Samson For President

Early life and education

Wahlgren Bejarano grew up in the academic neighbourhood of Stocksund and attended Stockholms estetiska gymnasium, a gymnasium for the arts.

Career

He has been prominent on the Swedish soul scene since the release of his first demo album Kibiriti in 2007. He made a name for himself in 2012 while still a student with the release of his first studio album, Papa’s Old Piano (the title derived from the 100-year-old piano he shared while growing up with his father, who loved to play classical music), which got him featured on TV4's Nyhetsmorgon and played on P3 and SR Metropol. However, the reviewer for Dagens Nyheter found it a very "cautious" recording.

He has also performed on P3's Musikhjälpen and has been cited since 2012 as part of the evidence of a blooming soul renaissance in Sweden; he was featured on P3 Soul with Mats Nileskär as part of this new soul wave. He is a recurring performer at the classic Stockholm venue Fasching, and is also known for turning down a golden ticket for the Swedish version of American Idol.

He has worked with artists such as Mohammed Ali, Carlito, The Salazar Brothers, Isak Strand, Jonas Asker, Kristin Amparo, Malena Uamba and Soulful. He was the opening act for Raphael Saadiq when he visited Stockholm and he once performed "100 Days, 100 Nights" alongside Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings.

In 2013 he was one of three recipients of an arts stipend from Haninge Municipality.

Samson For President is currently working on his new EP and second studio album.

Private life

He lives with his partner in an apartment in Häringe Castle.