Magic System
Magic System is an Ivorian band, known since its single Premier Gaou in 2000.
Originally from Abidjan in Ivory Coast, the original group had more than fifty members (calling themselves “magicians”) whose current members: Asalfo (Salif Traore), Goudé, Tino and Manadja (Adama Fanny) and four other members with whom they draw their inspiration from the zouglou movement, an Ivorian cultural movement bringing together music and dance that allows young people in the country to describe the problems and evils of the society in which they live.
Soon, the group is divided not only because of its large number of members but also and especially because of the presence of two singers Camso and Alsalfo. Camso then decided, with two other members, to create the group “The marabouts” which met only successes in West Africa and within the African community of Europe.
As early as 1996, the four magicians perform at local festivals and events.
It was only a year later, in 1997, that their first album, Papitou, came out with the single Momo, which would be a commercial failure. Despite this, they do not demotivate and record a second 1st Gaou. This one comes out two years later in Ivory Coast and its success decides them to distribute it in France. The beginnings were not easy, in fact, no record company wanted to produce the title.
The album will be entirely financed by Ephrem Youkpo – journalist / radio and TV host – (initiator of La nuit du zouglou in 1998 in France and since patron of the x-pol music label) who strongly believed in the success of the project that he had introduced Tony Adams. Following the refusal of the majors and other record companies to distribute the title, Ephrem Youkpo will sell, as soon as it was released in December 1999, the distribution of the 1st Gaou album to the Sonima structure. The band was invited to play the first part of Bisso Na Bisso, a group of Congolese rappers led by Passi.
In 2001, their third album, Poisson d’avril met with mixed success. The following year, the remix of 1st Gaou by Bob Sinclar will have the effect of relaunching the title dating from 1999 and will make the band known to the French public. Magic System takes advantage of the wave and consecutively releases three other albums: Un Gaou in Paris (2003), Petit Pompier (2005), and Cessa kié la vérité (2005). On April 2, 2012, the Wizards released their first best-of titled D’Abidjan in Paris with as their new single Tango Tango.
On May 19, 2014, the band released the opus Africainement Vôtre, containing the single Magic in the Air, produced by RedOne featuring Chawki. On June 13, 2014, the Bana C4 group takes the 1st Gaou title. In the music video of the song, the band makes an appearance there. Note that the singer K-Reen appears as a singer on the title.
On May 3, 2016, Didier Bonaventure Deigna, drummer and backing vocalist of the group, drowns in Jacqueville (Ivory Coast) while trying to save a person.
On June 16, 2017, the band released a new album titled Ya Foye.
