Alexander Vargas Blay | |
|---|---|
 "Alex Vargas – Portrait by Hannah Hillier – August, 2015" | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alexander Vargas Blay |
| Born | 17 February 1988 Hørsholm, Denmark |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) |
|
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels |
|
| Website | www |
Alexander Vargas Blay (born 17 February 1988) is a Danish singer, songwriter and record producer. He was born in Denmark to a Danish-English mother and a Uruguayan father. [1] [2]
Vargas relocated to London at age 17 to pursue his musical career where he was signed to Geffen Records and formed the band Vagabond. The band toured the UK selling out two headline tours and also performed at the Glastonbury, T in the Park and V music festivals.
On 16 February 2010, Vargas disbanded Vagabond in order to pursue a solo career. [3]
On 12 and 13 October 2013, Vargas performed as a vocalist with trance band Above & Beyond at their acoustic show at the Greek Theater, Los Angeles. He co-wrote and featured on 5 songs from their fourth studio album We Are All We Need, which debuted at No. 1 on the US Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard) chart, No. 12 on the UK album chart and No. 34 on the US Billboard 200 chart.[ citation needed ]
In 2014, Vargas signed with Copenhagen Records and started working on material for his forthcoming EP and album with collaborator Tommy Sheen who also performs live with Vargas. The first release on Copenhagen Records was the single "Till Forever Runs Out" followed by "Solid Ground" on 30 March 2015. "Solid Ground" became a viral hit and is included on the EP Giving Up the Ghost released 22 January 2016. The title track however premiered on US music blog Pigeons & Planes on 16 September 2015. [4] The EP peaked at No. 1 on the Danish and Dutch iTunes Album Charts while the feature single, "Shackled Up" made it to No. 1 on the Danish iTunes Singles Chart and No. 4 on the Dutch iTunes Singles Chart.[ citation needed ]
UK press and blogs have described Alex as "engrossing, poetic and openly emotional, Vargas' soulful approach is winning fans – prepare to become one of them". –Clash Music [5]
Vargas is a BMI writer and is published by Atlas Music Publishing out of New York.
On 16 February 2017, Vargas announced that his second full-length album, Cohere, would be released on 31 March 2017. [6] [ non-primary source needed ]
He co-wrote Bulgaria's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. The song called "Beautiful Mess" was performed by Russian-born Kristian Kostov and reached 2nd place, Bulgaria's best ever result. [7]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN [8] | |||||||||||||||
| Rookie | — | ||||||||||||||
| Cohere |
| 11 | |||||||||||||
| Ego (Super/Trip/Maniac) | 14 | ||||||||||||||
| Big Big Machine |
| 3 [15] | |||||||||||||
| "—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released | |||||||||||||||
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Sales | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN [8] | |||||||||||||||
| Howl | — | World: 10,000 [18] | |||||||||||||
| Giving Up the Ghost |
| 14 |
| ||||||||||||
| superEGO |
| — | |||||||||||||
| EGOtrip |
| — | |||||||||||||
| Alex Vargas Synger Toppen Af Poppen |
| — | |||||||||||||
| "—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released | |||||||||||||||
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEN [8] | NLD [25] | ||||
| "More" | 2012 | — | 88 | Non-album singles | |
| "Till Forever Runs Out" | 2014 | — | — | ||
| "Solid Ground" | 2015 | — | — |
| Giving Up the Ghost |
| "Shackled Up" | 2016 | 26 | 95 |
| |
| "Higher Love" [28] | — | — |
| Cohere | |
| "Higher Love (Decco Remix)" [30] | — | — | |||
| "Inclosure" [31] | 2017 | — | — | ||
| "Slowly" [32] | 2018 | — | — | Non-album single | |
| "Silent Treatment" [33] | — | — | Ego | ||
| "Now That I Think About It" [34] | — | — | |||
| "The Killing Kind"[ citation needed ] | 2019 | — | — | ||
| "Police Bells & Church Sirens" | 2021 | 31 | — | Toffen af Poppen 2021 Synger Simon Kvamm | |
| "Yougazer" [35] | 2022 | — | — | BIG BIG MACHINE | |
| "Mama, I've Been Dying" [36] | — | — | |||
| "Pages" [37] | — | — | |||
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Danish Music Awards | Danish Artist of the Year | Alex Vargas | Won | [38] [39] |
| New Danish Name of the Year | Nominated | [38] | |||
| Danish Songwriter of the Year | Nominated | [38] | |||
| New Danish Name of the Year | Giving Up The Ghost | Nominated | [38] | ||
| Danish Release of the Year | Nominated | [38] | |||
| P3 Guld | The P3 Award | Alex Vargas | Nominated | [40] | |
| The P3 Listeners' Top Track | "Shackled Up" | Nominated | [41] | ||
| GAFFA-Prisen | Danish Album of the Year | Giving Up The Ghost | Nominated | [42] | |
| Danish Pop Album of the Year | Nominated | [42] | |||
| Danish Male Artist of the Year | Alex Vargas | Nominated | [42] | ||
| New Danish Name of the Year | Nominated | [42] | |||
| Danish Live Name of the Year | Nominated | [42] | |||
| 2017 | Zulu Awards | New Name of the Year | Alex Vargas | Nominated |
Aquarius is the second studio album by Danish–Norwegian band Aqua. The album was released on 28 February 2000 by Universal.
