music.wikisort.org - Poet

Lars Salem Al Fakir (born 27 October 1981) is a Swedish musician, singer, songwriter and record producer.[1] He regularly collaborates with Vincent Pontare as the songwriting and production duo Vargas and Lagola.[2] Together, they have worked with many artists, including Avicii, Axwell & Ingrosso, Madonna, Seinabo Sey and Lady Gaga. In addition to their songwriting and production work, they release alternative pop music as Vargas & Lagola.[3]

Salem Al Fakir
Background information
Birth name	Lars Salem Al Fakir
Also known as	Lagola Damien Adore
Born	(1981-10-27) 27 October 1981 (age 40) Huddinge, Sweden
Genres	Pop dance EDM soul jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician singer songwriter record producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals piano guitar bass keyboard drums violin
Years active	2006–present
Website	vargasandlagola.com

Biography

Early life and artist career

Al Fakir learned to play violin at the age of four and subsequently toured Russia as a solo violinist at the age of fourteen, but returned to Sweden to study jazz piano. As a student he attended the Adolf Fredrik's Music School in Stockholm.[4]

In the autumn of 2006, Al Fakir released his first EP Dream Girl. He is most famous for his chart topping albums This Is Who I Am (2007), Astronaut (2009) and Ignore This (2010). At the Swedish Grammy Awards in 2008 he won big – taking home four awards and being nominated in seven categories.[5]

He took part in Melodifestivalen 2010, the Swedish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010, with "Keep On Walking" and finished in second place.[6]

2010–present: Songwriting

After his solo career, Al Fakir became more focused on the songwriting. Beginning to collaborate with Avicii on "Silhouettes" in 2012.[7] Among the first co-writes with Vincent Pontare are Avicii's 2013 Billboard Hot 100 single "Hey Brother" and "Younger" by Seinabo Sey.[8]

At the 2014 Swedish Grammy Awards, Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare and Magnus Lidehäll were awarded Composer of the Year after writing for Veronica Maggio's album Handen i fickan fast jag bryr mig and the Petter album Början på allt, and work with artists like Galantis.[9] In 2014 he wrote numerous songs on Mapei's album Hey Hey and Avicii's "The Days" and "Divine Sorrow" (with Wyclef Jean).[10] Al Fakir followed up with another successful year in 2015 co-writing most songs on Seinabo Sey's highly acclaimed debut album Pretend and songs for Madonna's Rebel Heart album.[11][12]

Vargas & Lagola have co-written some of the biggest hits by Axwell Ʌ Ingrosso – "More Than You Know", "Sun Is Shining", "Dreamer" and more - taken from their 2017 album More Than You Know.[13]

The duo have also contributed to two songs on Swedish rock band Ghost's Billboard 200-charting and Grammy Award-nominated album Prequelle, including the album's second single "Dance Macabre" which topped Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart.[14][15][16]

In 2018, the same moment as Vargas & Lagola blazed onto the alternative pop scene with the hit single "Roads", they shared the no.1 spot as Sweden's most streamed songwriters for songs including Avicii – "Without You (feat. Sandro Cavazza)" and "Waiting For Love".[17] After working closely with Avicii for several years, Al Fakir and Pontare played a key role in finishing up the 2019 posthumous Avicii album TIM and are featured artists on three of the album songs.[18] On 5 December 2019, Vargas & Lagola performed at Avicii's Tribute Concert in Stockholm.[19]

Vargas & Lagola's debut album The Butterfly Effect was released in January 2020.[20]

Discography

As Vargas & Lagola

As solo artist

Albums

Year	Album	Peak positions
		SWE [21][22]
2006	Dream Girl (EP)	—
2007	This Is Who I Am	1
2009	Astronaut	7
2010	Ignore This	1

Singles

Single	Year	Peak positions	Album
		SWE [21][22]
"Dream Girl"	2006	25	This Is Who I Am
"Good Song"		36
"This Is Who I Am"	2007	43
"It's True" (with Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso)		38
"It's Only You, Part 2"	2008	41	Astronaut
"Astronaut"	2009	34
"Roxy"		—
"Keep On Walking"	2010	3	Ignore This
"4 O'Clock"		49
"Split My Personality"		—
"I'm So Happy" (featuring Josephine Bornebusch)	2011	—

