At just 19, the Norwegian producer has hit headlines for his music.
While most of us were getting wasted in our teens, Alan Walker was putting his music out there for the world to listen to. He was handsomely rewarded with instant fame when his electronic dance music track ‘Faded’ hit the internet and now boasts of more than 750 millions views. He will be performing in India for the very first time at the Enchanted Valley Carnival on the 17th and 18th of December. So before you head over here to watch him weave magic on stage, here’s a little brushing up on your Alan Walker knowledge.
Credits: no.mtvema.com
The Sherp: Hi Alan. How does it feel to finally perform for your fans here in India?
Alan Walker: Just the fact that I get a chance to come to India is amazing. I’ve been looking forward to come to India because I’ve never been there before and I have pretty much only seen it in movies.
The Sherp: The whole world knows about ‘Faded’. Can you tell us what went behind creating this masterpiece?
Alan Walker: The whole thing, for example, the first version of the piece was created and taped. I never thought that it would become so big. Just to see how Faded has picked up this year has been remarkable and really amazing. Plus I think it’s really cool that I get the opportunity to reach out to such a big audience and also reach out my people.
The Sherp: So the official remix of Faded was by DJ Tiesto. How was it working with him and do you have any collaborations planned with Tiesto or other DJs?
Alan Walker: I would love to have a collaboration with Tiesto or anyone else. But there is nothing on the cards right now. As for the remix, I didn’t think any of this would happen. None of us really imagined it. Just look at Youtube now. The video has 700+ million views. This is a pleasant surprise.
The Sherp: Is it true that you don’t have any musical background and basically taught yourself by browsing through YouTube tutorials? Can you tell us about your initial learning days?
Alan Walker: In the beginning of 2012, I discovered a YouTuber known as DJ Ness but now he goes as David Whistle and what basically happened was that I just listened to his music for a year or so and then I asked him ‘how do you make your music’ because I was curious. I wanted to learn to do it myself and he told me one day to watch YouTube tutorials. Since the time we got in touch he also personally taught me and personally, I have spent many many hours watching YouTube tutorials. That’s how I pretty much learned about music – what you can do, what you cannot do, making core progressions and anything else.
The Sherp: You have found your fame through the internet. So what’s the advice you would give other inspiring artists who want to put themselves out there on the internet?
Alan Walker: I would say that they should keep trying to work as hard as they can and believe in themselves because having belief in yourself that you can do something like make music, it does really help you to grow and think. Just keep working hard. Also, you must be prepared to maybe stand for hours in a day or months and years to work on your music. It all depends on what you do. Also, I believe it has a lot to do with luck as well.
The Sherp: At the age of 19, you have achieved so much. What are your plans for this career that’s surely going to go on for many more years, since you started so young?
Alan Walker: Ah, that’s a tough one to answer (laughs). I’d really try to stay in a position where I am here and now and not think about later. Because if I look ahead, I will only put myself under a lot of pressure. I really hope that I can keep working in music, because seeing people’s reactions what they have to say about my music is really amazing. I want to keep delivering music and other pieces like the one I’m releasing on the 2nd of December. Also, I want to keep touring all around the world because I really love travelling and I think it’s a great opportunity for me as an artist as well.
The Sherp: You have a certain image that you like to portray, a certain look with the hoodie and now with the iconic logo. What’s the story behind it? Why is this the look you chosen for yourself?
Alan Walker: In the beginning, it was all about how we want to push Alan Walker in the media and social media. That’s when we wrote down some ideas that would describe Alan Walker as a person, based on my interest. This was when we looked into how I already had an interest in programming computers and that’s where we got the idea from and created this mysterious hacking-ish persona. We also got inspiration from the hacking group Anonymous and also the video game ‘Watch Dogs’. They only have to put a hoodie and mask and they become part of that group. That’s where the Walkers will just have to put on a hood and a mask and immediately they become Alan Walker. That’s a really cool image to give an artist.
The Sherp: Now that you’re coming to India, let’s talk about that. You’re going to perform at the Enchanted Valley Carnival (EVC). What was it about the festival that made you say yes for your India debut?
Alan Walker: Just look at the line-up, it’s remarkable. I think it’s amazing that the music industry is working really well in India and, as I said earlier, I’ve been wanting to come to India since I’ve never been there. Coming to EVC is a great opportunity for me as an artist and also a good chance for me to reach out to my India audience as well.
The Sherp: You might have heard that EVC also has a big Bollywood line-up. Are you a big fan of Indian music?
Alan Walker: We had an Indian artist do the remix for ‘Faded’. They are called Lost Stories and the remix was really cool. They’re going to be playing at EVC too and I really hope I can meet them there as well.
The Sherp: Finally, a big shout out to your fans in India.
Alan Walker: I would like to say thank you so very much. Finally I get to come to India this December and I’m really looking forward to meeting you all and thank you so much for all the love and support for my music. I’m really looking forward to releasing my new single ‘Alone’ that’s coming out on the 2nd of December and I hope you all will enjoy it as much as you’ve enjoyed all my other pieces. Thank you so much and I love you all.