Austin Bisnow (born June 9, 1987), is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and lead singer of the alt band Magic Giant and co-lead singer of the indie folk duo Somewhere In Between. He has written and produced songs for artists such as David Guetta feat. John Legend ("Listen"), Big Time Rush (“Like Nobody’s Around”), Jon Batiste & Stay Human (“Express Yourself”), Steve Aoki & Moxie Raia ("I Love It When You Cry"), and Paul Oakenfold (“Who Do You Love”), where he was also the featured artist.[1] In addition, Bisnow has collaborated with Akon, Aloe Blacc, Diplo, will.i.am, American Authors, Cody Simpson, Adam Levine, Gym Class Heroes, Benny Blanco, Mike Posner, Claude Kelly, Beast, Sammy Adams, and Cisco Adler.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Austin Bisnow
Bisnow performing with MAGIC GIANT at the Troubadour in 2014
Bisnow performing with MAGIC GIANT at the Troubadour in 2014
Background information
Also known asAustin Bis, Austy
Born(1987-06-09)June 9, 1987
Washington D.C., United States
GenresPop, indie folk, alternative, house, dance-pop, jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, record producer
Labels
Websitemagicgiant.com, somewhereinbetweenmusic.com

His band Magic Giant has made national TV performances (The Today Show, Good Morning America), had multiple radio-charting singles, and toured with groups such as OneRepublic, Mike Posner, and The Revivalists. Its Coachella performance was part of the most livestreamed event in world history.[10]

Early life

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Bisnow grew up in Washington, D.C..

He attended the University of Colorado Boulder, playing back-up long snapper for the Buffaloes and majoring in Music Composition.[11][12]

He is the brother of Elliott Bisnow (best known for being the founder and CEO of Summit[13]), and the son of author Margot Machol and media entrepreneur Mark Bisnow.[14][15]

Writer / Producer

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Bisnow is a writer, producer and pianist on the title track of David Guetta’s 2014 album Listen. The album went No. 1 on Billboard's Dance Electronic Chart the day it was released, reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 making it Guetta's highest charting album in the US, and has gone No. 1 in over 50 countries worldwide.[16][17][18]

 
Bisnow with Akon in the studio

Bisnow has two additional #1s on the Billboard charts for his work as a writer and producer on the Jon Batiste & Stay Human single, “Express Yourself”[19] and on the Nickelodeon Boy Band, Big Time Rush single, “Like Nobody’s Around", which saw its music video premiere on Vevo during the 2013 Kids' Choice Awards.[20] According to Vanity Fair, Batiste & Stay Human's "stirring" performance of "Express Yourself" on The Colbert Report in 2014[21] must be connected with Colbert's decision to name Batiste as the bandleader on his new iteration of The Late Show.[22] In June 2015, Bisnow's work with K-pop group, Beast achieved 1st place on the daily Oricon Singles Chart (Japan's equivalent to US Billboard Hot 100).[23] Bisnow also co-wrote the lead single "I Love It When You Cry (Moxoki)" off Steve Aoki's 2015 release, Neon Future II.

As a solo artist, Bisnow was featured on electronic music DJ Paul Oakenfold’s 2013 single, “Who Do You Love” which Bisnow also penned and performed on stage with Oakenfold in both Hollywood and Vancouver.

As a musician, Bisnow played Fender Rhodes on the Billboard No. 1 (US Mainstream Top 40) Gym Class Heroes’ “Stereo Hearts" feat. Adam Levine[6][24] and organ on Cisco Adler’s “Classic” as well as the remix featuring Sammy Adams.[24][25]

Get Well Soon Tour

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In 2011, Bisnow teamed up with Grammy Award-winning producer Benny Blanco to create the non-profit Get Well Soon Tour, which aims to bring joy to children in hospitals through surprise visits from superstar musicians around the US.<site="getwellsoontour.com"/> Since their first visit with Justin Bieber on Valentine's Day, 2011,[26] the “tour” has brought artists like Bruno Mars, Pitbull, Britney Spears, John Legend, Selena Gomez, Diplo, Robin Thicke, FUN., and Maroon 5.[27][28][29][30][31] In 2013, Get Well Soon Tour got several patients backstage access at The Grammys to meet The Black Keys, B.O.B. and Miranda Lambert.[5]

