Don’t Kill the Magic

Don’t Kill the Magic sounds like that kind of track that gets stuck in your head without warning. The bass and guitar weave a groove that repeats with a playful cadence, but just when you think you’ve got it figured out, the rhythm stretches a little to give it that fresh air that makes your body move without realizing it. It’s not just the sound: Nasri Atweh’s voice goes back and forth between a whisper and a controlled shout, as if he’s sharing a secret he doesn’t want to escape.

They recorded it in 2013, when Magic! hadn’t quite taken off yet. The single Rude had put them on the map, but Don’t Kill the Magic was their way of saying they didn’t want to stay in the same place. The track ended up on Shakira’s self-titled album as Cut Me Deep, a detail many didn’t see coming. By the time it was released in 2014, they already had a deal with Sony Music Entertainment and had added Latium Entertainment to their team. Among No Way No, Mama Didn’t Raise No Fool, and Let Your Hair Down, this song stood out as a reminder that sometimes, what seems simple is what works best.