English-Norwegian DJ and music producer Alan Walker, who has also been known as a DJ behind the mask, and is much-loved among the Indian audience too, gets candid with The Pioneer about his musical career, the social media scene, his sources of inspiration, and more.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
An English-Norwegian DJ and music producer who earned international recognition after releasing his song Faded, Alan Walker, gets on board for an exclusive chat with The Pioneer to commemorate his latest collaboration with one of our own Indian artists, titled Who I Am. The track that made Alan Olav Walker famous was declared platinum in 14 different countries. On YouTube, his three tracks, Faded, Alone, and The Spectre, have received over a billion views! What a remarkable accomplishment. Do you also know the secret for his constant mask-wearing during his entire musical career? He did, however, disclose in one of his interviews that it was to avoid becoming a mysterious icon! He said that his desire was to prioritise his music over his personal life.
“My first music production was a bit random,” he tells us exclusively. “I used to be really inquisitive and enjoy watching all different sorts of videos, including tutorials, on YouTube when I was younger. Here, I was also introduced to a very positive production environment where we could both learn from and support one another. After I released the instrumental version of Fade, things started to pick up steam, and the rest is history.” Then, with six million followers at the beginning of 2017, Walker’s channel became the most popular YouTube channel registered in Norway. With 45 million subscribers, his channel remains the most popular in Norway. With 13.6 billion views, he also has the most views of any Norwegian creator. The Anglo-Scottish lad goes on to talk to us, saying, “It was actually the first time I met Tiesto, and it was a very strong and important moment. The fact that I, a tiny me, got to meet him was extremely significant because he had been my great idol. And the song Faded was incredibly straightforward and melancholic. You can listen to it while working out or playing video games; it’s similar to a movie soundtrack in that regard.” He moved to Bergen, Norway, with his family when he was two years old, where he grew up with two siblings. Despite having no prior musical training, Walker was able to teach himself by watching YouTube videos that covered musical creation. “YouTube is fantastic! Here, that’s the most crucial factor. I could scroll through some of my favourite channels for hours on end. Beyond this, though, we make an effort to be as engaged and inquisitive as we can,” but the Norwegian-British artist also tells us that they constantly talk to the community about what they really want, test out new features, and produce a lot of content. Walker contacted Italian DJ David Whistle, better known as DJ Ness, in 2012 after hearing one of his songs and wanting to know how he made his music. Hans Zimmer and Steve Jablonsky, as well as EDM producers K-391 and Ahrix, served as inspiration for him. He began using FL Studio on his laptop to produce music! He started pursuing his career as a music producer, gradually releasing his music on SoundCloud and YouTube with the support and encouragement of his online fan base. Prior to landing a record deal and releasing his first track in 2014, he was better known as DJ Walkzz, having started out as a bedroom producer. “Nobody could anticipate it’s phenomenal success, I believe! Faded was an extension of the instrumental fade I created in 2014, which was 10 years ago today, as previously noted. Before I was contacted by my current manager, this was signed to the label NCS. Following this, we continued to develop the song, added a topline, and released Faded,” Walker recalls. In 2015, Walker resumed his musical career and put out two successful albums on NCS, Spectre and Force. “I am a naturally curious person who enjoys trying out new creative endeavours and collaborating with other people. I believe it’s crucial for artists to constantly adapt and follow their creative instincts.” However, he argues that it’s extremely difficult to predict the course and outcome of AI. “Working together promotes progress—for both musicians and songs! The world is getting smaller, but at the same time, it is really motivating to be able to collaborate with people throughout the globe. Given the intimate nature of Who I Am, I believe it’s fantastic that producers like Gravero have added their individual touch to the song.” Walker joined the Swedish crowdsourcing platform, which enables supporters to contribute to musical projects. For his next musical endeavours, Walker gathered nearly $100,000 from his fan base. The first was a collection EP named Origins, and the second was a song called Unity, which he collaborated on with his online fan community, The Walkers. “The goal is really to always take things further and push boundaries,” he said as he wrapped up the exclusive conversation. “I am interested in seeing how far the Walker movement and community can go.”
