The Magical Passion of Adele

Never mind . . . I’ll find someone like you . . . not only a beautiful song by a beautiful woman, but an excellent lesson in true emotion and passion that we can all learn from.

Take a minute (actually about 6) and watch the video below from Adele. Whether you love her or hate her, love this song or hate this song, you’ll need to watch this video for this issue of Roots and Branches.

Root:

Let’s remember our roots. This month’s root: Passion! That song by Adele, is an extremely personal one, obviously. As you saw at the end of the video, she had a tough time controlling her emotions. During the song, if you didn’t feel her pain, her passion, her love, her loss, her [insert emotion here], then you’re likely dead. That video was immersed in her passion. It was moving and beautiful.

Yet, it was entertainment. It was a woman standing before a crowd of people who paid to see her. She was there to do a job . . . a job that she clearly loves and has a deep passion for. Sure when you perform your favorite four ace trick, you aren’t exactly pouring your heart out about a lost love, but you should be sharing a piece of yourself with your audience. Are you?

Watch this second video of Adele performing the same song. Again, watch it all the way through. I promise it’s worth 6 minutes of your time:

Different time . . . different audience . . . same passion! I guarantee you that she’s performed that song thousands and thousands of times, and I’d venture to guess that almost every time it’s exactly the same. The passion is always there.

Branch:

Let’s build our branches. For the next 30 days, I want you to truly share yourself with your audience. Take one effect from your repertoire and make it a piece of you that you can open up yourself. Be vulnerable with your audience. Show them you. Let them feel you on a deep level.

So many times I see a magician or a comedian perform the same tricks or same jokes to different audiences, and it’s clear that the magician or comedian has done this move or said that line a thousand times and they’re bored of it. Don’t be that guy/gal. Be Adele. Feel her passion, and channel it in every single performance.

Give your entire self in every single performance. Push yourself. Let yourself go. My good friend Joe Diamond has worked hard at doing this in his work. One of my favorite pieces of his is a simple effect that is mostly a story (a true one at that), but has one magic “trick” moment in it, but several magic “moments” in it. See for yourself:

I love the idea of his effect. It may or may not be your style, but it’s a great example of how to take a simple “trick” and make it “magic.” Open yourselves up to your audience.

Now go study the classics and go discover your true magical self.