Sources are reporting that Avicii committed suicide by cutting himself using pieces of a broken wine bottle, according to TMZ. DJ, electronic dance music artist and producer Tim Bergling, known around the world as Avicii, died on April 20 in Oman at the young age of 28.
Last week, Avicii’s family released a statement suggesting that the DJ died from suicide.
It read in part: “When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most – music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace.”
In 2016, Avicii wrote a letter to his fans announcing that he would be retiring from music. While the letter alluded to the idea that the DJ wanted to explore other interests, he continued to release music.
Avicii suffered from painful illnesses and also alcoholism.
Upon his death, Variety conveyed this statement from his publicist. “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii. He was found dead in Muscat, Oman this Friday afternoon local time, April 20th. The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time.”
Avicci worked on live concerts and recorded bestselling music. Several of his songs ranked in the Hot 100 on Billboard’s EDM Music & Dance Songs Chart.
He’s most famous for “Hey Brother,” which he wrote with Ash Pournouri, Salem Al Fakir, Vincent Pontare, and Veronica Maggio. American bluegrass artist Dan Tyminski sings the song and it comes from Avicci’s first album “True” (2013).
On Avicii.com, he wrote:
“WE ALL REACH A POINT IN OUR LIVES AND CAREERS WHERE WE UNDERSTAND WHAT MATTERS THE MOST TO US.
For me it’s creating music. That is what I live for, what I feel I was born to do.
Last year I quit performing live, and many of you thought that was it. But the end of live never meant the end of Avicii or my music. Instead, I went back to the place where it all made sense – the studio.
The next stage will be all about my love of making music to you guys. It is the beginning of something new.
Hope you´ll enjoy it as much as I do.”
In 2016, Avicci was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis and sometimes the illness can be cured. Two years earlier he suffered the removal of his appendix and gallbladder. Here’s a video clip from the documentary Avicii: True Stories that he put on Facebook last November 17. Obviously, he was weak and in great pain. Please click the speaker button to turn on the sound.
While Avicii had retreated from the music scene, he planned to attend the Billboard Music Awards in May.
Avicii died merely three days after posting this April 17 announcement on Facebook: “Honored to be nominated for the 2018 Billboard Music Awards! Don’t miss the show, LIVE May 20th on NBC. #BBMAs”
Some of Avicii’s statements are:
“I don’t really look at the charts at all. If anything, I try to outdo what I’ve done before. I try to make music that I like and I trust my own judgement with what will work with a wider audience. If you compare yourself to the charts, you lose perspective on what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.”
“There’s always haters, no matter what you’re doing — whether they’re complaining that everything you do sounds the same, or it’s too different. It’s hard — some people get inspired by a feeling, but I’m mostly inspired by melodies.”
Here’s “Wake Me Up” sung by Aloe Blacc. Avicci and Blacc wrote the song, which soared to a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s EDM chart.
