Avicii Feared That He Would Die Young
Following Avicii’s untimely death, fans have tuned in to Avicii’s unsettling footage of the True Stories documentary.
Tim Bergling, aka Avicii, passed away suddenly in Oman last week at just 28 years of age.
The film shows that Avicii feared that he would die young in a haunting confession during the documentary.
After being diagnosed with acute pancreatitis at age 21 from alcohol abuse, Avicii was taken to the hospital to have his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014. Between 2008 and 2016, Avicii managed to perform a total of 813 gigs.
“I have said, like, ‘I’m going to die.’ I have said it so many times. And so I don’t want to hear that I should entertain the thought of doing another gig.”
Avicii went on to say “Everyone knows that I’ve had anxiety and that I have tried. I did not expect that people would try to pressure me into doing more gigs. They have seen how ill I have felt by doing it, but I had a lot of push-back when I wanted to stop doing gigs.”
Photo via Rukes
Avicii’s family and team have since worked to keep his music and message alive. In 2019, his family launched the Tim Bergling Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention, continuing conversations Avicii himself had started about the pressures of touring and the music industry. That same year, a posthumous album titled “TIM” was released, compiling music Avicii had been working on before his passing, alongside collaborators including Chris Martin, Aloe Blacc, and Rita Ora.
Avicii’s catalog remains one of the most influential in dance music history. Tracks like “Levels,” “Wake Me Up,” and “Hey Brother” helped define the sound of an entire generation of EDM and continue to be staples at festivals and on radio worldwide. His willingness to blend folk and country influences into electronic music opened doors for countless producers who came after him, and his legacy continues to be honored through the foundation that carries his name.
The Tim Bergling Foundation has since partnered with mental health organizations around the world and worked with artists across the music industry to promote awareness campaigns. Avicii was also posthumously honored at award shows and industry tributes in the years following his passing, with fellow producers regularly crediting him as a foundational influence on modern dance music.
