Kevin Walker (Swedish footballer) explained

Kevin Walker
Birth Date:	3 August 1989
Birth Place:	Örebro, Sweden
Height:	1.75 m
Module:	Embed: yes Position: Centre midfielder Youthyears1: 1994 Youthyears2: 1994–1998 Youthyears3: 1998–2000 Youthyears4: 2001–2004 Youthyears5: 2005 Youthclubs1: Varbergs BoIS Youthclubs2: Kalmar FF Youthclubs3: ÖSK Ungdom Youthclubs4: GIF Sundsvall Youthclubs5: Örebro SK Years1: 2006–2007 Clubs1: Örebro SK Years2: 2007–2011 Clubs2: AIK Years3: 2008 Clubs3: → Väsby United Years4: 2010 Clubs4: → Väsby United Years5: 2010 Clubs5: → Assyriska (loan) Years6: 2011 Clubs6: → GIF Sundsvall (loan) Years7: 2012–2014 Clubs7: GIF Sundsvall Years8: 2015–2020 Clubs8: Djurgårdens IF Years9: 2021–2023 Clubs9: Örebro SK Caps1: 6 Goals1: 0 Caps2: 26 Goals2: 1 Caps3: 3 Goals3: 0 Caps4: 8 Goals4: 2 Caps5: 7 Goals5: 0 Caps6: 8 Goals6: 3 Caps7: 81 Goals7: 11 Caps8: 132 Goals8: 14 Caps9: 60 Goals9: 4 Nationalyears1: 2006 Nationalteam1: Sweden U17 Nationalcaps1: 8 Nationalgoals1: 3 Nationalyears2: 2008 Nationalteam2: Sweden U19 Nationalcaps2: 2 Nationalgoals2: 0 Pcupdate: 17 November 2023 Embed: yes Background: solo_singer Instrument: Vocals, guitar Genre: Pop Occupation: Singer, musician Years Active: 2013–present Label: Universal Music Sweden (2013–present)

Kevin Walker (born 3 August 1989) is a Swedish singer and former footballer. He is a centre midfielder. Walker was the winner of the 9th series of the Swedish version of Idol in 2013.^[1]

Football career

Club

Walker was born in Örebro, Sweden, and started his football career in Varbergs BoIS. Son of the former Örebro SK manager Patrick Walker, Kevin made his senior debut for Superettan team Örebro SK in the 2006 season.^[2] Örebro SK was promoted to Allsvenskan and Walker made his Allsvenskan debut in the following season.^[2]

From 2007 to 2011, Walker was in the AIK organisation, having loan spells to Väsby United, Assyriska Föreningen and GIF Sundsvall. He moved to GIF Sundsvall at the end of the 2011 season.^[3]

Walker played for Superettan side GIF Sundsvall which he vice-captained during the autumn 2013. After the 2014 season, Walker signed a contract with Djurgårdens IF and was presented on 5 November 2014. In March 2016 Walker was appointed captain for Djurgårdens IF.^[4] On 10 May 2018 he played as Djurgarden beat Malmö FF 3–0 in the Swedish Cup Final.^[5]

On 30 December 2020, Örebro SK announced that they had signed Walker to a three-year deal.

International

Walker made eight Sweden men's national under-17 football team appearances in 2006 and scored three goals. He made two Sweden men's national under-19 football team appearances in 2008.

Walker and his brother Robert are also eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland.^[6]

Honours

Club

AIK

• Allsvenskan

2009

• Svenska Cupen

2009

• Supercupen

2010

Djurgårdens IF

• Allsvenskan: 2019
• Svenska Cupen: 2017–18

Musical career

Walker has been fascinated with music from a very young age; ever since he heard his Irish grandfather sing.^[7]

In Idol

In 2013, he auditioned to the Swedish Idol 2013 with the song "Soldier".^[8] The series in its ninth season was broadcast on TV4. His whole Idol adventure began after a video of him jamming with a teammate at a football club function caught the attention of the show's producers.^[9] A few of Walker's football league games for GIF Sundsvall were moved to avoid a clash with his television commitments during Idol.^{[9] [10]}

Walker reached the final alongside Elin Bergman, with both of them singing the winning song "Belong". Walker won by popular vote. His winning prize included a recording contract with Universal Music Sweden.^[11] In the final show, he and Bergman joined Robbie Williams in singing Williams' song, "Shine My Shoes".^[11]

