Avicii's father, 'It was like the profession kidnapped our son'

On April 5, Tim Bergling’s team confirmed that they would be releasing a posthumous album that the producer, globally known as Avicii, had been working on up until the day of his sudden passing in April of 2018. A video was released the same day of the album announcement, giving insight into the decision-making process that went into the posthumous album release. Fittingly titled TIM, the compilation will feature 16 songs that have been selected by Universal Music Group alongside the co-producers of each track. Avicii’s family has also played a big part of the decision-making and the song selection process.

Swedish media outlet Dagans Nyheter spoke with Avicii’s father, Klas Bergling, as well as the co-producers of the upcoming album, giving fans even more insight into the hardships the beloved artist faced in life. The lengthy piece details Bergling’s foray into dance music, and the journey that ultimately led him to take his own life at the age of 28.

The article details many moments that have previously remained undiscussed in the media, including an apparent pain killer addiction that Avicii suffered through beginning in 2014, which landed him in rehabilitation in 2015. In rehab, Avicii took the first steps to what was ultimately the realization that in order to be healthy, he would have to discontinue touring.

After he discontinued touring, which Klas Bergling notes “was so brave,” Avicii turned his phone off, traveled the world, and slowly regained the strength he had physically and mentally lost throughout his eight years of rigorous touring. He even started producing the new music that will be featured on TIM in 2018, working with Universal Music Group to put a plan in place for the release of his new music.

On April 10, 2018 Avicii wrote to Universal Music Group, ”Think of features only in terms of what will be interesting for listeners and not what is ‘big’ and will bring attention.” His intentions for his new music were far from commercial and focused in on the innovation of sound as he became so well known for throughout his career. Avicii, and the team around him truly believed the music he was working on at the time of his death was his best work to date.

Collaborators on Avicii’s single “SOS,” Albin Nedler who together with Kristoffer Fogelmark composed three of the songs on the album, note that the artist was doing the best he ever had been when they saw him last and worked on the music with him prior to his trip to Oman. However, the lyrics of the forthcoming single haunt them as they question if they could have done more for the artist while he was still alive.

“I don’t want to be seen in this shape I’m in, I don’t want you to see how depressed I’ve been,” goes the new Aloe Blacc-assisted single.

The elder Bergling ultimately reflects on his son’s career, “It was like the profession kidnapped our son. He was pushing himself pretty far.”

Avicii’s parents now spend their days working on the Tim Bergling Foundation, a foundation geared towards helping prevent suicide as well as informing and educating people about the proper ways to deal with mental health issues. TIM will be released in full on June 6.

Via Dagans Nyheter