 
Pitbull joins Get Well Soon Tour

MAGIC GIANT

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Magic Giant performing in Tampa Bay, Florida in December 2017

In early 2014, Bisnow formed the Indie folk band MAGIC GIANT. Its singles "Set On Fire" charted top 30 on Billboard's Alternative chart[32] and #4 on Spotify's US Viral 50,[33][34][35] while its single, "Window" charted top 40 on Billboard's Hot AC and Adult Pop charts.[36][37]

The band appeared on ABC's Good Morning America and NBC's Today show with Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford as Elvis Duran's Artist of the Month, where they performed live their hit "Set on Fire". The group was chosen as ALT 98.7's Artist in Residence and named by Rolling Stone as one of 10 New Artists You Need to Know.

The group has played festivals such as Coachella,[38] BottleRock,[39] Firefly,[40] Electric Forest,[41] and Lightning in a Bottle[42] and toured with artists such as OneRepublic, Mike Posner, The Revivalists, American Authors, Beats Antique, Eric Hutchinson, and Atlas Genius.

Live From Quarantine

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From March to May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bisnow presented and hosted a 4-weekend digital music festival fundraiser on Instagram Live called Live From Quarantine, featuring performances and appearances from The Lumineers, Woody Harrelson, Jason Mraz, Edward Norton, Walk the Moon, The Head and the Heart, David Blaine, Hamilton's Leslie Odom Jr., Edward Sharpe, LP, MAX, Chelsea Cutler, The Revivalists, Walk off the Earth, Local Natives, Ashe, Plain White T's, Allen Stone, Shakey Graves, Nahko Bear, Thievery Corporation, American Idol's Scarypoolparty, Shaed, Mondo Cozmo, Maggie Rose, and more.[43][44][45]

The festival raised over $100,000 for Frontline Responders Fund to get personal protective equipment to hospital workers and for MusiCares Coronavirus Relief Fund to offer grants to music industry professionals whose livelihood had been affected by the pandemic.[46]

Somewhere In Between

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In June 2024, Bisnow launched the indie folk duo Somewhere In Between with his Canadian wife Deena Robertson.[47] Their musical partnership began when they wrote their wedding vows to each other. Then Deena received a life-threatening diagnosis of mouth cancer to which doctors warned she might never speak again—so they came together to record those wedding vows, their first single “Mr & Mrs,” just days before her complex surgery, [48] with Grammy Award-winning artist/producer RY X.

