World-class DJ, producer and Grammy Nominee Avicii, real name Tim Bergling, has died at the age of 28 on the 20th of April in Muscat, Oman says reports.
Bergling’s career started of online like a lot of other artists at a forum called Laidback Luke where DJs and producers would put up their work for other DJs to critique and gain some feedback on their music. Based out of his native, Sweden, he continued to grind to fame. His first break came in in 2011 when he put out the track ‘Levels’, which instantly took him to a global audience while topping the charts at both the Swedish boards and the US Billboard Dance Club Song Charts. Later in 2012, his collaboration with David Guetta on the track ‘Sunshine’ gained him a Grammy nomination and in the same year he became the first electronic DJ/producer to headline New York City’s storied Radio City Music Hall. In 2013, he also got a Grammy nomination for the song Levels and points to the two Grammy nominations to be the proudest moment of his career, according to an interview. His popularity brought him some big time collaborations. He co-produced a track on Madonna’s 2015 LP Rebel Heart and also worked with Coldplay on the track Sky Full Of Stars which was a massive hit.
The death of Avicii comes with a loss to the music world which may be greater than you think. Having started his career at the age of 21, Avicii arrived onto the scene as a fully made musician unlike many DJ/producers hitting American music scene at a time when the electronic dance scene was just gaining traction and took the genre by storm, while gaining unimaginable fan following. Tracks like Levels and Fade into Darkness were huge hits and were homages to industry giants like Swedish House Mafia and Daft Punk while at the same time creating the build up and drop template that is followed till date by thousands across the world. These tracks became anthems to twenty something year old worshipers making the regular pilgrimages to the vast number of EDM festivals around the world.
Having always been a media shy celebrity, Avicii found a comfortable spot on stage. Generally seen sporting a pair of jeans and a cap turned backwards, he would move to the music himself with his right hand raised, feeling every single shuffle he makes on the console. On an interview, he once called attention the worst part of the job, saying “I love what I do, but I’ve never liked being recognized or being in the spotlight.”
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii,” his publicist Diana Baron said in a statement to the press. “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. No further statements will be given.”Avicii’s health issues were a known fact, even to the general audience. He suffered acute pancreatitis, in part due to excessive drinking. In 2014, he cancelled numerous shows in order to recover after having his gallbladder and appendix removed. Eventually, he decided to retire from all live performances, March of 2016. Announcing the retirement through an emotional letter came as a heartbreak to hundreds of thousands of fans. Avicii’s death has created a big void in the music scene. With all his peers and friends mourning his death all around the world.
