In a quote that now rings poignant following his sudden death at just 28 years old, Avicii had repeatedly warned his management that his hectic touring schedule would kill him, a documentary reveals.
In the recent documentary Avicii: True Stories, the Swedish EDM DJ, whose real name was Tim Bergling, says he is “going to die” if he does not stop performing, Expressen reports.
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Released in October 2017, the documentary was also made available on Netflix earlier this month — but appears to have been pulled from the streaming service following Avicii’s death. The DJ and producer was found dead while vacationing in the city of Muscat, Oman, on Friday.
Fellow Swede Levan Tsikurishvili, a documentary maker and longtime friend of Avicii, filmed him for four years, chronicling his rise to fame and following him during March 2016 when he made his decision to retire from live performances.
Despite the fact that he reportedly earned $250,000 per night when playing sold-out shows and was named to Forbes‘ light of highest paid DJs, he made the tough decision to stop touring in 2016.
“When I decided to stop, I expected something completely different. I expected support, particularly considering everything I have been through,” he said in the documentary.
“I have been very open with everyone I work with, and everyone who knows me. 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,” he admitted. “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.”
Avicii was open about his shyness and the anxiety that came with being the center of attention. He says he used alcohol to help him deal with the spotlight — but by age 21 was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, due in part to excessive drinking. Acute pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas.
He was hospitalized in 2014 and forced to have his gallbladder and appendix removed as a result of his acute pancreatitis.
“I have told them this: I won’t be able to play anymore,” he said in the documentary. “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.”
Expressen reports that he can be heard telling his management that the thought of playing his final shows is making him panic.
“I’m going to panic, I’m going to panic, for real, I wont be able to do it, it won’t work,” he says.
Avicii’s family released a statement three days after his death on Monday, thanking his fans for their support and echoing his viewpoints on privacy.
“We would like to thank you for the support and the loving words about our son and brother,” the statement begins. “We are so grateful for everyone who loved Tim’s music and have precious memories of his songs.”
“Thank you for all the initiatives taken to honor Tim [Bergling, Avicii’s real name], with public gatherings, church bells ringing out his music, tributes at Coachella and moments of silence around the world,” the statement continues.
“We are grateful for the privacy during this difficult time. Our wish is that it continues that way. With love, The Tim Bergling Family,” the statement concludes.
Avicii’s publicist confirmed his death in a brief statement to news outlets Friday.
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii. He was found dead in Muscat, Oman this Friday afternoon local time, April 20th. The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time. No further statements will be given,” the statement read.
No official cause of death has been released, although authorities did announce that no foul play is suspected.
