Global Awe as Annie Lennox Takes the Stage – Stunning Sting at the Polar Music Prize
The journey began when ABBA secured victory at the 1974 Eurovision Contest. Stig “Stikkan” Anderson acted as ABBA’s manager and lyricist. In 1989, Anderson sold his production and music management businesses to Polygram, yet he continued to serve as Chairman of the Board for Sweden Music AB and Polar Music International. With the funds from the Polygram transaction, Anderson allocated MSEK 42 to establish one of the globe’s most prestigious music awards, The Polar Music Prize. (MSEK stands for millions of Swedish krona).
The Polar Music Prize’s independent board comprises members of Anderson’s family along with distinguished figures from around the globe. (Anderson passed away on 12 September 1997). The roster of honorees, who receive their certificates from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, is both diverse and remarkable. Honorees range from Ligeti and Arvo Pärt to Metallica, Peter Gabriel, and Angélique Kidjo. In 2017, Sting was one of the dual recipients. During the celebratory dinner and presentations, the organizers surprised the English artist in Stockholm.
The YouTube comments highlight the emotional depth of Annie Lennox’s rendition of Sting’s “Fragile,” a song from his second solo studio album, Nothing Like the Sun (1987). The track was inspired by the death of Ben Linder, an American civil engineer killed by Contra “rebels” while working on a hydroelectric project in Nicaragua in 1987. Ivan DeSantis comments, “The talent of Annie Lennox is only eclipsed by how graciously she has always carried herself. Great tribute for Sting.”
K M Carter notes, “Sting’s version is bittersweet, Annie’s is bone-chilling and post-apocalyptic. Shattering. Beautiful.” Dattrax adds, “Sensational. Her voice. Her presence. That performance. Their mutual respect. His appreciation. This video is a masterpiece of beauty. Art that moves us. I cry every time I watch this. Thank you for posting this gem.” When The Polar Music Prize announced Sting’s award, it released a video showcasing his commendable accomplishments. Let’s take a look:
Congratulations to Sting. As the Polar Awards statement concludes, after detailing Sting’s numerous achievements in music, “Sting is a true citizen of the world, who has also been indefatigable in using his position as an arena-filling artist to promote human rights”.
Typically, two, but sometimes three, Polar prizes are awarded each year. In 2011, the recipients were the Kronos Quartet and Patti Smith. In 2022, the awards went to the Paris-based Ensemble Intercontemporain (“the Stradivarius of modern music”) and Iggy Pop. There is a dedication to recognizing the diversity and breadth of music. In 2017, alongside Sting, the other Polar Music Award winner was Wayne Shorter. The Polar Award webpage highlights Shorter’s accomplishments “in epoch-making groups such as Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis’s second great Quintet and Weather Report”, as well as his contributions to key Joni Mitchell albums. Over a six-decade career, Wayne Shorter composed “a number of the most enduring pieces in the history of jazz. Without Wayne Shorter’s musical explorations, modern music would not have delved so deeply”.
Aligned with the spirit of the Polar Music Prize and acknowledging that Wayne Shorter stands alongside legends like Coleman Hawkins, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman as a jazz saxophonist, let’s conclude with the Polar Music Award’s profile on Wayne Shorter. Enjoy.