References

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  1. ^ "Paul Oakenfold feat. Austin Bis - Who Do You Love". Discogs. March 18, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  2. ^ "IN-Q brings poetry to pop culture with concert also featuring Mike Posner, Magic Giant". sgvtribune.com. January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  3. ^ "Poet IN-Q Headlines The Mark Taper Forum With Special Guest Mike Posner". The Source. January 17, 2015. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  4. ^ "Live Guest: Austin Bisnow - RenmanMB.com". renmanmb.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  5. ^ a b Beatport, LLC. "austin bis". beatport.com. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Papercut Chronicles II by Warner Bros Uk, Gym Class Heroes - 75678824739 - CD - Barnes & Noble". Barnes & Noble. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  7. ^ "An Exclusive Interview with Magic Giant". east of 8th. December 4, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  8. ^ "Austin Bisnow". www.newharbinger.com. April 29, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  9. ^ Taylor, Danielle. "BWW Review: Magic Giant Drops Feel-Good Single 'Rocketman' with American Authors". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  10. ^ "Beyoncé's Coachella Performance Breaks YouTube Record". Fortune. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  11. ^ "Austin Bisnow - Football".
  12. ^ "Songwriting a snap for talented CU sophomore". The Denver Post. August 21, 2008.
  13. ^ "Paul Oakenfold's New Single "Who Do You Love" Features Bisnow Brother's Vocals". Guest of a Guest. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  14. ^ Thomas Heath (May 14, 2016) [2016-05-09]. "Bisnow Media sells its multi-city enterprise for $50 million". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.[please check these dates]
  15. ^ "Elliott Bisnow". Elliott Bisnow. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  16. ^ "David Guetta Loves His New Album 'Listen' & You Know What, So Do We! - MTV UK". MTV UK. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  17. ^ "David Guetta". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  18. ^ Gus. "David Guetta "Dangerous" Pt 2 ft. Trey Songz, Chris Brown & Sam Martin - QUEER ME UP". QUEER ME UP. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  19. ^ "Social Music - Jon Batiste,Jon Batiste & Stay Human - Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  20. ^ "24/Seven - Big Time Rush - Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  21. ^ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central. Archived from the original on August 14, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  22. ^ Locker, Melissa (June 6, 2015). "Meet __Stephen Colbert's__ New *Late Show* Bandleader, __Jon Batiste__". HWD. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  23. ^ "BEAST Dominates Japan Oricon Chart for Third Time in a Row with New Single". Soompi. May 30, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  24. ^ a b "Austin Bisnow - Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  25. ^ "Paul Oakenfold & Helen Hayes!". bisnow.com. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  26. ^ "Riot.House » Production, Creative Marketing, and Experiencial Design » Get Well Soon Tour – Justin Bieber". Riot.House. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  27. ^ "About CHLA Blog". CHLA. Archived from the original on July 5, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  28. ^ "Caroline's Success Story". www.nicklauschildrens.org. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  29. ^ "Diplo and Selena Gomez Hustling Kindness as Shoe Fairies". Hustle Kindness Shop. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  30. ^ "A Legendary Visit". Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  31. ^ Alexandra Capotorto (June 27, 2012). "Fun. Visit Children's Hospital". PopCrush. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  32. ^ "Alternative Songs: Top Alternative Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  33. ^ "The World Famous KROQ". The World Famous KROQ. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  34. ^ Premiere, Exclusive. "Magic Giant's "Set on Fire" Video Takes You to the Desert: Exclusive". Fuse. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  35. ^ "Interview with Magic Giant". Black on the Canvas -Indie Music Blog. January 11, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
  36. ^ "Songs By The Script, Clean Bandit, Magic Giant, Post Malone Enter Top 40 At Hot AC Radio". Headline Planet. December 10, 2017. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  37. ^ "Magic Giant". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  38. ^ "Beyond the Headliners: Here Are 10 Awesome Bands Playing Coachella 2018". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  39. ^ "BottleRock Napa lineup announced: It's epic and you'll want to be there". The Mercury News. January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  40. ^ "Interview: Magic Giant embrace nature, recording in a Tree and going naked for a good cause". AXS. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  41. ^ "Your Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles : Feed : Culture Collide". Archived from the original on August 26, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  42. ^ "THE NEW ALT 105.3". THE NEW ALT 105.3. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  43. ^ Release, Press (May 16, 2020). "Magic Giant Announces 4th Live From Quarantine Virtual Festival". Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  44. ^ "Here Are All the Livestreams & Virtual Concerts to Watch During Coronavirus Crisis (Updating)". Billboard. July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  45. ^ Desk, TV News. "Magic Giant Announces 3rd Installment of the Live From Quarantine Series". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 25, 2020. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  46. ^ Figueroa, Jesus. "Magic Giant announces 4th Live From Quarantine Virtual Festival". Thisfunktional. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
  47. ^ "Somewhere in Between debuts heartfelt "Mr & Mrs" single". earmilk. June 24, 2024.
  48. ^ "SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN – "MR & MRS"". wonderland magazine. August 15, 2024.
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List of University of Colorado Boulder alumni