Rating: 7.3/10.
Biography of Swedish EDM artist Avicii, real name Tim Bergling, was a relatively shy teenager, who grew up in a wealthy neighborhood in Stockholm. In high school, at the age of 16, he discovered FL Studio with some friends who were also interested in making EDM music. He became quite good at making songs and collaborated with his classmate, Philip Akesson. They submitted some songs to publishers and very quickly gained recognition, and met a club promoter, Arash Pournourri, who became Tim’s manager for most of his professional career. He performed various shows as a DJ in Europe and America, becoming a rising star in Stockholm’s house music scene.
After some time of making instrumental music, Tim started to collaborate with other artists to add vocals on top of his music. Especially after the release of “Levels”, he became one of the most popular artists worldwide and embarked on a tour, playing over 300 shows a year – almost one every day, flying around the world all the time. Being a shy person, he dislikes all the extra attention that comes with being a celebrity. After so much nonstop touring, he feels burnt out and develops various health conditions like pancreatitis, and turns to opioids to ease his pain. He has girlfriends and family who are concerned about his health, but he feels obligated to continue performing for his fans. He does not take his doctor’s warnings seriously and ends up in the hospital, being forced to cancel many shows because of his poor health.
In 2016, his close friends and family forced him to see a therapist, and after a mental health retreat, he felt a bit better. Soon afterwards, he announced his plan to stop touring. After his last tour, he traveled the world as a normal tourist rather than a celebrity and got involved in meditation and spirituality. He tried to keep making music but was in a slump, having trouble finishing anything and often canceling his commitments to other artists. In 2018, Tim went on a trip to Oman, it seemed that he was having a good time with friends, but unexpectedly, he killed himself in a hotel room, at the age of 28.
Overall, this is a very detailed account of this young man’s life, although it’s somewhat depressing for most of the story as it focuses on his struggles with various health illnesses, drug addiction, alcoholism, and mental health problems. It’s ironic to see the man behind the artist grappling with so many dark struggles, despite his music being cheerful and uplifting.
