It was with great sadness that I learnt of the passing of Tim Bergling, better known by his stage name Avicii. He was a Swedish DJ, musician and record producer. The news broke on April 20, 2018, and having heard previously that this icon in the electronic dance music world had problems with his health due to alcoholism, it still came as a huge shock to the EDM community and the world at large. He passed at the age of 28, sadly ending a career that was due to continue earning him top billboard spots for many years to come. My heart goes out to his family, friends and millions of fans. I hope that this post can serve as somewhat of a tribute to this legendary superstar DJ, and perhaps introduce those that do not know electronic dance music to a genre that cannot be compared to any other.
Early Days
Tim Bergling was born on September 8, 1989 in Stockholm, Sweden. He has three siblings, one of which is his half-brother. He began making music at the age of 16, and by May 2007 he had been signed to a record label. By 2011 he hit major success with the single 'Levels', and this would kick start a career that would lead him to be recognized as a pioneer of the electronic music genre. Bergling produced the song and it contains a vocal sample of the 1962 song "Something's Got A Hold Of Me" by Etta James. "Levels" reached the top ten in several countries, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, whilst topping the charts in Hungary, Norway and Sweden. Here is Avicci performing 'Levels' at a Scottish music festival called 'T in the Park' in 2015:
Pioneering a revolution in music
Avicci went on to produce numerous tracks such as 'Wake Me Up", which was done in collaboration with Aloe Blacc (vocals) and Mike Einziger (guitar). 'Wake Me Up' is perhaps the most recognizable Avicci track, having hit the top of billboards in most of Europe and doing well in most other countries where it was played. He was also touring almost constantly, performing at festivals such as Ulta Music Festival (Miami and worldwide), Tomorrowland (Belgium), Summertime Ball (England) and many more. Here is 'Wake Me Up', at Mawazine Festival in Morocco:
Further tracks include "Hey Brother", "Without You", "Waiting For Love", "Addicted to You" and "The Nights". These songs are all iconic on the dance music scene and contributed greatly to the growth of the scene and served as inspiration for many other current artists. He is greatly recognized by other industry leaders such as Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto, Hardwell and Martin Garrix. Avicci has also been nominated for two grammy awards and won numerous awards worldwide, including AMA and MTV awards.
Philanthropy
Avicci began working with his manager and executive producer Ash Pournouri to start House for Hunger, a charity dedicated to alleviating global hunger. The charity has donated $1 million to Feeding America, has helped fund The Feed Foundation, allowing it to distribute over 2 million school meals throughout Africa. Avicci also supported campaigns against human trafficking and gang violence when he directed the videos for his tracks "For a Better Day" and "Pure Grinding".
"When you have such an excess of money you don't need, the most sensible, most human and completely obvious thing is to give to people in need." - Avicci
Health Probelms
In January 2012, Bergling was hospitalized for 11 days in New York City with acute pancreatitis caused by excessive alcohol use. In 2014, he underwent surgery and had both his appendix and gall bladder removed. By 2016 he announced his retirement from live perfromances, citing his health and anxiety disorder as well as not being able to find a balance in his life, with his superstar DJ lifestyle not allowing room for a 'normal' life. He was unable to cope with thoughts about finding meaning to life and happiness. During 2017 he was shown working from a hospital bed in the documentary "Avicci - True Stories"
Death
On April 20, 2018, it was announced the Avicci had been found dead in his house in Muscat, Oman. Initially reports stated that no foul play was involved. People widely speculated about the cause of death, many believing that he had died from an accidental overdose, but on May 01, 2018 it was revealed that the cause of death was from self inflicted injuries. Currently reports state that he had cut himself with broken glass and died of blood loss.
This is a case that goes to show that when we perceive people to be on top of the world and have achieved things that anybody would wish for, it is not necessarily a recipe for happiness. I personally would love to have that superstar status, but it is clear that one needs balance and normality to cope with the pressures of a celebrity life. I will always cherish memories of Avicci songs, from music festivals I have attended to even having my brother use one of his tracks at my wedding during his speech! This final video is Avicci's remix of the Coldplay song, "A Sky Full of Stars", and is a fitting tribute to a legend that will be sorely missed:
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Sources:
http://www.wikipedia.com
http://www.refinery29.com
http://www.amp.com