Saint-Sauveur street magician finds YouTube stardom

This story is part of CBC Homerun'sseries onMontrealersmaking a name for themselves on social media. Have a suggestion for anup-and-coming social media starin Montreal? Email melissa.fundira@cbc.ca.

David Blaineis running into some seriouscompetitionas the most viewed street magician on YouTube withSaint-Sauveur'sChrisRamsayedging his way into top spots.

Ramsay said hislove ofmagic started as a child and blossomed when he noticed he could make extra tips performing tricks while he worked as a bartender.

Now, he performs bigger and better tricksfor millions of YouTube viewers.

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It all started with a street magic video shot in 2014 with the help of a friend, much like Blaine's, but"in my own way, with my own flare, and obviously my own budget," Ramsay told CBC Montreal'sHomerun.

The video took off, and what was at first a "mildly viral" YouTube channel turned into a go-to resource for wannabe magicians andup-and-comers alike.

"It's become everything from vlogs, to teaching, to a little of everything," he said.

The tricky thing about posting tricks

Ramsay's channel has become a treasure trove of card-trick tutorials, street magic, and even intimate videos about the challenges of being a magician and why he lovesto be one.

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Among thechallenges of being a magician in the digital ageincludes the very act of posting magic videos online whereviewersare more likely to figure out the trick.

"[Older magicians]don't likeYoutube, they don't like theinternet, they don't like exposure," he said.

He added that people want to learn how to do the tricks they see. But part of the teaching needs to incorporate ethics.

"That's the tricky part," he said.

Ramsay navigates thatgrey areabyonly showing magic tricks that you can find in anylibrary book, his own tricks, or other people's tricks with their permission.

If Ramsey appears to be completely at home in his videos, it's no illusion.

"Authenticity goes a long way, especially on YouTube," he said.

"You're just putting yourself out thereand creating content, and if people are receptive to that, well then they'll give you feedback and you start a conversation with people," he added.

"So it's not like you're talkingto them, but you're creating a conversation."

From a YouTube video to YouTube influencer

His authenticity has taken him far at nearly 130,000 subscribers and over 8.5 million views, Ramsay has managed to reach the level of YouTube "influencer," using his social media following to get advertising jobs.

"YouTube has brought me a countless amount of gigs, so I do private parties, corporate events, weddings and that type of thing," he said.

Ramsay is careful to stress that being an influencer shouldn't be about "accepting money for blatant advertising."

"It's up to a lot of YouTubers, or influencers, to make that fit to their brand and refuse the ones that just absolutely make no sense," he said.

YouTube itself has taken notice of Ramsay's success. He was among 15 Canadian YouTubers selected for its NextUp program where up-and-comers on the social media channel got invited to a 5-day intensive trainingin Toronto.

He'll be back in Toronto Saturday to pick up a silverplaque for reaching 100,000 subscribers.

Performing tricks for more than a decade can takethe excitement out of magic, butRamsay says he now lives vicariously through his spectators.

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"To have that sense of wonderment for an adult a grown adult who knows the boundaries of what exists and what's possible is really, really interesting," he said.

"It changes people."