Magic Wands

Nashville residents Chris and Dexy Valentine comprise the Magic Wands, a coed twosome with a penchant for drum machines, distorted guitars, and Blondie-inspired songcraft. The indie pop duo took root in 2007, when Chris happened upon one of Dexy's songs, the coolly detached "Teenage Love," while perusing MySpace. Dexy was living in Los Angeles at the time, but the two nevertheless began a long-distance relationship that same summer, bridging the physical distance between Tennessee and California with countless phone calls and mailed gifts (one of which — a supposed "magic wand" — inspired the group's name). Dexy soon left L.A. and relocated to Nashville, where she and Chris launched the Magic Wands with the proper release of "Teenage Love" on Ark Recordings. Appropriately enough, the track was issued as a digital single on February 14, 2008, and a subsequent appearance at the South by Southwest festival helped endear the newly minted band to larger audiences.