STOCKHOLM - Per Gessle will be interviewed by Swedish TV4 during this year's Polar Music Prize gala on May 22. Russian conductor Valery Gergiev and British rock group Led Zeppelin are this year's honorees.


  The event starts with the gala ceremony at Stockholm Concert Hall, where the prize winners will accept their award from His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf. This will be followed by a celebratory banquet at the Grand Hôtel, where TV4 – which broadcasts the event – will have its studio and where host Rickard Olsson will meet Per and members of The Soundtrack of Our Lives for a talk.


  The Polar Music Prize, which awards artists or institutions in recognition of their musical achievements, was founded in 1989 by the late Stig Anderson, known primarily as ABBA's manager, who played a great role in their success. Anderson donated a large sum of money to The Royal Swedish Academy of Music with the aim of creating a musical Nobel prize, what was to become known as the Polar Music Prize.


  The name of the award stems from Anderson's legendary record label, Polar Records.


  Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, are among the artists who have been awarded with the prize. TDR readers might remember Marie's performance at the 1996 edition when Joni Mitchell received her award.

• TV4 article
• Polar Music Prize