Sweden’s Polar Music Prize (not to be confused by the Polaris Music Prize in Canada) have announced this year’s winners as Senegalese singer Youssou Ndour and Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho.

The accolade which honours a pop and classical performer each year, was announced yesterday before a ceremony will be helded by King Carl XVI Gustaf on 27 August. The prize has previously been received by the likes of Bob Dylan, Bjork, Patti Smith and Paul Simon, who picked up the award last year.

Ndour has been described by the panel as “not just a singer, but a storyteller, poet, singer of praise, entertainer and verbal historian”, while Saariaho was picked for being ”a modern maestro who opens up our ears and causes their anvils and stirrups to fall in love”.