where you stand is to compare yourself with fellow magicians. "Meeting professional magicians locally was the single most helpful thing I did that lead me to doing magic full time." So take the time and find magicians performing in Singapore. It’s best if you can get a chance to watch them perform, but just getting a chance to talk to some of them would be helpful.
There are no better way to understand a job than to actually connect with people within the industry. More often than not, fellow magicians are the ones who would give you the first opportunity to performing infront of paying audiences.
Step 4: Market and Promote Yourself as a Magician for hire
“How do you get the gig?” - This is the one question get asked the most from aspiring (and working magicians). The truth is that this is going to be different for everyone. Some performers work exclusively with event partners, some get their work through online advertising and some work purely through word of mouth.
Doing magic as a full-time job in Singapore means you need to be wearing several hats - from being an entertainer to a marketer, accountant and even an entrepreneur all at the same time.
There is no easy way to get booked. It’s not easy, but it’s simple. People need to know what you do. Marketing or promoting yourself as a magician is just a big word for “tell everyone”. You can put it up on social media, tell your friends and family, start a website and give out as many name card as you can, and eventually you will figure out what works best for you.
Thank you for reading thus far! Hope this has been helpful for you. We're excited for your journey to wonder. If we ever get the chance to meet in person, please let us know your progress!
