Aloe Blacc dedicates song to Avicii on co-star's 30th birthday

Since the untimely passing of Swedish superstar Avicii, the flood of tributes to the late DJ continue to pervade the electronic landscape in all forms and from all individuals. Now, in dedication to what would have been Avicii’s 30th birthday, Aloe Blacc has announced the release of his new song “Things You Left Behind.”

Blacc took to Instagram to post a clip of the new track and an emotional excerpt in remembrance of his co-star. The singer most notably lent his voice to one of Avicii’s biggest hits ,”Wake Me Up.” They reunited on Avicii’s first posthumous track “SOS” from the producer’s posthumous album TIM.

The “Wake Me Up” vocalist imparted heartfelt advice he learned from his close collaborator in regards to art and taking risks.

“As an artist, if ever you feel nervous about something, it’s better to take the risk than to regret it. When we created “Wake Me Up” there was no blueprint for the combination of sounds and no example of success to rely on.”

The Avicii Tribute Concert for Mental Health Awareness will take place on December 5th and feature performances from Avicii’s artist friends including David Guetta, Kygo, Nicky Romero, and many more. Find more information here.

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Today would have been Tim Bergling’s 30th birthday. The news of his passing stunned me as it did all who were moved by his music and I am terribly sad that he is no longer with us. When I heard he was gone my heart immediately went out to his family and the words to this song came to me. I had only spent moments on stage and in the studio with him, but his family had spent years watching him grow. As a father of two young children myself I couldn’t imagine the tragedy of living beyond them and having to gather the things they have left behind. I thought I would take today, Tim’s birthday, to remember and to share what I learned about art from him. Take the risk. As an artist, if ever you feel nervous about something, it’s better to take the risk than to regret it. When we created “Wake Me Up” there was no blueprint for the combination of sounds and no example of success to rely on. Lead rather than follow. Mavericks don’t follow trends, they create them. Tim reminded me of what I learned so well in my experience during the golden era of Hip Hop, which is to create your own style. When others begin to use your style, just keep it fresh and switch it up. Be brave and bold. I know Tim was way more comfortable in the studio than in most other places that music took him. But he learned to step out and embrace millions of fans with his live performances. I imagine the most fearful performance would have been the debut of the music from TRUE at Ultra. He was nervous, but he did it anyway. While other performers had the usual lasers, pyro and girls in bikinis, Tim shared the stage with musicians and singers that helped him craft a groundbreaking album. Ignore outside opinions. Criticisms are everywhere and they are increasingly negative rather than constructive. It’s important to listen to your inner voice and have confidence in the art you create. The few trusted voices in your inner circle can be helpful, but when it comes to art, always trust your gut over others. Ultimately, the integrity in a work of art lies with the creator and no one else. The most important thing I think I learned from working with Tim was to embrace collaboration. Rest in peace, Tim

A post shared by Aloe Blacc (@aloeblacc) on Sep 7, 2019 at 3:08pm PDT