Tim Bergling: Remembering Avicii, two years on
by Donal Long
Today, 20th April, marks the second anniversary of Tim Bergling’s death. Better known as Avicii, the DJ’s death shocked and broke the hearts of music fans worldwide. At the age of 28 and seemingly at the peak of his career, the world lost one of music’s greatest storytellers of recent years. Tim tragically took his own life in Oman on 20th April 2018. However, his music will carry his legacy far into the future.
One of the planet's biggest DJs, Avicii had a strong following behind him. His death would see the music world mourn as he had touched the lives of so many people. Tim’s family released an open letter regarding the artist's death on 26th April: “Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions. An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress. When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and to do what he loved most - music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could now not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive. We love you, The Family.”
As fans of Avicii will be aware through his music, Tim’s personality definitely resonates through the tracks he produced and stories he told.
In 2015, Avicii released his album, 'Stories'. The album features songs such as 'Waiting for Love' and 'The Nights', just two of Tim’s many successful projects. However the whole album is a platform to showcase the great story teller Tim was. A truly unique album that provides a positive atmosphere and strong meaningful lyrics. This piece of work perhaps stands out when it comes to highlighting Tim’s talents in songwriting.With every track a new tale it is a must liste #n for music fans. Tim always had a talent for getting emotion to be a huge factor in his music.
As his genre of choice is electronic dance music - EDM - t is often hard to showcase emotion in this style. However, Tim was like no other EDM artist. Songs like 'Fade into Darkness' and 'Without You' will now forever pull at the heart strings of his fans due to the strong emotions in the tracks.
The sound of Avicii is a truly unique one. Memorable songs such as 'Wake me up', 'Hey Brother' and 'Levels' got people of all ages up off their feet and provided an anthem for those memorable summer nights in recent years. The catchy choruses, trademark sounds and enticing lyrics really established Tim as one of the greatest and most versatile EDM artists of all time. Not a day goes by across the world where his songs go unsung. For some his songs will bring back great memories, others will have their mood boosted indefinitely. However Avicii’s songs will forever be evidence of the brilliant mind of Tim Bergling. His work will be the fuel to celebrate the life of a truly once in a lifetime artist.