Swedish electronic dance music DJ Avicii,
28, died Friday afternoon in the Persian Gulf nation of Oman, according to a
statement from his representative.
“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii,” reads the statement from Diana Baron, per Variety and Billboard. “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.”
While the cause of his death is unknown, Bergling struggled with medical issues over the years following his hospitalization in January 2012 for acute pancreatitis, causing a string of show cancellations that culminated with him having his gall bladder and appendix removed in 2014.
Avicii found worldwide success with tracks like Wake Me Up and Levels, before retiring from touring in 2016, citing health reasons.
However, the DJ still stayed active in the studio, releasing his final EP AVĪCI (01) in 2017. Days before his death, he celebrated AVĪCI (01)'s nomination for a Billboard Music Award for top dance/electronic album, thanking the BBMAs on Twitter.
Born Tim Bergling, he adopted the stage name Avicii after hearing it mentioned by a friend. In a video interview with VEVO Lift, he explained the story behind his stage name. “The name Avici means the lowest level of Buddhist hell,” adding that he’d tacked on an extra ‘i’ because when he tried to claim the name on MySpace, it was already taken.
EDM community mourns
After the news broke of his death Friday afternoon, musicians mourned his death on social media, sharing messages of shock and grief.
"Devastating news about Avicii, a beautiful soul, passionate and extremely talented with so much more to do. My heart goes out to his family. God bless you Tim," wrote Calvin Harris, while Marshmello shared, "At a loss for words...Rest easy brother."
"My sincerest and most heartfelt condolences to the friends, fans and families of @Avicii," Deadmau5 tweeted. "Banter aside, nobody can deny what he has accomplished and done for modern dance music and I'm very proud of him."
