Check Out Nelson Lee’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nelson Lee.

Hi Nelson, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Nelson got his start in Magic when he was 7 years old. His father got him a magic set and it would change his life forever. He enjoyed every aspect of it and has since nurtured this passion of his to this very day.

The moment Nelson realized that he could take Magic to the next level was when he was a Freshman in high school. Nelson’s high school had a rule saying that playing cards were not allowed on campus due to reasons of gambling occurring. Nelson did not let this stop him from performing Magic at school and performed only for his close friends in secret away from teachers and staff. Things were going well until he got caught by one of his teachers. Anticipating to be in trouble and having to never perform Magic at school ever again, things took a different turn.

Nelson’s teacher asked to see a trick. The results that came next was something that Nelson never imagined and is what pushed him to take this childhood hobby a little more seriously.

Nelson’s teacher was amazed by what he had seen and decided to have him perform for all the administration staff at the school. Everyone on staff was amazed at the talent that Nelson displayed for them. Since then, they made a rule change for Nelson that he was to be the ONLY student allowed to bring cards and to perform Magic. Everyone in school knew Nelson as the Magician and it has led him to be an icon in his high school and to perform for banquets and events that his high school was hosting. To this day, Nelson’s high school still calls him back to perform shows and is recognized among the student body from all ages.

Upon graduating high school, Nelson would attend the University of Southern California where he received his Bachelors in Business, Cinematic Arts, and Law & Technology. During his time at USC, he would find the USC Magic Association and become the Co-President where he mentors a community of upcoming magicians.

From there, he would meet his closest friends within the organization and lead him to continue growing and having the opportunity to audition for the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. He would pass his audition and achieve a lifelong dream to become a member at The Magic Castle.

From that point on, it would be nothing but amazing opportunities presented to him to showcase his Magic. Nelson has been able to do so much at just 24 years old. He’s performed for The Golden Globes, The LA Philharmonic, the LA Chargers, appeared on NBC’s The Today Show, Headlined at The World Famous Magic Castle, and is even the youngest ever champion of the Olympics of Magic at The Magic Castle.

Nelson’s journey in Magic has always been defined by committing to your passions and enjoying where it will take you.

From being told that he was not allowed to perform in school to now performing at the Magic capital in Hollywood, Nelson has really come a long way and will continue to do so in Magic and in his life.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was not a smooth road.
Everyone always gets to see the final product of my magic and just see the past opportunities I’ve had and think that everything happened in just an instant. The truth is, magic was a stressful part of my life as well. When I got into it at 7 years old, I quit magic because it was just too difficult and I wasn’t having fun practicing or learning anything. Additionally, growing up in Northridge California, a small town in the San Fernando Valley, I felt I was too far from the stars and would never be able to make it no matter how hard I worked towards it. It just didn’t seem like that’s what I was destined for.

But when I turned 12, that’s when I saw the David Blaine Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon appearance. David Blaine, one of the best magicians in the world, performed magic on The Tonight Show and absolutely put on a great show. What stood out to me was that Blaine did an amazing show with just a deck of cards. At that point, I wanted to do that. That set me on a journey back into magic and it was a difficult one. I practiced everyday for 12 hours and it would be very difficult. I would go out to my local mall in my hometown to perform for random strangers and I would stay there from 4PM when I would get out of school to closing time around 10PM. It was many hours and tiring but I loved it so much. When I entered college, that’s when I got the opportunity to broaden my performance landscape. I met so many great people and it allowed me to get better as a performer. I spent many months to years just performing for free to people until I finally got my first paying gig at USC. I remember that was the start for me and I went to learn the ways of marketing myself and talking with people for making bookings. All of this would change my life for the better as it equipped me with the set of skills I needed to make my magic better and to market myself better to the world.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a professional Magician. I specialize in Sleight of Hand and Mentalism. I’m known for being a Headliner at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. I’m most proud of being able to perform Magic for everyone to bring them to have an experience that is magic in & of itself. What sets me apart from others is that there are no Magicians in my family line anywhere. I’m the first in my family to have become a Magician and there are a lot of people who thought and wanted to be Magicians but were never able to because of the amount of work it takes to get that point of becoming a professional. I stuck with Magic because I love it and it has led to many amazing opportunities for myself and for me to provide for my family.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
The best advice to find a mentor or your network is to keep practicing and getting better while saying yes to opportunities that will allow you to meet likeminded individuals in the same field as you. When I was growing up in Northridge, there were no other magicians in my area. But I kept on practicing and learning. When I finally was able to meet other magicians at the USC Magic club, everyone there as able to recognize my knowledge and talent for magic and they knew that I was practicing for a long time. That would lead for me to be invited to a gig in Los Angeles. Even though I was not getting paid for that gig, I still went to meet people and to showcase my ability to perform and that would lead to me meeting my Magic mentor who I still work with to this very day. From there, I would be able to learn so much more new things and refine what I already know.

Overall, always look to improve your skills in your own time and eventually you will be found by those who want to help you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nleemagic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nelson_l28/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@nlee288?si=MMxeaYrjn-DwQbOX