Annie Lennox Mesmerizes the Audience – Surprising Sting at the Polar Music Prize
The journey began when ABBA triumphed at the 1974 Eurovision Contest. Stig “Stikkan” Anderson acted as ABBA’s manager and lyricist. In 1989, Anderson sold his production and music management companies to Polygram, while continuing to serve as Chairman of the Board for Sweden Music AB and Polar Music International. From the proceeds of the Polygram sale, Anderson allocated MSEK 42 to establish one of the world’s most prestigious music awards, The Polar Music Prize. (MSEK? MSEK represents millions of Swedish krona).
The Polar Prize is governed by an independent board that includes Anderson’s family members and distinguished figures globally. (Anderson passed away on 12 September 1997). The roster of honorees, who have received their certificates from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, is both diverse and impressive, featuring artists ranging from Ligeti and Arvo Pärt to Metallica, Peter Gabriel, and Angélique Kidjo. In 2017, Sting was among the two recipients. During the celebratory dinner and award presentations, the organizers surprised the English musician in Stockholm.
YouTube comments reflect the emotional intensity of Annie Lennox’s rendition of Sting’s “Fragile,” a song from his second solo studio album, Nothing Like the Sun (1987). The piece was composed after Ben Linder, an American civil engineer, was killed by Contra “rebels” during his work 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 remarks, “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 awarded Sting, they released a video showcasing Sting’s commendable accomplishments. Let’s take a look:
Congratulations, Sting. The Polar Awards statement concludes by highlighting Sting’s numerous musical accomplishments and stating, “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”.
Each year, the Polar Prize typically honors two recipients, though occasionally three are awarded. In 2011, the Kronos Quartet and Patti Smith received the award. In 2022, the Paris-based Ensemble Intercontemporain (“the Stradivarius of modern music”) and Iggy Pop were honored. The prize is dedicated to recognizing the diversity and breadth of music. In 2017, alongside Sting, Wayne Shorter was the other recipient of the Polar Music Award. 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 jazz history. Without Wayne Shorter’s musical explorations, modern music would not have delved so deeply”.
Aligned with the ethos 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.
