IRISH MIDFIELDER KEVIN WALKER has won Swedish Pop Idol tonight, claiming a Universal Music recording contract in the process.
The GIF Sundsvall player, who played a cameo role in a title-winning side before becoming a stalwart in a second tier team, has confirmed himself as a [Swedish] household name by clinching the talent contest on national television.
Walker’s victory is akin to Chris Eagles winning The X-Factor or Jonathon Greening triumphing on Britain’s Got Talent. It’s pretty cool. The DailyEdge alerted you to Walker’s story earlier today — giving you ample time to jump on the bandwagon before victory crowns were placed on any victorious heads.
Walker beat Elin Bergman in the final of the TV4 talent show at Stockholm’s Ericsson Globe Arena tonight, having seen off thousands of hopefuls since his first audition in Sundsvall in the summer.
Walker impressed the judges at his first audition.
Tonight, the Swede-Irishman sang U2’s ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’, Jon Mayer’s ‘Say What You Need To Say’, the Idol single ‘Belong’ and dueted with Robbie Williams, alongside Bergman, on the former Take That star’s track Shine My Shoes.
On stage, Walker described performing alongside Williams as “mindblowing” and “an absolute privilege” before embracing the star.
The Swedish public made their choice via a phone vote and the footballer was declared winner by host Pär Lernström in the results show, broadcast in Sweden and worldwide online.
Walker, 24, plays for GIF Sundsvall in Sweden’s Superettan, having previously come through the ranks of Orebro and spent short spells at a number of other clubs. A former Sweden underage international, he could have represented the Republic of Ireland.
His father Pat hails from Carlow and is a former Under 21 international and played for Bohemians in the 1980s, winning an FAI Cup in 1983, before moving to Sweden. Since, he has carved out a successful management career there and has seen his sons Kevin and Robert both play in the country’s top flight.
After being approached by Swedish Idol producers, he auditioned at his local Sundsvall auditions and wowed the judges with a rendition of Gavin DeGraw’s Solider. For three months, Walker balanced his Idol commitments with GIF Sundsvall’s promotion push, scoring three times before GIF eventually lost out to Halmstad in the Allsvenskan promotion/relegation playoff last month.
Walker said: “I didn’t ask for this. It was totally out of the blue, but it’s been great craic and I’ve learned a lot about myself.
GIF Sundsvall returns for pre-season training on 6 January, but the Swede with a broad Irish accent may have an album to promote on the side. Can he balance pop superstardom with the rigours of professional football?
“I’m a football player and I love singing. If I can combine the two, it would be dream come true for me. All I can do is take it as it comes.”
Rumours had circulated last week that TV4 were keen for the popular Walker to take part in their next big contest, Let’s Dance, in the spring. That may be a showbiz step to far for the multi-talented Irishman.
– Reproduced with permission from The Emerald Exiles.