Uncredited vocal work

Single	Year	Peak positions	Certification	Album
		SWE
"Silhouettes" (Avicii)	2012	11	GLF: 3× Platinum[23] ARIA: Gold[24] BPI: Silver[25]	Non-album single
"You Make Me" (Avicii)	2013	1	GLF: 4× Platinum[26] ARIA: Platinum[24] FIMI: Gold[27] IFPI NOR: 2× Platinum BPI: Gold[25] RIAA: Gold[28]	True
"Something New" (Axwell Λ Ingrosso)	2014	20	GLF: 2× Platinum[29] FIMI: Gold[30]	More Than You Know
"On My Way" (Axwell Λ Ingrosso)	2015	18	GLF: 2× Platinum[31]
"Sun Is Shining" (Axwell Λ Ingrosso)		1	GLF: 4× Platinum[32] FIMI: Gold ZPAV: Gold[33]
"Renegade" (Axwell Λ Ingrosso)	2017	—

Songwriting and production credits

Year	Artist	Title	Album
2012	Avicii	"Silhouettes"	Non-album single
2013	Avicii	"You Make Me"	True
		"Hey Brother"
2014	Galantis	"Smile"	Galantis (EP)
		"Help"
	Mapei	"Blame It On Me"	Hey Hey
		"As 1"
		"Second to None"
		"Step Up"
	Wyclef Jean	"Divine Sorrow" (featuring Avicii)	Non-album single
	Avicii	"The Days"	The Days/Nights
2015	Madonna	"HeartBreakCity"	Rebel Heart
		"Wash All Over Me"
		"Messiah"
		"Rebel Heart"
	Galantis	"Kill 'Em with the Love"	Pharmacy
		"Call If You Need Me"
	Avicii	"Waiting For Love"	Stories
	Seinabo Sey	"Younger"	Pretend
		"Poetic"
		"Hard Time"
		"Easy"
		"Words"
		"Sorry"
		"Still"
		"Ruin"
		"Burial"
		"Pistols At Dawn"
2016	MishCatt	"Another Dimension"	Highlighter
2017	Johnossi	"On A Roll"	Blood Jungle
	Avicii	"Friend Of Mine" (featuring Vargas & Lagola)	Avīci (01)
		"Without You" (featuring Sandro Cavazza)
	Toby Randall	"Hold Me Down"	ONE.
	Axwell Λ Ingrosso	"More Than You Know"	More Than You Know
		"Something New"
		"This Time"
		"Renegade"
		"Sun Is Shining"
		"On My Way"
		"Dreamer"
	Axwell	"Barricade"
2018	Seinabo Sey	"I Love You"	I'm a Dream
		"Never Get Used To"
		"I Owe You Nothing"
		"Breathe"
		"Good In You"
	Ghost	"Dance Macabre"	Prequelle
		"Life Eternal"
	MagnusTheMagnus	"It Don't Impress Me" (featuring Madi Banja)	Non-album single
		"Calling" (featuring KIDDO)
	David Guetta	"Light Headed" (with Sia)	7
	RØMANS	"Glitter & Gold"	Non-album single
	Salvatore Ganacci	"Kill A Soundboy" (featuring Nailah Blackman)	Non-album single
2019	Gryffin	"You Remind Me" (featuring Stanaj)	Gravity
	Frank Walker & Astrid S	"Only When It Rains"	Non-album single
	PRETTYMUCH	"Eyes Off You"	Phases - EP
	Avicii	"Peace Of Mind" (featuring Vargas & Lagola)	TIM
		"Tough Love" (featuring Agnes, Vargas & Lagola)
		"Excuse Me Mr Sir" (featuring Vargas & Lagola)
	Otto Knows	"About You"	Non-album single
	Ghost	"Kiss The Go-Goat"	Seven Inches of Satanic Panic
		"Mary On A Cross"
	Agnes	"Intro"	Nothing Can Compare
		"I Trance"
		"Not Dangerous"
		"Interlude (What Is Wrong)"
		"Limelight"
		"Interlude (I Like To Sing)"
		"Nothing Can Compare"
	Mapei	"Ether"	Sensory Overload
2020	Galantis	"Steel"	Church
		"Unless It Hurts"
		"Never Felt A Love Like This" (with Hook n Sling featuring Dotan)
	Agnes	"Goodlife"	Non-album single
	Lady Gaga	"Sine from Above" (with Elton John)	Chromatica
2022	Ghost	"Twenties"	IMPERA

