Avicii’s father breaks the silence for the first time and talks about the loss of his son

More than three years have passed since a death that shocked the music world. On April 20, 2018, Swedish DJ Tim Bergling, better known as Avicii, passed away. At first the cause of death was not disclosed, but a few weeks later it was confirmed that it had been a suicide.

A few days ago, his dad, Klas Berling, gave an interview for the newspaper The Sunday Times where he spoke of the tragic event, especially how fame, and all that it entails, destroyed his son.

“Fame and fortune are a dangerous combination”

Klas described his son as a shy and introverted person who struggled to assimilate his rapid rise to fame. Avicii’s popularity skyrocketed in 2011, for his song Levels, when the DJ was only 21 years old.

Klas thinks that fame and fortune are “a very dangerous combination” for young people who suddenly rise to stardom, as was the case with his son, and can have a very negative effect on the mental health of artists. . Also, he wishes there were more serious discussions about the mental health of musical artists.

Most importantly, Klas is truly committed to this cause, and in 2019, he and his wife created the Tim Bergling Foundation, whose main goal is to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention.

I wasn’t cut out for fame

When Avicii’s cause of death came to light, his family released a statement claiming that the young DJ was not cut out for a life of stardom.

Tim wasn’t cut out for the business machine he was on. He was a sensitive guy who loved his fans, but avoided the spotlight.

“Things have to be called by their name”

Klas also spoke about the importance of acknowledging the death of his son as a suicide, as this is the first step in starting important conversations and taking the mental health of artists more seriously.

I think you have to call things by their name. No one is to blame for his death; if there are guilty, the first is me.

A cramped environment

The death of the DJ occurred two years after he retired from touring and live performances, as, according to the artist himself, they were very overwhelming for him.

That environment is not for me. It is not because of the shows themselves, nor about the music, but because of everything else that the tours entail. None of that comes naturally to me, I’m more of an introvert. It is very difficult for me and I think I absorb a lot of negative energy.

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