Recently, the Australian metalcore band had to cancel their European tour due to a personal crisis. Now, sad news has emerged: Ryan Siew, the longtime friend and guitarist of Polaris, has passed away. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends.
The members of Polaris shared the news on social media, along with a picture of Ryan Siew. According to their statement, their young friend and colleague passed away on Monday, June 19th. He had joined Polaris in 2013.
Here is the official statement from the band:
“It is with shattered hearts & the deepest sorrow that we tell you our dear brother and bandmate Ryan Siew passed away on the morning of Monday, June 19. 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 kindhearted and clever, he was funny and brave and creative, and he was talented beyond all measure. He loved art, and beauty in all its forms. He loved great food in great company. He loved Harry Potter and psych-thrillers and crime documentaries. He loved music, more diversely than you could ever imagine, and spoke its language in ways that only the rarest among us do. And most of all, he loved & adored his family & friends. He was also much admired and beloved by so many. Ryan, we will love and miss you for the rest of our days, and we will never fill the hole that you leave in all of our lives.
Our hearts are with his family first and foremost, but also with all those whose lives he touched. 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 & 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.
In loving memory of Ryan Siew
18.3.1997 - 19.6.2023
May you be at peace
Daniel, Jake, Jamie & Rick”
Rest in Peace, Ryan.
New Statement from July 14, 2023
Ryan Siew’s bandmates have posted a new statement on social media. The longtime guitarist of Polaris passed away on June 19, 2023, at the age of 26, prompting the metalcore group to cancel their ongoing tour.
After canceling the tour, Polaris had already sent a message to their fans explaining the reasons. Now, the band is speaking out again, thanking their fans for their support and discussing their plans for the near future.
The Exact Statement from Polaris
“We want to thank all of you for the love and support you have shown us in the past few weeks following Ryan's death. This has been the hardest time in the life of our band, or in our own lives, and your kind words have meant everything to us, our team, and Ryan's friends & family. This loss has deeply shaken us, but it was so comforting to know how much our brother was loved, and to hear about the impact he had on so many. We are fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful friends and family as we try to process this.
We are truly grateful for your patience and understanding as the four of us begin to figure out how we will move forward. We know there are many questions right now, which we will address in time, and we appreciate that you give us the space to do so. At this point, we want to let you know that we plan to fulfill all our upcoming commitments and continue in a way that we feel best honors the life of our brother and the art we created together.
With love and thanks,
Polaris”
We continue to wish Ryan's family and friends, as well as the guys from Polaris, much strength.
