He has a long checklist for his impending India visit -- trying the 'desi' local delicacies and doing all the touristy things. Norwegian DJ and record producer Alan Walker, who is known for his popular track "Faded", says he has heard a lot of stories about the diverse culture of the country, and cant wait to experience it now.
He is just 19 years old, and has already made a name for himself in the world of music with his fast and progressive beats. Walker became an overnight sensation when his track "Faded" went viral in 2014. He backed up the success with track "Sing me to sleep", released in April this year.
Now, the DJ and record producer will be plugging the musical chord with his beats and sounds at the forthcoming edition of the Enchanted Valley Carnival (EVC). The multi-genre festival will be held at Aamby Valley City in Pune from December 17-18 with artistes like Farhan Akhtar, Arijit Singh and Flo Rida in attendance.
"Well, coming from such a small town, Bergen in Norway I find the culture to be most interesting and I can't wait to meet so many new people there. I have heard a lot about India and I am looking forward to experience it," Walker told IANS in an email interview from Norway.
"It is my first time in India and I am really excited to perform at EVC. I am looking forward to an amazing audience," he added.
Once in the country, the international music sensation will have a packed schedule. But he asserts that he will "definitely take time to sight see and also try out the local food which I have heard a lot about." "I do watch a lot of international films and I have listened to Bollywood (music). Since it's my first time in India, I want to experience the culture and loads more," he added.
Digital streaming got Walker the fame that he enjoys today, and he praises the online world for opening gates for music from different parts of the world. "The beauty about YouTube and other digital sites is that people from all over the globe get to listen to my music and it was great to see the response. I have fans in India and was excited to see the duo Lost Stories from India who had created a 'Faded' remix, which was great to see," Walker said.
From Steve Aoki, David Guetta, Coldplay, Martin Garrix, Diplo to Jay Z - there is an upward surge of musical acts by foreign artists in India. Walker feels it is a great time to explore a different country and its music scene. "I would agree completely that international acts are coming completely, because it's a great opportunity to go to another country. It's great and also, the evolving of music is fantastic to see," he said.
Talking about his journey in the music industry, he said: "I feel like I have accomplished something very big. Not many people have actually accomplished more than 700 million views in a single song. Since my journey began through YouTube, I got a chance to learn to make music through digital platforms and yes, music is moving at a pace, but I think fans of my music see the originality and have been responsive to it." For the time to come, Walker feels artistes will "continue to adapt to whatever new trends and new sounds that come and love the flexibility it brings".