Performances

• Audition: – "Soldier" (Gavin DeGraw)^[8]
• Bootcamp heats: – "Use Somebody" (Kings of Leon)
• Week 1 (Theme "Here I am") – "Pride" (U2)
• Week 2 (Theme: "My Idol") – "Say" (John Mayer)^[12]
• Week 3 (Theme "Swedish music exports") – "Poker Face" (Lady Gaga)
• Week 4 (Theme: "Gone too soon") – "Behind Blue Eyes" (The Who)
• Week 5 (Theme: "Successful Idol singers") – "Hope and Glory" – (Måns Zelmerlöw)
• Week 6 (Theme: "Big Band Friday") – "It's My Life" (Jon Bon Jovi)
• Week 7 (Theme: "Hits in Swedish") – "Till dom ensamma" (Mauro Scocco) and "Välkommen in" (Veronica Maggio)
• Week 8 (Theme: "Unplugged") – "Don't Look Back in Anger" (Oasis) and "Hall of Fame" (The Script)
• Week 9 – Final 4
  • round 1 – (Theme: "Self written") – "Dreaming" (Peter Boström, and Kevin Walker)
  • round 2 – (Theme: "Picked by jury") – "Free Fallin'" (Tom Petty)
• Week 10 – Semi-finals – Final 3
  • round 1 – (Theme: "Audition song") – "Soldier" (Gavin DeGraw)
  • round 2 – (Theme: "Chart topping") – "Home" (Daughtry)
• Week 11 – Final (Top 2)
  • round 1 – (Theme: "Own choice") – "Where the Streets Have No Name" (U2)^[11]
  • round 2 – (Theme: "Viewers' choice") – "Say" (John Mayer)
  • round 3 – (Theme: "Winner's song") – "Belong" (Kevin Walker)^[13]

After Idol

After winning the title, he was signed to Universal Music as part of the award, and released his debut single, the winning song "Belong"^[13] that subsequently charted on Sverigetopplistan, the official Swedish Singles Chart.^[14] Walker's debut studio album, also titled Belong, peaked at number 2 on the Swedish Album chart.^[15]

In late December 2013, Walker was interviewed in the talk show The Late Late Show on RTÉ while visiting Ireland.^{[16] [17]} He performed "Where the Streets Have No Name" during the show.

Discography

Singles

Year	Single	Peak positions	Certification	Album
		SWE
2013	"Belong"	8		Belong
2020	"Humble By Life"^[19]	—	—

External links

• (archive)

Notes and References

1. News: Kevin Walker: Sweden's Pop Idol winner now playing in the top flight. BBC Sport. 2014-12-02.
2. Web site: Kevin Walker — svenskfotboll.se. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140219193537/http://svenskfotboll.se/allsvenskan/person/?playerid=4675. 2014-02-19.
3. Mellerborg, Stefan. "Kevin Walker till GIF Sundsvall" . AIKFotboll.se, 28 November 2011. Retrieved on 7 May 2013.
4. Bohman, Per. "Klart: Han blir ny kapten i Djurgården". sportbladet.se, 25 March 2016. Retrieved on 15 April 2016.
5. Web site: DIF.se | Djurgården cupmästare . 11 May 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180511145855/http://dif.se/djurgarden-cupmastare-malmo-kordes-over/ . 11 May 2018 . dead .
6. Fitzmaurice, Aidan. "If Ireland can control Zlatan you have a chance". Evening Herald, 21 March 2013. Retrieved on 7 May 2013.
7. Web site: Kevin Walker – Soldier – Idol Sverige 2013 (TV4) . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/b3eve5iQdWU . 2021-12-15 . live. sv . YouTube . 25 December 2013.
8. News: TV: Se när Kevin Walker gick vidare – en av 20 till livesända kvalet. fotbollskanalen.se. 11 September 2013. 30 December 2013. sv.
9. News: The extraordinary story of Swedish football's Pop Idol – Kevin Walker. Patrick Reilly. Goal.com. 5 December 2013. 30 December 2013.
10. News: Pop 'idol' footballer forces fixture shift in Sweden . BBC Sport. 1 October 2013. 9 October 2013.
11. News: Footballer's Got Talent as midfielder Kevin Walker WINS Sweden Pop Idol. Ben Burrows. Daily Mirror. 7 December 2013. 30 December 2013.
12. http://st.nu/noje/lokalt/1.6342747-kevin-sjunger-idolens-lat ST.nu: Kevin sjunger idolens låt – I kväll sjunger han en låt av sin idol John Mayer.
13. News: Kevin Walkers vinnarlåt läckte – För de allra flesta var det under Idol-finalen man fick höra "Belong" med Kevin Walker för första gången. Olof Adlercreutz. Aftonbladet. 6 December 2013. 30 December 2013. sv.
14. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Kevin+Walker&titel=Belong&cat=s SwedishCharts.com: Kevion Walker – "Belong" song page
15. http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Kevin+Walker&titel=Belong&cat=a SwedishCharts.com: Kevion Walker – Belong album page
16. News: Kevin Walker uppträder på Irland. Frida Söderlund. Aftonbladet. 17 December 2013. 30 December 2013. sv.
17. http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2013/1220/494075-brendan-ocarroll-for-late-late-show/ RTÉ Ten: Brendan O'Carroll for Late Late Show
18. Web site: Kevin Walker discography . Hung Medien . swedishcharts.com . 24 May 2013.
19. Web site: Humble By Life by Kevin Walker. Spotify. 20 March 2020. 22 March 2020.