EDM sensation Avicii, synonymous with high-energy festivities, faced personal struggles that preceded his untimely death in 2018.
Shedding light on the individual behind the pulsating music, Netflix is set to delve into the musician’s private world with the new documentary titled Avicii – I’m Tim.
The film, which is dubbed ’emotional’ and ‘intimate’ on the streaming platform, will offer a unique look into the life of the artist, who would now be aged 35, through exclusive footage and interviews featuring those who knew him intimately his friends, family, and professional peers.
Narrated by Avicii himself, whose real name was Tim Bergling, the documentary traces his journey from a bashful childhood in Stockholm to performing sold-out concerts worldwide.
With the revealing documentary soon to hit streaming services, many fans are keen to understand what transpired in the years leading up to the moment when the then 28-year-old chose to end his own life.
Addiction struggles
In grappling with his meteoric rise to fame, especially after his hit single Levels took off in 2011, Tim grappled with the rigours of international touring. Despite rousing crowds with his lively performances, he admitted to initially feeling stiff onstage without alcohol, which prompted him to start pre-gig drinking, reports the Mirror.
Tim shared in the 2017 documentary Avicii: True Stories: “I found the magical cure of just having a couple of drinks before going on.”
The creator of the chart-topping track Hey Brother performed over 800 shows in his brief but bright career span, taking a toll on his well-being. One sobering health episode in 2012 led to hospitalisation for pancreatitis, a condition commonly attributed to heavy drinking. In reflective notes published after his passing, Tim described his hospital stay as “the most anxiety and stress-free days I can remember the past six years.”
Following the health scare, the celebrity was prescribed painkillers, which he would later struggle with as an addiction. In the upcoming documentary, his good friend Jesse Waits recalls noticing early signs of Tim’s dependency and observing shifts in his behaviour.
“His eyes were wide open like a zombie-he was not there,” Waits remarked. He continued: “For him, it was to suppress his anxiety, but it just created more anxiety.”
In 2014, he faced another health crisis and had surgery to remove his gallbladder and appendix, leading to a hiatus from performing. The following year, after an intervention by loved ones, Tim entered a rehabilitation centre in Ibiza.
Retirement
At the peak of his career, in spring 2016, the DJ stunned fans by declaring he would indefinitely cease touring.
He conveyed a heartfelt message to his fans, stating: “I’ve come to know myself better and realize that there’s so much I want to do with my life. I have strong interests in different areas but there’s so little time to explore them.”
He added: “My choices and career have never been driven by material things, although I’m grateful for all the opportunities and comforts my success has afforded me.”
Avicii’s last gig took place in the summer of that year at the posh Ushuaia Beach Hotel in Ibiza.
Final days
The 28 year old Swedish artist was found dead on April 20, 2018, in a hotel room in Oman, where he was vacationing.
According to Tim: The Official Biography of Avicii, the DJ’s father, Klas Bergling, received an alarming call about his son Tim’s health the day before he tragically died. The family rushed over but arrived too late; Tim had already been discovered with fatal injuries on his neck and wrists.
Prior to his trip to Oman, Tim had been collaborating on new music with producer Joe Janiak, who expressed to Rolling Stone that the artist “Seemed pumped.” Janiak remarked: “That’s the shocking thing. He didn’t seem like a guy at the end of his days.”
After their immense loss, the Bergling family issued a devastating statement saying: “Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed.”
“The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive. We love you. Your family.”
In honour of Tim’s legacy, they established the Tim Bergling Foundation to advocate for mental health awareness among young people.
Avicii – I’m Tim premieres on Netflix on December 31
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