Songwriting and production credits for local Swedish artists

Year	Artist	Title	Album
2013	Veronica Maggio	"Sergels torg"	Handen i fickan fast jag bryr mig
		"Jag lovar"
		"Hela huset" (featuring Håkan Hellström)
		"Va kvar"
		"Låtsas som det regnar"
		"Hädanefter"
		"Dallas"
		"Bas gillar hörn"
		"I min bil"
	Petter	"Mighty" (featuring Newkid)	Början på allt
		"Början på allt" (featuring Eye N'I)
		"April"
		"Håll om mig" (featuring Daniel Adams-Ray)
		"Tills döden skiljer oss åt"
		"King" (featuring Lilla Namo)
		"Maj"
		"Arbete"
		"Alla vet" (featuring Agnes)
		"Fristad"
		"Juni"
		"Sitter på en dröm"
		"Minnen del II"
		"Släpp mig fri"
2016	Veronica Maggio	"Den första är alltid gratis"	Den första är alltid gratis
		"Vi mot världen"
		"Pang pang"
2018	Petter	"Kliv på!" (featuring Eye N'I)	Lev nu
		"Lev nu dö sen" (featuring Vargas & Lagola)

Awards and nominations

Year	Awards	Category	Nomination	Outcome	Ref.
2007	The Swedish MPA Awards	Best Newcomer	Himself	Won	[34]
	The Monica Zetterlund Scholarship	Young and Promising Artist	Himself		[35]
	SKAP Anniversary Award	-	Himself		[36]
2008	Expressen Kultur - Spelmannen	-	Himself		[37]
	Swedish Grammy Awards	Composer of the Year	Himself		[38]
		Male artist of the Year	Himself
		Producer of the Year	Himself
		Newcomer of the Year	Himself
		Song of The Year	"Good Song"	Nominated
		Album of The Year	"This Is Who I Am"
		Lyricist of the Year	Himself
	P3 Guld	Best Male Artist	Himself		[39]
		Best New Artist	Himself
2010	Swedish Grammy Awards	Composer of the Year	Himself		[40]
		Male Artist of the Year	Himself
2011	Swedish Grammy Awards	Song of the Year	"Keep On Walking"		[41]
		Male Artist of the Year	Himself
2014	Swedish Grammy Awards	Composer of the Year	Himself (with Vincent Pontare & Magnus Lidehäll)	Won	[42]
	The Swedish MPA Awards	International Success of the Year	Himself (with Vincent Pontare & Magnus Lidehäll)	Nominated	[43]
2015	Swedish Grammy Awards	Best Children's Album	Himself (with Glada Hudik-Teatern & Pontus De Wolfe)	Won	[44]
		Composer of the Year	Himself (with Vincent Pontare & Magnus Lidehäll)	Nominated
	The Swedish MPA Awards	International Success of the Year	Himself (with Vincent Pontare)		[45]
2016	Swedish Grammy Awards	Composer of the Year	Himself (with Vincent Pontare, Magnus Lidehäll & Seinabo Sey)		[46]
2018	Swedish Grammy Awards	Composer of the Year	Vargas & Lagola		[47]

References

External links

• Vargas & Lagola's official website
• Planet Salem: the international Salem Al Fakir fansite

На других языках

---

- [en] Salem Al Fakir

---

[es] Salem Al Fakir

Lars Salem Al Fakir (Huddinge, 27 de octubre de 1981), conocido artísticamente como Salem Al Fakir, es un cantante, compositor y productor sueco.

---

---