The prestigious Gannevik Scholarship is awarded annually to artists in the visual arts, design, music, theater, dance and film. Previous recipients include clarinetist Martin Fröst and electronic artist Karin Dreijer. Meshuggah is the first metal band to be awarded the scholarship.
"So, it's really cool. We've been doing this for so long now that you almost forget what it was like when we started in our 20s and just wanted to, wanted to, wanted to succeed with music," says Tomas Haake, drummer and songwriter in Meshuggah.
Free rehearsal space
He says that it took many years before the band made any money and says that the foundation for the band's development was laid in Norrland in the 80s and 90s, thanks to a "more culture-promoting mindset."
So we got a rehearsal space that we didn't have to spend a dime on since we were about 15. Today, I don't think it exists in the same way.
According to the justification, the band has "put Sweden on the world map in metal".
"Yes, but that's how it is. There are many metal bands from Sweden that sell a lot more records and are bigger, but with the music that we've made we've always tried to push ourselves to do something that you might not have heard other bands do," says Tomas Haake.
“A big deal”
Although Meshuggah has won many awards before, the Gannevik Scholarship is proof that the band has had a broader impact.
"To get this kind of recognition is a big deal. It makes you a little humble that what we have believed in ourselves has somehow reached the public. Since this doesn't come from the metal world, it takes on a different meaning," says Tomas Haake.
What are you going to do with the money?
It's probably just used to fill the holes in the credit accounts that we've used over the years, but of course it's nice and makes things easier for us.
This year's other Gannevik fellows are Lars Kleen (visual arts), Mats Ek (dance), Gabriela Pichler (film), Tom Hedqvist (design) and Farnaz Arbabi (theater).
Kristoffer Viita/TT
Facts: The Gannevik Scholarships
TT
Businessman and cultural patron Per Gannevik died in 2011.
Since 2013, a foundation in his name has awarded scholarships every year to active artists in the visual arts, design, music, theater, dance and film.
Each scholarship recipient receives 500,000 SEK.
