Music
Interview: We chat to Norwegian DJ sensation, Alan Walker
Norwegian DJ and producer Alan Walker will be heading to London in February as part of his European tour.
Walker’s breakthrough track, Faded, dominated the airwaves towards the end of 2015. As well as considerable commercial success, the track climbed into the most liked videos on YouTube, racking up almost 800 million views and over 4 and a half million upturned thumbs at the time of writing.
Having propelled him towards international stardom, follow up single Sing Me To Sleep continued the upward trajectory. Now boasting some of the biggest DJs as fans, Walker’s meteoric rise shows no sign of slowing down.
After a summer of high profile festival appearances, including Tomorrowland and Lollapalooza, Walker returns from his imminent Asian tour for a run across Europe in February 2017. We caught up with the man himself to find out if he has had a chance to soak it all in. Read the interview below.
How has life changed since the huge success of Faded and Sing Me To Sleep?
The most significant change has been that I spent a lot of time on the road. It’s definitely more difficult to stay in touch with my family and friends at times, but I try my best. However, I’ve always wanted to travel the world and explore new things. So I enjoy the privilege of seeing new places, and performing my music in front of thousands of people.
Has this success changed the way you approach music?
No, I would say that I always try to make the music I like myself, with input from my team and different sources of inspiration from around the world.
How do you bring the excitement to your live shows?
I simply go on stage with the desire to have fun and enjoy the moment. And I’m extremely grateful for my fans, as the atmosphere wouldn’t have been the same without their support.
Are there any live shows/DJs you’ve attended or seen that stand out in your memory?
I remember going to see Tiësto’s performance in my hometown of Bergen early this year, and his live shows are always amazing. I had the privilege to join him on stage at Tomorrowland as well, which is a moment that I won’t forget!
What do you consider the best or most important dance track?
That’s a really difficult question, as it’s nearly impossible to choose only one track. Also, my favourite tracks might vary from time to time. But if I had to choose, I might say Heading Up High by Armin van Buuren. I don’t know why I like it so much, but it’s been one of my favourite tracks a while now.
You learned to make music through YouTube. What advice would you give to amateur music producers?
Do not give up, because you never know when success is around the corner. That’s exactly what happened to me.
What does 2017 have in store for you?
In 2017, I’m definitely looking forward to releasing more music and performing around the world! I’m excited to head out to my first European Club Tour early next year, and believe it will be an amazing experience.
Alan Walker reaches London’s Heaven on Wednesday 15 February 2017. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.co.uk.
