A young and popular guitarist who played for the Australian metalcore band Polaris has passed away at the age of 26.
Ryan Siew was a “brave” and “talented” musician and a ten-year member of the band Polaris who died on June 19.
It wasn’t until a week after the young man’s passing that his band decided to break the sad news to their fans and reveal that their upcoming summer tour in Europe would not be going ahead as planned.
“It is with shattered hearts and the deepest sorrow that we tell you our dear brother and bandmate Ryan Siew passed away on the morning of Monday, June 19,” Polaris announced.
“He was 26 years old, and for 10 incredible years, he was our best friend and artistic soulmate. Those years will never be enough. He was kind-hearted and clever, he was funny and brave and creative, and he was talented beyond all measure.”
The heartbreaking statement added: “We ask that you please respect the wishes of Ryan’s family for privacy at this time, and likewise that you give us, our team and family the space to grieve and attempt to heal from this immeasurable loss.
“We know that you will be grieving with us and that we, and our community, will hold each other through this.”
The tragic news comes days after Polaris announced they would be canceling their European tour due to a personal crisis.
“To our friends across Europe. We are heartbroken to tell you that due to a personal crisis in our family, we will be withdrawing from all remaining dates of our current European summer run,” they said last week.
“This is not something we take lightly and we are truly sorry for the inconvenience or disappointment caused.”
Our thoughts remain with Ryan’s loved ones during this challenging time.