- "AW" redirects here.
Alan Walker is a British-born Norwegian DJ and record producer. He is best known for his 2015 single "Faded" which received diamond certifications in Germany and Poland and multi-platinum certifications in over 10 countries including the US and the UK. He released his debut studio album, Different World, in 2018. He was ranked 36th on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs list of 2018.
Early life[]
Alan Walker is the son of Hilde Omdal Walker, a Norwegian, and Philip Alan Walker, an Englishman. By birth, he was granted dual citizenship, both in Norway and the United Kingdom on the basis of his parental origin. At the age of two, he moved to Bergen, Norway, with his parents and siblings. Walker grew up with two siblings, an older sister, Camilla, born in England, and a younger brother, Andreas, born in Norway.
Growing up in the digital era, Walker found an early interest in computers, which later turned into a fascination for programming and graphic design. He initially had no musical background; however, he later taught himself by watching tutorials on YouTube based on music production.
Artistry[]
Walker was originally known as DJ Walkzz or Walkzz when he was starting out. He ended up using his real name, Alan Walker, as his artist name after signing up with a record label. He designed his logo in 2013, a symbol consisting of intertwined letters "A" and "W" which are the initials of his name. He uses a hoodie and face mask when he performs on stage. When asked why he uses a mask during an interview by NRK, he stated that "It is to keep a low profile while maintaining the mental image they have given me. I think it's pretty cool. A little twist that makes people ask themselves questions about who really is the person behind Alan Walker." On an episode of his Unmasked series, he stated that "The mask is more of a sign and a symbol of unity and being alike each other, rather than me being different."