Biography
As one of the standout figures in the EDM explosion of the late 2000s, the Grammy-nominated Swedish artist Avicii—real name Tim Berg—secured number-one positions across multiple territories and embarked on worldwide tours showcasing his elevating house anthems. Tim Bergling entered the world in Stockholm in 1989 and launched his creative work at eighteen, composing and reworking material inside his bedroom before posting the results online. Shaped by Daft Punk and Steve Angello, his melodic house approach quickly built a broad audience, earning backing from Tiësto, who secured a weekly residency slot at Privilege in Ibiza, and from Pete Tong, who issued the debut single “Manman” on the Bedroom Bedlam label.
Alongside remix credits for Little Boots, Robyn, and Dizzee Rascal, Bergling issued several of his own tracks in 2010, among them “Bromance” and “My Feelings for You.” Adding Amanda Wilson’s vocals to the earlier recording produced “Seek Bromance,” which registered modest chart success across Europe. International breakthrough arrived only with the 2011 single “Levels,” built around a sample of Etta James’ “Something’s Got a Hold on Me”; the track reached the summit of dance rankings globally and earned platinum certification in at least ten countries, carrying Avicii into mainstream visibility.
Near the close of 2012, a joint release with Nicky Romero titled “I Could Be the One” became another commercial success, receiving extensive rotation on European radio and repeated placement in reality television programming. The following year brought “Wake Me Up,” featuring Aloe Blacc on vocals; the pastoral soul cut climbed to the top position in more than twenty countries, establishing itself as his largest hit to that point. Elements of that “folktronica” style would recur throughout the debut album True, released in late 2013. The multi-platinum set included contributions from Adam Lambert, MØ, and Nile Rodgers and yielded four further singles, among them “Hey Brother” and “Addicted to You.” A club-remix companion titled True: Avicii by Avicii appeared in 2014. Later that year, Bergling notched an additional mainstream success with “A Sky Full of Stars,” recorded in collaboration with Coldplay.
Stories, the second studio album, arrived in late 2015. Maintaining an expansive blend of EDM and pop, Bergling enlisted Zac Brown, Wyclef Jean, Matisyahu, and Martin Garrix, and the project debuted at number one on the Billboard dance chart. Although he maintained a schedule of performances and new releases, Bergling announced his retirement from live appearances in early 2016, citing ongoing health concerns; that summer he delivered his final concert set in Ibiza.
The Avici (01) EP surfaced in summer 2017 while Bergling continued work intended for a second and third installment in the series. On April 20, 2018, he died suddenly in Muscat, Oman, at the age of twenty-eight.
Alongside remix credits for Little Boots, Robyn, and Dizzee Rascal, Bergling issued several of his own tracks in 2010, among them “Bromance” and “My Feelings for You.” Adding Amanda Wilson’s vocals to the earlier recording produced “Seek Bromance,” which registered modest chart success across Europe. International breakthrough arrived only with the 2011 single “Levels,” built around a sample of Etta James’ “Something’s Got a Hold on Me”; the track reached the summit of dance rankings globally and earned platinum certification in at least ten countries, carrying Avicii into mainstream visibility.
Near the close of 2012, a joint release with Nicky Romero titled “I Could Be the One” became another commercial success, receiving extensive rotation on European radio and repeated placement in reality television programming. The following year brought “Wake Me Up,” featuring Aloe Blacc on vocals; the pastoral soul cut climbed to the top position in more than twenty countries, establishing itself as his largest hit to that point. Elements of that “folktronica” style would recur throughout the debut album True, released in late 2013. The multi-platinum set included contributions from Adam Lambert, MØ, and Nile Rodgers and yielded four further singles, among them “Hey Brother” and “Addicted to You.” A club-remix companion titled True: Avicii by Avicii appeared in 2014. Later that year, Bergling notched an additional mainstream success with “A Sky Full of Stars,” recorded in collaboration with Coldplay.
Stories, the second studio album, arrived in late 2015. Maintaining an expansive blend of EDM and pop, Bergling enlisted Zac Brown, Wyclef Jean, Matisyahu, and Martin Garrix, and the project debuted at number one on the Billboard dance chart. Although he maintained a schedule of performances and new releases, Bergling announced his retirement from live appearances in early 2016, citing ongoing health concerns; that summer he delivered his final concert set in Ibiza.
The Avici (01) EP surfaced in summer 2017 while Bergling continued work intended for a second and third installment in the series. On April 20, 2018, he died suddenly in Muscat, Oman, at the age of twenty-eight.
Singles