Swedish pop singer Robyn has released eight studio albums, one compilation album, six extended plays, 50 singles, nine promotional singles, and 45 music videos.
Alphabeat were a Danish pop band from Silkeborg, fronted by singers Stine Bramsen and Anders Stig Gehrt Nielsen. Their single "Fascination" was a major hit in Denmark during the summer of 2007, as well as the United Kingdom in 2008. Follow-up single "10.000 Nights of Thunder" saw success and their eponymous debut album reached number two in Denmark and number ten in the UK. It has sold over 100,000 copies and their three top-twenty singles have altogether sold in the region of 400,000.
Basshunter, a Swedish singer, record producer and DJ, has released five studio albums, two compilation albums, 30 singles, five promotional singles and seven remixes. The Bassmachine, Basshunter's debut studio album, was released by Alex Music on 25 August 2004. In April 2006, he signed his first contract with Extensive Music and Warner Music Sweden. His single "Boten Anna" charted at number one on the Danish singles chart, where it stayed for fourteen weeks; it was certified triple platinum by IFPI Danmark. "Boten Anna" also reached number one in the Swedish singles chart and was certified platinum by IFPI Sverige. His second studio album LOL, released on 28 August 2006, charted in the top five in Sweden, Denmark and Finland. The album was certified platinum by IFPI Finland and double platinum by IFPI Danmark. In late 2006, Basshunter released his albums The Bassmachine and The Old Shit through his own website. Basshunter's third single "Vi sitter i Ventrilo och spelar DotA" was certified gold by IFPI Danmark. Basshunter collaborated with the duo Patrik & Lillen on his single "Vifta med händerna".
Dúné [Dew-nay] were a Danish rock band from Skive. At their split-up in 2018 the band consisted of Mattias Kolstrup, Piotrek Wasilewski, and Ole Bjórn. Their style was comparable to British and American electronic rock and resembles elements of 1980s pop music and 1970s post-punk blend with a distinct and modern Scandinavian touch. The band was best known for their entertaining and energetic live performances.
Kaj Erik Persson Hassle is a Swedish pop singer and songwriter. His career started in 2008 with his first single, "Hurtful", which eventually reached No. 11 in Sweden and peaked at No. 2 in Denmark. His most successful single to date, "No Words", reached the Top 10 of the Global and U.S. Spotify Viral Chart and achieved Gold certification in both Sweden and Denmark.
Welsh singer and songwriter Marina Diamandis, known professionally as Marina and formerly Marina and the Diamonds, has released five studio albums, seven extended plays, 26 singles, five promotional singles and 34 music videos.
Maria Louise Joensen, known as Aura Dione, is a Danish singer and songwriter. In 2008 she released her debut album, Columbine. The album spawned the hit single "I Will Love You Monday (365)", which reached number one in Germany, achieved over 80 million video views and was certified platinum.
Oh Land is the second studio album by Danish singer Oh Land, released on 14 March 2011 by Fake Diamond Records, Epic Records, and A:larm Music. Before moving to Brooklyn in 2010, she met with a representative from Epic Records at a SXSW event and was eventually signed to the label in 2009. She began working on the album, collaborating with musicians like Jimmy Harry, Dan Carey, and Lester Mendez. A digital extended play titled Oh Land EP was released in October 2010, featuring five songs that would later appear on the parent album.
Before the Dinosaurs is the second studio album by Danish singer-songwriter Aura Dione. The album was released on 4 November 2011 by Universal Music. It was preceded by the lead single, "Geronimo" on 19 September 2011. Upon its release, the album received mixed reviews from most music critics, who compared the singer to Lady Gaga but felt the album was over-produced.
Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Andersen, known professionally as MØ, is a Danish singer and songwriter. She signed a recording contract with Sony Music Entertainment in 2012, releasing her debut extended play, Bikini Daze (2013), and her debut studio album, No Mythologies to Follow (2014).
