Global superstar DJ Avicii was known for getting crowds hyped from Las Vegas to Ibiza, Spain, making $250,000 a night as lithe bodies writhed around him to his beats. But the Swedish musician, whose real name was Tim Bergling, struggled with life on the road.
Avicci was subject to multiple hospitalizations as a result of excessive drinking and other health problems. The stress became too much and after suffering from a burst appendix and gallbladder he announced he was going to retire from touring.
"I needed to figure out my life," he told Rolling Stone last year. "The whole thing was about success for the sake of success. I wasn't getting any happiness anymore."
Avicii, 28, died Friday, his publicist told Billboard. His cause of death was not immediately known.
"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," his publicist Diana Baron said. "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.
Megastar producer and DJ Calvin Harris immediately posted a message about Avicii on Twitter. "Devastating news about Avicii, a beautiful soul, passionate and extremely talented with so much more to do," he wrote. "My heart goes out to his family. God bless you Tim x"
French produce DJ Snake, of "Magenta Riddim" fame, tweeted, "Rest in peace, Avicii. We lost a legend."
Before he died, Avicii was determined to explore new avenues of music and expand his repertoire.
"EDM started getting oversaturated four, five, six years ago, when money became everything. From that point, I started mentally not wanting to associate myself with EDM. Now that I have more time in the studio, I want to learn as much about other genres as possible. That's what I love the most – having a session with Nile Rodgers, for instance, and getting an understanding of music that's invaluable," he told Rolling Stone.
Below are the star's top 10 songs he recorded before his death:
Levels
Wake Me Up
Hey Brother
The Nights
Addicted to You
You Make Me
Lonely Together
Seek Bromance
The Days
Broken Arrows
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Dory Jackson is a New York-based entertainment journalist from Maryland. She graduated from Randolph-Macon College—in May 2016—with a focus in Communication ... Read more
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