At the age of 28, Swedish DJ Avicii was found dead Friday in Oman.
Before he was a Grammy-nominated electronic artist, Avicii was known as Tim Bergling. His DJ name came after a friend told him Avici was a level of Buddhist hell, according to a profile in GQ. He added an extra i because the name Avici was taken, the magazine reported.
His publicist announced the news of his death in a Friday statement.
"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii," read the statement. "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 had won two MTV Europe Music Awards and a Billboard Music Award.
Avicii stopped performing in 2016 due to complications from acute pancreatitis. His cause of death was not immediately known.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
New York-based reporter and visual journalist.
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.