CRADLE OF FILTH frontman Dani Filth turned up the theatrics even further during the band’s set at this year’s Download Festival — but this time, it wasn’t with corpse paint or growls. On Day 2 of the iconic metal gathering at Donington Park, the extreme metal pioneer surprised the crowd by proposing to his longtime girlfriend, Sofiya Belousova, live on stage.
The heartwarming moment unfolded during the band’s 8:30 p.m. performance on The Dogtooth Stage. Around the midpoint of the set, Dani paused the show and brought Sofiya on stage, teasing the audience by saying: “Alright, if you’ll give me about three minutes, I’m really going to embarrass my partner now.”
Addressing her as “my queen,” Dani dropped to one knee and popped the question — to which Sofiya gave an immediate and enthusiastic “yes,” followed by cheers from the crowd and a few affectionate kisses shared between the couple.
With the audience roaring in approval, a beaming Sofiya exited the stage, while Dani gave a bow to the crowd before jumping right back into the set with his signature dark flair.
Fan-filmed footage of the proposal can be seen below.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.