The music world went into mourning in April 2018 when it was announced that DJ Avicii had taken his own life following years of substance abuse and mental health issues
Tragic new details about Avicii’s final days before he took his own life at the age of just 28 have emerged.
The world was shocked when it was announced the Swedish DJ – whose real name was Tim Bergling – had passed away on April 20, 2018. The Wake Me Up hitmaker was found dead in a luxury hotel room in Oman after reportedly being found with wounds on his neck and wrists.
Avicii had previously spoken of his fear of dying if he continued to fly around the world to perform night after night in the biggest clubs, where he could be paid almost £1 million for just one live gig. This led to his decision to quit touring in 2016, along with his struggles with drugs, alcoholism and his mental health. Surviving on booze, Red Bull, cigarettes and fast food also left him needing to have his gallbladder and appendix removed and he suffered from acute pancreatitis in part caused by his heavy drinking.
Now a new documentary, called Avicii: I’m Tim, claims he was so strung out on painkillers towards the end of his life that he looked like a ‘zombie’. The never-before-seen footage features his friends, family and famous pals such as Nile Rogers and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who he collaborated with. They reflect on the toll touring took on the world-famous DJ, who shot to fame when he was a teenager and performed more than 800 shows in six years – sometimes playing in two cities in one night.
The Daily Mail reports that Jesse Waits, a managing parting of a Las Vegas nightclub who ‘became like a brother’ to Avicii, recalled the moment he knew his friend was struggling with addiction. He said: “I realised he was taking painkillers. I grew up with a family that did drugs and I saw when people do opiates their eyes change. The pin, the little black parts of their eyes.
“His eyes were wide open like a zombie, he was not there. At the dinner, his demeanour changed and his eyes dilated. That changes everything. Those pills change how you act and how you feel. You wake up feeling like s*** and have to have another one to feel good. For him, it was to suppress his anxiety, but it just created more anxiety.”
Avicii also appears in the film giving one of his final interviews before his tragic death and says of his addictions: “I realised how stiff I was when I wasn’t drinking, so I found the magical cure of having a couple of drinks before going on to loosen you up.” Revealing how it then spiralled, the star – who admitted being ‘a lot happier before I was famous’ – added: “I just took everything that I could. I didn’t realised you could do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. But once that opened up, you could tour the whole year. I was killing myself. The touring went even more crazy because the fees were getting higher… everything went so fast from that point on.”
In a heartbreaking statement after his death, his family said: “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.
“He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, and Happiness. He could 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.”
*If you’re struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch
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