Alan Walker, The Man Behind the Mask, Returned to EDC Orlando

At EDC Orlando, somewhere between golden hour and dark, a figure in a black mask and hoodie took the stage at Tinker field Saturday, Nov. 7th. The crowd didn’t need to see his face. For a decade now, Alan Walker's anonymity has been the point. A mystery man from Bergen, Norway, who turned a bedroom beat into one of the biggest empires in electronic music.

“My first time playing at EDC Orlando was back in 2017,” Walker told Orlando Life. “It’s pretty crazy to think that it’s already been 9 years.”

Walker’s origin story has become an Internet legend, but worth retelling. Born in NorthHampton, England, in 1997 and raised in Bergen from age two, he started producing at 14 with nothing but a laptop. Under the name DJ Walkzz, he uploaded the instrumental “Fade” in 2014.

“Faded” then arrived in Dec. 2015. It topped charts across Europe, earning platinum certifications and more than a dozen countries, and eventually passing 3.9 billion views, making it one of the most-watched videos in the platform’s history.

“When I was making music in my bedroom, I never imagined that one of those tracks would completely change my life,” Walker said. “‘Faded’ opened so many doors for me, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Walker, now 29, has kept the world‘s attention for a full decade and a genre of known for one hit flames. His answer was to stop thinking of himself as a DJ and start thinking like a storyteller. The mask and hoodie became a brand. The albums, Different World, World of Walker, Walkerverse, and Walkerworld, became chapters in a single ongoing sci-fi saga, complete with drones and cinematic visuals inspired by the film composers he grew up studying.

“I’ve always been inspired by film scores and video game soundtracks, so that influence naturally finds its way into my productions,” Walker said. “I also loved the idea that anyone could put on a hoodie and a mask and become a Walker. That sense of unity and identity has always been important to me.”

He’s played more than 600 shows, from Coachella to Tomorrowland, collected Norwegian Grammys and MTV EMAs, and collaborated with everyone from Ava Max to Sia to Coldplay. His streaming number is now top 100 billion plays.

This March he released “World of Walker: Season One, Rise of The Drones,” and the singles have kept coming. In August, the Ava Max reunion “FATE” and in October, “INDIAN SUMMER” with KIDDO. Behind all of it looms “Legend of Atlantis,” billed as the biggest chapter of World of Walker yet, and a 27 day North American tour launching in January that nearly doubles the size of his last run.

“There’s a lot that goes into it,” Walker said. “I’m really lucky to have such an amazing team working alongside me. With World of Walker, we want the live shows to feel like more than just a DJ set. We're building an experience where the music, visuals and storytelling all connect.”

Which brings us back to Orlando. Walker headlined EDC Orlando on Saturday night in a sunset slot, a fitting staging for an artist whose whole aesthetic is built on the space between light and dark. In the hands of a producer who treats every show like a scene in a larger story, golden hour isn’t just a timeslot.

“I hope they left feeling happy, inspired and like they had been a part of something special. Music has always been about bringing people together for me,” Walker said. “That's really what I want people to take away from my shows. Whether they've been following my journey for ten years or they're hearing my music for the first time, I hope they walk away with a memory they'll keep for a long time.”

As Walker sets upon his upcoming ambitions and tour, the crowd felt extremely connected to his EDC sunset set, and his crossover set with Steve Aoki later on Saturday night.

“Seeing Alan Walker at sunset was truly a beautiful experience at EDCO,” said Shivani Hari, recent UCF graduate and EDC Orlando frequenter, as she has been to EDC Orlando throughout all her years at college. “Being with my friends and getting to immerse myself in his music while seeing the colors of the sky and stage was so absolutely amazing. I know those who get to see him in the upcoming tour will be blown away.”

EDC Orlando has come to an end this past weekend, as the Orlando crowd hopes for Alan Walker’s return to the festival next year. The sun goes down, the drones go up, and his story continues.

“Orlando has such a passionate electronic music community,” Walker said. “ I love being able to share these moments with the Walkers here. It's been really cool to be back for the festival's 15th anniversary.”