Edward Bulwer Lytton, former English writer and politician, once said “Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies.” Many famous artists that have passed on have music that has touched generation after generation. Freddy Mercury’s Bohemian Rapsody. Kurt Cobain‘s Smells like Teen Spirit. Tim Bergling’s Wake Me Up. Tim who? Tim Bergling. Soon after its release in 2013, Wake Me Up was number 1 on the Spotify Global Chart. Better yet, Tim was at number 2 in the most streamed artist worldwide. If you are still perplexed as to who Tim Bergling is, you might know him better by his stage name: Avicii.
Family Life
Tim was born in Stockholm, Sweden on September eighth, 1989, to parents Anki Lidén and Klas Bergling. There, he lived with his brothers, Anton and David, and his sister Linda. Anki is a Swedish actress that has appeared in many films and TV shows, and Klas is the owner of an office supply business. Tim’s older brother, Dave, was a musician and DJ that inspired him to make music. His half-brother, Anton, is a Swedish television producer that dabbles in music and acting as well. While most of Tim’s family dwells in the spotlight, his sister Linda lives a rather quiet life. With as much talent that Tim had in his household, it was no surprise that his love for music blossomed at a very young age.
Where it All Began
Tim, in the comfort of his own bedroom, began making music at eight years old!! Dave was a big inspiration to Tim’s career, but other influences included Daft Punk and Steve Angello. Tim liked making music without playing an instrument, which is essentially what the whole genre of EDM is. About eight years later, Tim began remixing songs and even posting them on online music forums. When he was in the process of finding his stage name, he mentioned that “When I started out, I was Avici with one I. But on Myspace, that name was taken.” Oddly enough, Avicii got his name from a Buddhist term that translates to “The lowest level of hell.” When asked why he picked the name in an interview with USA Today back in 2012, he simply said this: “It’s just cool.” The young man was following his dreams! Little did he know, his dreams would skyrocket him to a reality he never knew existed.
Avicii’s Breakthrough
After years of online forums, Tim decided it was time to take it up a few octaves. In 2011, Tim released his breakthrough single, “Levels,” and he was about to be launched into stardom. Immediately off the bat, the hit single was making its way onto top 10 charts around the world. Described as a “worldwide anthem,” Tims single was being heard on the radio, at bars, colleges, parties, and anywhere else you could think of. Avicii was quickly on the rise, and he was not stopping there. In 2013, “Levels” was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards. In that same year, Tim released his very first album, “True,” with 10 songs that combined his EDM roots with several other genres of music. In doing this, Tim created a unique sound that the world longed to hear, especially in his popular hit single “Wake Me Up.” Avicii went on numerous tours ranging from 2010-2016 all around the world. He collaborated with many famous faces, including Chris Martin, David Guetta, and even Zac Brown. “I’m a DJ, I get the party started.” Hit after hit after hit, Tim was on top of the world. Or so we thought.
Behind the Curtain
What the world knew is that Avicii was one of the hottest names in recent times, and his music producing would keep it that way. What the world did not know was the mental struggles Tim was facing when he wasn’t behind a DJ booth. Throughout his career, Tim suffered from alcohol abuse, drug use, stress, anxiety and more. In 2014, Tim took a break from performing to recover from the exhaustion. Yet, that barely allowed him to take a step on his road to recovery. When he hopped back on the tour bus, he continued his regular habits, and it is even rumored that he added pills to his everyday regimen. Tim was not himself, so his family decided to step in and take action.
The Intervention
In 2014, Tims family decided it would be the best course of action to stage an intervention to get him the help that he needed. The intervention was staged by Tim’s longtime manager, Arash “Ash” Pournouri. It took place in Ibiza following numerous instances where Tim was hospitalized from over usage of drugs and alcohol. Tim described his state of mind as, “Just feeling anxious. I didn’t know where the anxiety came from. It was like a stone in my gut, that’s how it felt. A constant emotion.” The intervention involved all of Tim’s family and close friends. Klas recalls how Tim initially felt about it. “As he approached, he could see all of us there,” Klas recalls. “It was excruciatingly painful to see the look in his eyes. Oh man, that was really rough.” As his loved ones expressed how they were feeling, Tim was initially hesitant and even a bit furious. However, after some convincing, Tim finally gave in. “Fine, I’ll get help.” His family was ecstatic. They were relieved that Tim was finally willing to get the help, and “I think he realized it was time for him to do something about it,” Klas claimed optimistically. However, unfortunately receiving help had grown to not be enough for the young superstar.
The End of a Legacy
After receiving help and applying it to his life of fame, Tim started to find balance. He cleared out his work schedule to escape the demanding tours that were consuming his physical and mental health. When it comes to his music, he was in a happy place when it came to producing. He even came out with a new album, “Tim”. Reflecting on this period in his life, Tim stated, “I felt really happy. I was free.” Until the fateful night in April of 2018. Tim Bergling, while he was vacationing in Muscat, Oman, decided to take his own life. The world went quiet. His family was devasted. “None of us imagined something like this could happen,” Klas mentioned in Netflix’s documentary regarding his son. In the documentary a close friend of Tim, Jesse Waits, remarked, “I don’t think anybody really knows why or what happened. Nobody knows what was going through his mind. Everybody can speculate. He was just in a good place. It’s hard to accept.” Tim was gone. However, what I don’t think his family was ready for was Avicii to live on forever.
Avicii Reignites the Fire
It has been seven years since the world lost Tim. Yet, the world continues to keep Avicii around to this day. In wonderous efforts to keep his name alive, Klas started the Tim Bergling Foundation. A foundation that focuses on the awareness of mental health, suicide prevention, climate change, and wildlife awareness. Moreover, Tim’s music wasn’t lost for one second. To this day, I still hear “Levels” and “Wake Me Up” over the radio and they are in a few of my playlists. More recently, the day I have been waiting for finally came: the release of a documentary on Netflix, I’m Tim, that follows his life through fame and his struggles. I was always interested in Avicii’s music because it truly speaks to me. In one of his hit songs, “The Nights,” Tim vocalizes how important it is to live your life. Because ultimately, we will all leave it behind.
I have lived by those lyrics ever since I first heard the song. Tim’s lyrics speak volumes. His melodies offer a sense of happiness and peace to any of his listeners. His documentary serves as a life raft for those struggling with mental health. Your mental health is crucial. It is a guardian to chasing your dreams. If you are in a healthy mindset, your life will be carried out how it was meant to be. How YOU WANT it to be. Let Tim’s legacy remind you that you are not alone no matter what you are facing. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. In Avicii terms, wake up. Before it’s all over.
