Will Ferrell‘s eldest son, Magnus Ferrell, is now carving out his very own place in entertainment as his latest single continues to draw major attention. The 22-year-old musician has also received public support after his famous father helped introduce the track to a wider audience.
Magnus also spoke candidly about his experience trying to forge his own identity while growing up in a famous family.
Magnus Ferrell is proving he’s more than just Will Ferrell’s son. The 22-year-old musician has broken onto the Billboard charts as his single “Asleep Talking” continues to rack up streams and spread across social media, turning him into one of the internet’s latest breakout artists.
While the song had already been available for months, interest skyrocketed after Will Ferrell featured it during an appearance on Michelle Obama’s “IMO” podcast.
For Magnus, the sudden attention has been both exciting and disorienting. “It’s been like this weird dream,” he said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “It doesn’t feel real, but then it does at the same time. It’s just crazy.”
Magnus Doesn’t Run From The ‘Nepo Baby’ Label
Magnus isn’t shying away from the “nepo baby” conversation that has followed his growing success. Instead, the rising musician says he understands why people point to his famous last name, even as he believes his music ultimately has to earn its own audience.
The singer acknowledged that being Will Ferrell’s son naturally brings extra attention, saying critics “aren’t wrong” to recognize the advantages that come with his upbringing. At the same time, he argued that exposure alone can’t sustain a career if the music fails to connect with listeners.
“You have to acknowledge the position that you’re in because they’re not wrong. I can’t control the attention that I get because of my dad, but like, it is there,” Magnus said.
Magnus Ferrell Says He Won’t Take His Opportunity For Granted
Magnus also made it clear that he understands not everyone gets the same chance to pursue a creative career. Rather than denying the advantages that come with his family background, he said he views them as a privilege and something he hopes to honor through his work.
“At the end of the day, it’s just about the music; like if my music was terrible, it wouldn’t be doing the thing that it’s doing,” he argued.
The singer added that he’s mindful of how fortunate he is to chase his passion when many aspiring artists never get that opportunity. “I acknowledge the fact that I’m in a position where I’m even lucky to chase a dream and some people aren’t,” Magnus continued. “So yeah, just gonna take it with grace.”
Magnus Ferrell’s Musical Breakthrough Has Been Years In The Making
Although he is now just landing on the Billboard charts, Magnus has been writing, producing, and releasing his own material while sharpening his sound behind the scenes. In the process, the 22-year-old has drawn on various influences ranging from jazz to classic pop.
Music has been part of Magnus’s life since childhood. He began piano lessons at age five and eventually teamed up with longtime collaborator Gabe Yaron after meeting in a school jazz band. The pair continued working together while attending the University of Southern California, where Magnus balanced his studies with an increasingly active music career.
He released his first songs independently before gaining traction with tracks including “Drinks On Me,” “Missed Your Chance,” and “Life Or Death,” the latter drawing hundreds of thousands of Spotify streams. Magnus later unveiled his “Hasn’t Even Started” EP and even contributed “Slow Down,” alongside “Deacon,” to his dad’s 2025 comedy “You’re Cordially Invited.”
Will Ferrell Jokes He Wants To Be Magnus’ Roadie
In a recent interview, Will joked that if Magnus’s momentum continues, he will happily swap his Hollywood movie sets for life on the road… as his son’s roadie. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight while promoting his Netflix series “The Hawk,” Will couldn’t hide his excitement over Magnus’ growing music career, calling it the thing he’s most proud of right now.
“It’s the best. I’m more excited about that than anything else,” he said, praising the younger Ferrell’s dedication to music. He then joked that his own career may have an expiration date if Magnus maintains the same trajectory. “I really want just to retire and be his roadie. Two or three more seasons of “The Hawk” and I’ll just be his roadie,” he said.
Imagining life on tour, Will quipped that he’d be happy working behind the scenes instead of taking center stage: “I’ll just be like the electrician at the Sabrina Carpenter concert. I’ll just do bits while he’s on stage.”
