Alex Vargas

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]

Alexander Vargas Blay
"Alex Vargas – Portrait by Hannah Hillier – August, 2015"
"Alex Vargas – Portrait by Hannah Hillier – August, 2015"
Background information
Birth nameAlexander Vargas Blay
Born (1988-02-17) 17 February 1988
Hørsholm, Denmark
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • piano
Years active2003–present
Labels
  • Copenhagen Records
  • Locomotion Entertainment
Websitewww.alexvargas.com

Career
Alex Vargas live at Rock am Ring 2017
Alex Vargas live at Rock am Ring 2017

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.

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.

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]

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]

Discography

Albums
List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
DEN
[8]
Rookie
  • Released: 2003
  • Label: VIA Music[9]
  • Formats: CD
 —
Cohere 11
Ego (Super/Trip/Maniac)
  • Released: 18 October 2019
  • Label: Alex Vargas, Copenhagen[13][14]
  • Formats: LP, CD, digital download
 14
Big Big Machine
  • Released: 3 March 2023
  • Label: Stellar Records, Embassy of Music
  • Formats: LP, digital download
 3
[15]
"—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released

EPs
List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications Sales
DEN
[8]
Howl
  • Released: 26 September 2013[16]
  • Label: Alex Vargas, Tiger Music[16][17]
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 — 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

Singles
List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name
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 2695
  • IFPI-DEN: Platinum[27]
"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" 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] ——

Awards and nominations
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

References
  1. "Musical varm luft". 12 May 2004. Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  2. "GAFFA-Pris-aktuelle Alex Vargas: Den fortabte søn vender slagkraftigt hjem". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  3. "Xenomania news: Vagabond are no more". xenomanianews.blogspot.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  4. "Premiere: Alex Vargas – "Giving Up The Ghost"". Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  5. "Premiere: Alex Vargas – 'Solid Ground'". Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  6. "Alex Vargas". Facebook.
  7. "Kristian Kostov – Eurovision Song Contest Kyiv 2017". Archived from the original on 15 June 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  8. "Discography Alex Vargas". www.danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  9. "Alexander Vargas Blay – Rookie (CD, Album) at Discogs". discogs. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  10. "Cohere by Alexander Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 31 March 2017. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  11. "Alexander Vargas – Cohere (Vinyl, LP Album) at Discogs". discogs. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  12. "Alex Vargas "Cohere" | IFPI". IFPI Denmark. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  13. "EGO (super/trip/maniac) by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 18 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  14. "EGO - Alex Vargas (LP) (2019) - imusic.dk". imusic.dk. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  15. "Album Top-40 Uge 10, 2023". Hitlisten. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  16. "Atlas Music Publishing – Alex Vargas "Howl"". Atlas Music. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  17. "Alex Vargas". Tiger Music. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  18. "GAFFA-Pricing Current Alex Vargas: The lost son is turning home to battle" (in Danish). GAFFA. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  19. "Giving up the Ghost – EP by Alexander Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 10 February 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  20. "Alex Vargas (5) – Giving Up The Ghost (Vinyl) at Discogs". discogs. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  21. "Alex Vargas 'Giving Up The Ghost' EP". IFPI Denmark. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  22. "superEGO – EP by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  23. "superEGO – EP by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  24. "Alex Vargas Synger Toppen Af Poppen - EP by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 25 September 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
  25. "Alex Vargas – More – dutchcharts.nl". GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  26. "Danish certifications – Alex Vargas "Solid Ground" | IFPI". IFPI Danmark. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  27. "Danish certifications". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  28. "Higher Love - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  29. "Danish certifications – Alex Vargas "Higher Love" | IFPI". IFPI Danmark. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  30. "Higher Love (Decco Remix) - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  31. "Inclosure - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  32. "Slowly - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 16 February 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  33. "Silent Treatment - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  34. "Now That I Think About It - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 2 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  35. "Yougazer - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 3 June 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  36. "Mama, I've Been Dying - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  37. "Pages - Single by Alex Vargas on Apple Music". Apple Music. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  38. "The nominees for Danish Music Awards 2016 are ..." (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. 4 October 2016. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  39. "The winners at DMA 2016" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  40. "P3 Gold 2016: The performers and nominees are ready" (in Danish). Sveriges Radio. 14 October 2016. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  41. "P3 Gold 2016: Who has made this year's listening hit?" (in Danish). Sveriges Radio. 17 October 2016. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  42. "GAFFA Prize: And the nominees are ..." (in Danish). GAFFA-Prisen. 24 February 2017. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
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