In the event you have been anyplace close to a dance flooring between 2011 and 2018, you’ve heard Avicii‘s music. Now, years after his passing, followers of the Swedish producer and DJ are prepared for a extra intimate take a look at his life with Netflix’s Avicii — I’m Tim. However forward of the documentary, many are nonetheless questioning: what was Avicii’s explanation for demise?
Avicii, born Tim Bergling, reworked digital dance music by chart-topping hits like “Wake Me Up,” “Ranges,” and “Hey Brother.” From humble beginnings making music in his Stockholm bed room to headlining main festivals worldwide, Avicii’s rise to fame was nothing in need of meteoric. By age 16, Bergling was already posting his remixes on digital music boards.
His breakthrough got here in 2011 with “Ranges,” an on the spot membership basic that sampled Etta James and earned him worldwide acclaim. Nevertheless it was his 2013 album, True, that basically showcased his modern spirit, mixing EDM with surprising genres like bluegrass and people music. The end result was “Wake Me Up,” that includes Aloe Blacc’s vocals, which topped charts in over 20 nations.
Regardless of his business success—which included Grammy nominations, tons of of stay exhibits, and collaborations with everybody from Madonna to Coldplay—Bergling struggled with life within the highlight, and his surprising demise in 2018 would shock followers and fellow musicians alike.
What was Avicii’s explanation for demise?
Bergling was discovered useless on April 20, 2018, close to Muscat, Oman, the place he had been on trip. He was 28 years previous. The Omani police initially reported “no prison suspicion” or proof of foul play within the demise.
On Could 1, 2018, TMZ reported that the reason for demise was suicide as a consequence of self-inflicted accidents with a damaged wine bottle, with Bergling finally dying of blood loss. His household later held a personal funeral, and he was buried on June 8, 2018, on the Skogskyrkogården cemetery in Stockholm.
Within the days following his demise, his household launched a press release that provided some deeper perception into his private struggles. “Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile inventive soul looking for solutions to existential questions. An overachieving perfectionist who traveled and labored onerous at a tempo that led to excessive stress,” their assertion learn. “When he stopped touring, he needed to discover a stability in life to be joyful and be capable of do what he cherished most – music. He actually struggled with ideas about That means, Life, Happiness. He couldn’t go on any longer. He needed to seek out peace.”
Their assertion continued: “Tim was not made for the enterprise machine he discovered himself in; he was a delicate man who cherished his followers however shunned the highlight. Tim, you’ll eternally be cherished and sadly missed. The individual you have been and your music will preserve your reminiscence alive.”
The years earlier than his demise had proven indicators of mounting strain. In 2016, Avicii surprised followers by saying his retirement from touring. He had been open about his well being challenges, together with acute pancreatitis, which medical doctors partly attributed to extreme ingesting. His grueling tour schedule—generally performing 250 exhibits per 12 months—had taken a extreme toll on each his bodily and psychological well being.
The 2017 documentary Avicii: True Tales, launched simply months earlier than his demise, revealed the extreme strain he confronted. Footage confirmed him working from hospital beds and scuffling with the calls for of fixed touring. Regardless of stepping again from stay performances, he continued to supply music, releasing the EP “Avīci (01)” in 2017.
Following his demise, his household established the Tim Bergling Basis, which works with psychological well being and suicide prevention organizations. His remaining recordings have been launched posthumously in 2019 on the album TIM, with proceeds going to the muse. The album featured collaborations with artists like Think about Dragons and Aloe Blacc, and showcases the spirit that made him a pioneer in digital music.
In the event you or somebody you recognize is experiencing a psychological well being disaster, assist is offered. Name the Suicide and Disaster Lifeline at 988 at no cost and confidential counseling.