An English-Norwegian DJ and music producer who earned international recognition after releasing his song Faded, Alan Walker, gets on board for an exclusive chat with The Pioneer to commemorate his latest collaboration with one of our own Indian artists, titled Who I Am. The track that made Alan Olav Walker famous was declared platinum in 14 different countries. On YouTube, his three tracks, Faded, Alone, and The Spectre, have received over a billion views! What a remarkable accomplishment. Do you also know the secret for his constant mask-wearing during his entire musical career? He did, however, disclose in one of his interviews that it was to avoid becoming a mysterious icon! He said that his desire was to prioritise his music over his personal life.
“My first music production was a bit random,” he tells us exclusively. “I used to be really inquisitive and enjoy watching all different sorts of videos, including tutorials, on YouTube when I was younger. Here, I was also introduced to a very positive production environment where we could both learn from and support one another. After I released the instrumental version of Fade, things started to pick up steam, and the rest is history.” Then, with six million followers at the beginning of 2017, Walker’s channel became the most popular YouTube channel registered in Norway. With 45 million subscribers, his channel remains the most popular in Norway. With 13.6 billion views, he also has the most views of any Norwegian creator. The Anglo-Scottish lad goes on to talk to us, saying, “It was actually the first time I met Tiesto, and it was a very strong and important moment. The fact that I, a tiny me, got to meet him was extremely significant because he had been my great idol. And the song Faded was incredibly straightforward and melancholic. You can listen to it while working out or playing video games; it’s similar to a movie soundtrack in that regard.” He moved to Bergen, Norway, with his family when he was two years old, where he grew up with two siblings. Despite having no prior musical training, Walker was able to teach himself by watching YouTube videos that covered musical creation. “YouTube is fantastic! Here, that’s the most crucial factor. I could scroll through some of my favourite channels for hours on end. Beyond this, though, we make an effort to be as engaged and inquisitive as we can,” but the Norwegian-British artist also tells us that they constantly talk to the community about what they really want, test out new features, and produce a lot of content. Walker contacted Italian DJ David Whistle, better known as DJ Ness, in 2012 after hearing one of his songs and wanting to know how he made his music. Hans Zimmer and Steve Jablonsky, as well as EDM producers K-391 and Ahrix, served as inspiration for him. He began using FL Studio on his laptop to produce music! He started pursuing his career as a music producer, gradually releasing his music on SoundCloud and YouTube with the support and encouragement of his online fan base. Prior to landing a record deal and releasing his first track in 2014, he was better known as DJ Walkzz, having started out as a bedroom producer. “Nobody could anticipate it’s phenomenal success, I believe! Faded was an extension of the instrumental fade I created in 2014, which was 10 years ago today, as previously noted. Before I was contacted by my current manager, this was signed to the label NCS. Following this, we continued to develop the song, added a topline, and released Faded,” Walker recalls. In 2015, Walker resumed his musical career and put out two successful albums on NCS, Spectre and Force. “I am a naturally curious person who enjoys trying out new creative endeavours and collaborating with other people. I believe it’s crucial for artists to constantly adapt and follow their creative instincts.” However, he argues that it’s extremely difficult to predict the course and outcome of AI. “Working together promotes progress—for both musicians and songs! The world is getting smaller, but at the same time, it is really motivating to be able to collaborate with people throughout the globe. Given the intimate nature of Who I Am, I believe it’s fantastic that producers like Gravero have added their individual touch to the song.” Walker joined the Swedish crowdsourcing platform, which enables supporters to contribute to musical projects. For his next musical endeavours, Walker gathered nearly $100,000 from his fan base. The first was a collection EP named Origins, and the second was a song called Unity, which he collaborated on with his online fan community, The Walkers. “The goal is really to always take things further and push boundaries,” he said as he wrapped up the exclusive conversation. “I am interested in seeing how far the Walker movement and community can go.”
