Like most different youngsters, Raphael La Ferrara spends a variety of time on TikTok — it’s the place he shares his craft, makes others smile and has amassed greater than one million followers.
The 17-year-old Montrealer is knowledgeable magician and content material creator who makes use of every part from a deck of playing cards to vibrant get together cups to Rubik’s cubes in his standard movies. His tips typically contain placing a private and magical spin on a web based pattern.
He largely movies his creations from the consolation of his household residence, typically with the assistance of his mother and pop.
“I’m making these movies as a result of I take pleasure in making them,” La Ferrara mentioned. “I by no means take something with no consideration. I’m simply so blessed for every part I’ve in my life and I’m in a position to carry out gigs. I’m in a position to get bookings and it actually helps me out.”
The teenager simply hit 1.7 million followers on TikTok, which he joined in 2019. He additionally posts his movies on Instagram and YouTube.
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His ardour for magic goes again to childhood, when his mother and father purchased him a small magic equipment, and he then dug right into a ebook he borrowed from the library.
Luigi La Ferrara says his son soaked up all that he might be taught and would present his household a brand new act practically each different day.
“Ever since then he’s been simply growing his craft, his tips,” the proud dad mentioned.
What does La Ferrara take pleasure in most about being a magician? The response from others, he says.
“It makes me really feel so good.”
When he was eight years outdated, he discovered a trick with an elastic band and he remembers training in entrance of the mirror again and again. After that, he began watching on-line video magic acts involving on a regular basis objects like rings and cash.

“I began performing them at my faculty. Once I confirmed my buddies, they had been simply blown away. They had been freaking out,” La Ferrara mentioned. “I received some actually good reactions out of them.
“So then after that I simply wished to maintain doing it as a result of I like seeing folks comfortable.”
His ardour for magic has grown over the past 9 years. {The teenager} began performing professionally when he turned 13, working weddings and household occasions.
“They’d simply watch all my tips; it was one of the best feeling,” La Ferrara mentioned.
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He was 14 when he began posting movies on-line on TikTok. He didn’t assume a lot of it on the time, however after a few months he hit 5,000 followers.
After which one among his creations went viral and gained 25 million views. La Ferrara was surprised.
“I used to be getting followers left and proper, what I used to be freaking out that day,” he mentioned. “It was the most effective days of my life. I actually gained like 100,000 followers in a single day.”
The magician has practically two million followers on the platform, resulting in collaboration with manufacturers and bookings.
La Ferrara desires to maintain his ardour enjoyable, although. He mentioned he doesn’t strain himself to create and publish new content material always.
“And now I put up every time I really feel prefer it,” he mentioned. “I feel it’s good to your psychological well being to take breaks.”
For his dad, it’s “mind-boggling” to see what number of followers his son has thus far. Luigi La Ferrara has performed a job, too. He has helped with filming his teenager’s tips for passersby downtown, and enjoys the reactions.
“I’m simply so pleased with him.”
— with recordsdata from International Information’ David Sedell and Anne Leclair
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