Loney dear covers Metallica at the Polar Music Prize

Emil Svanängen (aka Loney dear) honoured 2018 Polar Music Prize recipients Metallica in a tribute performance last night. The award is considered Sweden's foremost musical honour, and is given annually to one contemporary musician and one classical musician.

Metallica and Dr Ahmad Sarmast and the Afghanistan National Institute of Music received the 2018 Polar Music Prize yesterday from the hands of H.M King Carl XVI Gustaf. Loney dear joined pop artists Loreen, Aryana Sayeed, Ghost, Candelmass and many others in performing live at the ceremony, which took place at Vinterträdgården Hall at Grand Hôtel in Stockholm.

Loney dear at the Polar Music Prize Ceremony

Loney dear performed a medley of  ‘No Leaf Clover’ and ‘Wherever I May Roam’, both of which feature on the heavy metal band’s 1999 album S&M— a collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony. The rendition features Svanängen accompanying himself on banjo along with a string ensemble.

Loney dear’s eponymous seventh album was released on Real World Records in September 2017 and described by Andy Gill in The Independent as an “an elegant, understated pop masterpiece.” The album was nominated for Best Alternative Pop Album and also earned Svanängen a nomination for Best Composer at the 2017 Swedish Grammis.

Featured Release

  • Loney dear

    Loney dear

    Released 27 September 2017

    On his seventh album and first for Real World, Loney dear's Emil Svanängen has undergone something of a rebirth, and a profound artistic awakening. He sees this collection of songs as the beginning of something very new and very potent.

By Online Editor

Main image credit: Annika Berglund / Polar Music Prize

Published on Fri, 15 June 18

Further reading

The Zawose Queens from Tanzanian musical dynasty announce debut album Maisha

The Zawose Queens, Pendo and Leah, are the daughter and grand-daughter of the late Dr. Hukwe Zawose.

Jasdeep Singh Degun makes history at Royal Philharmonic Society Awards

The Leeds-based musician was the first sitar player to receive the 'Best Instrumentalist' award.

A Tribute to Ernesto ‘Teto’ Ocampo (1969-2023)

Sidestepper's Richard Blair remembers his late bandmate Teto.

Track of the Day: ‘Chavale’ by Kerieva, from Dub No Frontiers

Today sees the release of Kerieva’s ‘Chavale’, the second track to be revealed from the forthc...