Featured Image Credit: Tomorrowland
Topics: Mental Health, Health, Music, Avicii
Britt Jones
A resurfaced clip of Avicii playing his hit Levels for the first time at Tomorrowland over a decade ago has left fans in an emotional state.
On April 20, 2018, Swedish DJ Avicii was found dead at just age 28.
He first took the world by storm in 2011 for his sampling of Etta James’ Good Feeling which he spun into the best hit of the year, 'Levels'.
And more hits were soon to follow, like 'Wake Me Up', 'You Make Me' and 'I Could Be The One'.
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But behind the musical genius was a darker issue.
Having been catapulted to success at 22-years-old, Avicii, aka Tim Bergling, struggled with his own personal issues, like his mental health, which were exacerbated by his touring schedule.
A documentary about him, named Avicii: I'm Tim, showed the star saying that he was 'killing himself' with his schedule.
A friend of his also described him prior to his passing, saying his eyes were 'wide open like a zombie' after taking painkillers.
His music brought EDM to mainstream charts and and that’s why when people on X saw his performance of 'Levels' for the first time at his Tomorrowland debut in 2011, they were brought to tears.
One person wrote: “Gone but not forgotten.”
Someone else penned: “I was there. You can see me at 00:11 under the flag of (Sweden).”
Another commented: “RIP to such a legend. This track changed a generation.”
A fourth wrote: " Was lucky to see him live at Creamfields the year before he passed! RIP Avicii a true legend.”
Others commented a single crying face to explain how they felt about remembering him and his music.
And many wrote about how much they 'missed' the artist.
At the age of 26, Avicii retired from live shows, writing in a letter to fans about his physical and mental health issues, without going into the extent of his struggles.
According to his dad, Klas, he’d always struggled with his existence and wanted answers to what the meaning of his life was.
Klas now tries to help others open up about their mental health and opened a foundation in his son’s name.
He told the BBC: "We want to help people see beyond the Avicii fame. That's also why we named his posthumous album 'Tim.'"
“Tim meant a lot to young people - his music, his lyrics, and his person.
"At first, I didn’t understand why, but then a fan said, 'Tim was authentic.' I understood. Many young people relate to that authenticity, his honesty, and struggles."