An artist who touched our souls and paid the price of glory
It's been seven years since the world said goodbye to Avicii. On April 20, 2018, the Swedish DJ and music producer passed away at the age of 28, shocking the music industry and his fans around the world.
Tim Bergling, as his real name was, struggled with addiction, depression and the overwhelming stress that comes with a career in the spotlight. The harsh demands of the industry and the hectic touring schedule left deep scars.
"He couldn't take it anymore"
Shortly after his death, his family shared an open letter — a heartfelt letter that illuminated the dark side of success. Tim, they wrote, was a sensitive kid who loved music and his fans, but struggled to handle the pressure of public life. He just wanted to find the peace he so desperately needed.
His voice through his pages
In 2021, his official biography was released entitled Tim – The Official Biography Of Avicii, written by Swedish journalist Måns Mosesson. Mosesson delved deeply into the artist's life, speaking with his family, friends, collaborators and former partners.
Among the personal items he studied was a diary Avicii kept while in rehab. His last entry, the day before his tragic end, is almost poetic:
"The loss of the soul is the last thing you leave behind, before it all begins."
A documentary-scream
The documentary Avicii: I'm Tim, directed by Henrik Burman, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and shocked. Through anecdotal material, backstage footage and testimonies from names such as Chris Martin and Nile Rodgers, reveals both the greatness of his music and his lonely battle.
His narration is also shocking. Jesse Waits, a manager at a well-known Las Vegas nightclub who worked closely with the DJ. He describes how some nights Tim’s eyes would be “zombie-like”—a frightening sign that the opiates had changed the way he felt, thought, and experienced reality. “He took them to reduce anxiety, but they ended up destroying him,” he says.
Avicii – “Let's Ride Away”: An unreleased song comes to life seven years later
From Stockholm to the biggest stages
The I'm Tim presents Avicii from his childhood in Stockholm to his frenetic rise and relentless career. A kid who spent most of his life living on a few blocks, he became a global icon, only to finally break under the weight of success.
The creator behind hymns like Wake Me Up and Hey brother He had revealed that constant touring was exhausting him. He spoke of stress that was "de-coordinating" him and a lifestyle that was "slowly killing him."
His music lives on.
Avicii's legacy lives on. His family created the Tim Bergling Foundation, with the aim of raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.
In 2023, on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of his death, the Avicii Forever, a posthumous album with 19 tracks – a final gift to the audience that loved him so much.
His last live performance? In Ibiza, in 2016. A swan song that now carries other dimensions.