The discography of American singer, songwriter, and actress Ariana Grande consists of six studio albums, two compilation albums, one live album, two extended plays (EPs), fifty-four singles, and fifteen promotional singles. After signing with Republic Records, she released her debut single "Put Your Hearts Up" in December 2011. Throughout her career thus far, Grande has sold over 90 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she has sold 9 million albums and 63.5 million digital singles units as lead artist in the United States. Having amassed over 105 billion consumed streams thus far, Grande is the most streamed female artist ever. She is also the most streamed female artist on Spotify and Apple Music. She has amassed 73 chart entries on the Billboard Hot 100—the fourth most entries for a female artist—including seven number ones and 20 top-10 hits so far. Grande was named the sixth top female artist of the 2010s decade, and was ranked among Billboard's Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists, at number 78. Grande is also one of the most certified female artists in the UK, with nearly 25 million units.
English singer Sam Smith has released four studio albums, one independent album, three live albums, one remix album, one soundtrack, thirteen extended plays, thirty-seven singles, and six promotional singles.
Swedish singer Zara Larsson has released three studio albums, four extended plays, 28 singles and 24 music videos. Five of Larsson's singles, "Uncover", "Lush Life", "Never Forget You", "Ain't My Fault" and "Symphony" have topped the charts in her native country, Sweden. "Uncover" and "Lush Life" peaked in the top five in Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark, and in the top 10 in France.
Swedish singer and songwriter Tove Lo has released five studio albums, two extended plays (EP), 25 singles, seven promotional singles and 37 music videos. Lo started her career as the lead singer and songwriter in math rock band Tremblebee from 2006 until 2009. In 2011, she signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music, and started recording songs. She self-released "Love Ballad" as her debut single in October 2012. The next year, Lo released "Habits", which received positive feedback from music blogs and led her to sign a record deal with Universal Music Group. Lo's first EP, Truth Serum, was released under the label on 3 March 2014, and entered the top 20 in Norway and Sweden. Three singles were released from the EP, including a remixed version of "Habits" by production duo Hippie Sabotage, re-titled as "Stay High". The track peaked at number 13 in Sweden and reached the top ten of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
Astrid Smeplass is a Norwegian singer and songwriter. In 2013, she placed fifth in the Norwegian version of Pop Idol, entitled Idol – Jakten på en superstjerne. In 2020, she released her debut studio album, Leave It Beautiful, through Universal.
Danish singer and songwriter MØ has released three studio albums, three extended plays and thirteen singles, plus six as a featured artist.
Kian Rosenberg Larsson, known professionally as Gilli, is a Danish rapper, singer, and songwriter from Rødovre, Capital Region. After initially growing out of the B.O.C. rap collective and releasing several singles between 2011 and 2013, also as a feature artist, Gilli rose to mainstream prominence in 2014 following the release of the musical drama film Ækte vare (2014), playing a fictionalized version of himself.
American singer and songwriter Elle King has released three studio albums, one extended play, 17 singles, five promotional singles, eight music videos, and other album appearances. In 2012, King released her debut EP, The Elle King EP, on RCA and Fat Possum Records. The EP track "Playing for Keeps" is the theme song for VH1's Mob Wives Chicago series. She released her debut album, Love Stuff on February 17, 2015. The album produced the US top 10 single "Ex's & Oh's", which earned her two Grammy nominations. In 2016, King contributed the single "Good Girls" to the Ghostbusters soundtrack. In February 2017, King announced via Instagram that she was working on her second studio album at Redwood Studio in Denton, Texas. She released her second studio album, Shake the Spirit, on October 19, 2018. She made a music video singing with Dax on August 10, 2022 titled "Dear Alcohol" remix. She released her third studio album, Come Get Your Wife, on January 27, 2023.
Danish singer Oh Land has released six studio albums, four extended plays (EPs), 31 singles, seven promotional singles, and 15 music videos. When signed to Fake Diamond Records, Oh Land released her debut album, Fauna, in November 2008. Following a performance at the 2009 SXSW event, she met a representative from Epic Records and signed with the label. She released her major-label debut single "Sun of a Gun" in October 2010, which charted in five countries and served as the lead single to her 2011 self-titled studio album. Oh Land peaked at number five in Denmark and also entered the Billboard 200 in the United States. It would go on to be certified Platinum for selling over 20,000 copies in the former country. The album spawned four additional singles, including "Wolf & I", "Voodoo", "White Nights", and "Speak Out Now"; the latter two songs both charted within the top twenty in Oh Land's native Denmark and were also certified Gold by IFPI Denmark.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
