Polaris Guitarist Ryan Siew Has Died, Aged 26

Polaris have shared the tragic news that their lead guitarist, Ryan Siew, has died at the age of 26.

His passing was confirmed in a statement shared by the band this morning (June 28). “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,” they wrote. “He was 26 years old, and for 10 incredible years he was our best friend and artistic soulmate. Those years will never be enough.”

At the time of writing, Siew’s cause of death is unknown to the public. Polaris have asked that supporters “respect the wishes of Ryan’s family for privacy at this time”, and have likewise asked for “the space to grieve and attempt to heal from this immeasurable loss”. 

The news follows the cancellation of Polaris’ European tour last Wednesday (June 21) – at the time, they cited “a serious personal crisis in our family” for the sudden halt. The band was five dates into the tour, having performed at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium the day prior to Siew’s death (June 18). 

It is unclear what the news of Siew’s death means for Polaris’ upcoming headline tour of Australia, which is currently scheduled to run across September 7-16. The band’s third studio album, Fatalism, is also set to be released on September 1. 

In their statement, Polaris remembered Siew, who formed the band in 2012 alongside vocalists Jamie Hails and Jake Steinhauser (who also plays bass), drummer Daniel Furnari and fellow guitarist Rick Schneider, as a man of many loveable attributes. They wrote: “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 and adored his family and 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.”

We share condolences with Siew’s family and friends, and the wider Polaris family. You can see the band’s full statement in memory of Siew below.

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