Billy Menezes has got a trick up his sleeve

What do the likes of Penn and Teller, Dynamo and David Blaine all have in common? Hell, let’s even throw Paul Daniels in there. Obviously they’re all magicians, but by today’s standards at least, they’re a bit old-school. That’s where Billy Menezes comes in. You’ve probably seen the 21-year-old pop up on your Instagram feed performing tricks for the likes of Jorja Smith and Skepta, and it could be said that he’s single-handedly reshaping magic for a new generation — it’s by no stroke of luck that he popped up during Niko B’s Reading set, VICE were writing about him when he was the tender age of 16, and that he’s got his own deck of playing cards. They, by the way, were a collab with Clints, Olaolu Slawn and SOLDIER, and you can buy them at Goodhood (obviously). 

And Menezes’ next trick? Playground Magic, a thirty minute film which sees the magician take his unique brand of magic to forgotten corners of the UK, meeting up with everyone from Jeremy Corbyn to Gabriel Moses along the way. It’s a look at modern Britain as much as it’s a display of Menezes’ skills, and what makes it so him is not just the roster of names he performs for, but the clobber he wears — less black turtlenecks and dodgy suits, Menezes takes to Blackpool, Great Yarmouth and the fringes of Greater Manchester in streetwear fits. Though not a “conscious decision”, as he puts it himself, Menezes is making magic cool again. He won’t let such an accolade get to his head though. He’s a good sport. When I cheekily ask him whether he can believe Teller (of Penn and Teller) can actually talk (I genuinely thought he had a speech impediment), he responds with a video of the two of them together — Teller talks, but makes sure to keep his mouth out of frame. 

Here, HUNGER sits down with the magician to chat tricks, fashion collabs, and why he’d rather watch a Supreme skate video than pull rabbits out of top hats. 

Amber Rawlings: Most magicians are middle-aged guys in suits, but you’re collaborating with the likes of Skepta. Was making magic cool again always part of the plan?

Billy Menezes: I don’t think I ever made a conscious decision to try and ‘make magic cool again,’ but I guess naturally my magic grouped together with other interests of mine—music, clothes, football—and to me they’re all cool. I think it just naturally became a thing where people began to see magic in a new light. Influence wise, I don’t know loads of magicians, so the people I looked up to were rappers and footballers.

AR: From Dua Lipa to Jorja Smith – your audience feels very different from traditional magic. Talk me through that.

BM: I just think magic is a real niche. I love that I can do whatever I want and don’t have to be confined to performing tricks in a certain way or in a fixed space. But also I want to do what I enjoy, so I think that’s why it can feel like a different angle from what people are used to.

AR: You’re bringing streetwear culture into magic with those card collaborations. What made you see that connection?

BM: My biggest dream was to have my own playing cards, so when I decided I wanted to do cards, I reached out to brands that I affiliated with and was a fan of. Everybody has a deck of cards in their home, but they’re normally just some dead cards hidden in the back of a drawer somewhere. I knew people would want cards from their favourite artists or brands.

AR: Penn & Teller have their style, Dynamo had his — what’s the Billy Menezes brand of magic?

BM: I just want my brand to feel authentic and real and connect with people of all ages and demographics. I also want people to feel a part of my journey. Magic is meant to be shared with people.

AR: YouTube tutorials to performing for Kate Moss is quite a journey. Has social media changed how new magicians break through?

BM: I think so. I’ve only ever been around in a time of social media so don’t really know how it was for magicians before it came about. I think magic probably had more impact then. Now everything feels so throwaway, but back then tricks would spread through word of mouth which has more of a mysterious element to it rather than just being shared online.

AR: Your tricks seem designed for Instagram and TikTok. How different is creating magic for socials versus live?

BM: I think I always prefer doing magic live, so there’s no questioning if it’s real or not. But also I think a big part of magic and what people enjoy watching is the reactions. And seeing how people react.

AR: The magic scene often feels quite closed off. Was it hard breaking in as a young outsider?

BM: I didn’t really come through a magic scene. I think I adapted what I was doing to fit into other scenes I enjoyed like the music and fashion scenes around London. It also inspired me to think bigger than just magic and see how I can incorporate my magic into new things.

AR: You’re bringing in collaborators from fashion, music, art. How do these worlds influence your magic?

BM: I think they are a great influence because they allow me to think and create outside the box, and being able to collaborate and do something new with exciting people and brands is what I really enjoy.

AR: A lot of magic feels designed for theatre shows or TV specials. Why focus on street-level encounters?

BM: I guess it’s what I know. I didn’t really know how to make a TV or a theatre show. But when I was like 12/13, I used to go to Southbank and just do street magic and make some money. From there, it just felt like the most natural way of doing things. It was just me and I didn’t need to rely on anyone but myself — all I needed was a deck of cards. I didn’t have anyone teaching me and I’m also an only child, so just getting outside and practicing tricks felt like the best way to do it.

AR: Growing up watching magicians in your mum’s café must’ve been different from the traditional magic club scene. Did that help shape your fresh approach?

BM: Yeah it must have. Seeing that is what I aspired to originally. As I got older, I became interested in other avenues and they influenced me too — even now I’d prefer to watch a Supreme skate video than magic because it’s fresh and I pick up ideas that I wouldn’t normally.

AR: Magic’s getting younger audiences now. What are they looking for that traditional magic wasn’t giving them?

BM: I think magic was just stagnant for years, and the only image you could really create in your mind was a top hat, wand and rabbit. So I think just naturally something new was going to happen. The world can feel like a lot sometimes. The news is dark, and maybe people just want more magic in their life?

AR: Most magicians guard their secrets closely. How do you feel about YouTube democratising magic?

BM: Doesn’t bother me really. It’s how I learnt the basics and it’s very accessible. I remember being bored and sitting in my mum’s cafe with her iPad, not sure what to do. For some reason I typed ‘magic tricks’ into Youtube and the rest was history. I’m very grateful that it was all just there for me to learn from.

AR: Your style feels more casual, more conversational than traditional magic. Was that a conscious choice?

BM: It definitely comes from my interests and the people I look up to outside of magic. I want to redefine how magic is looked at. In the next 20 years I don’t want magic to been seen as someone in a full suit with a top hat. I want to subvert people’s expectations, disrupt the norm and create controversy to keep people excited for what’s coming next.

AR: From Hackney to high fashion — has keeping that street connection been important as your profile’s grown?

BM: Yeah definitely! It’s a huge part of my identity and I don’t think I’ll ever lose it. I’m proud of it.

You can watch Playground Magic here. Photos by Tom Schimmbeck.