Frank Walker & Astrid S

Based in Toronto, Frank Walker is an EDM DJ who produces yearning, melancholy dance-pop with an emphasis on vocals and arresting melodies. After releasing several singles throughout the 2010s, as well as remixes for the likes of Kesha and Marshmello, he broke through with singles like the Juno-nominated 2019 single “Only When It Rains.”
Walker is the son of Canadian business executives Donald J. Walker and Belinda Stronach. He studied business at the University of Western Ontario, but decided to pursue a career in music following his graduation. While in college, he had begun mixing progressive and big room house, and launched a podcast series called Reflections in 2014. After producing a few remixes, he started releasing original material in 2016, starting with the Nocturnal EP. While two of the EP’s tracks were instrumentals, lead track “All I Want” was an urgent dance-pop song that signaled the direction Walker would take with his subsequent work. Following the singles “Toes” and “Run with the Real,” Walker’s 24 EP arrived in 2017, focusing less on club tracks and more on radio-ready tunes. He supported Kygo on the worldwide Kids in Love tour, and his 2018 single “Heartbreak Back,” featuring Riley Biederer, became a hit on Canadian Top 40 radio. “Only When It Rains,” a collaboration with Astrid S, was a hit in Canada and Norway, and was nominated for Dance Recording of the Year at the 2020 Juno Awards. “More Than OK,” a 2020 single with R3hab and Clara Mae, reached number 22 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Songs chart. ~ Paul Simpson