'IT'S TOXIC'
Avicii revealed regret at not ‘standing up’ for himself and quitting music industry sooner in haunting interview before ‘suicide’
AVICII wished he'd stepped back from the music industry sooner and stuck up for himself more, a haunting interview revealed.
The Swedish DJ quit touring in 2016 after life on the road seriously impacted his health, but the star, who reportedly took his own life last week aged 28, regretted not trying to fix his issues sooner.
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Speaking to magazine in September, he said: "It was hard. I looked at myself like, 'F**k, you should've really stood up for yourself more there. Come on, Tim!' Why didn't I stop the ship earlier?"
A documentary on the Wake Me Up hitmaker was released last year and showed the negative effects constant travelling and performing had on him.
In the interview, Avicci, whose real name was Tim Bergling, said a life of constant partying becomes "toxic" and isolating.
When asked how he felt about Mike Posner's hit I Took A Pill In Ibiza, in which the singer referenced doing drugs to impress Avicii, the DJ said: "Mike's a good friend, so I took it as an honor.
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"And I agree – parties can be amazing, but it's very easy to become too attached to partying in places like Ibiza. You become lonely and get anxieties. It becomes toxic."
Avicii was a "fragile soul" who "could not go on any longer", his family tragically revealed.
A poignant statement was released yesterday as tributes for Avicii poured in for the DJ after his death last week.
It read: "Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions.
"An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress.
"When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most – music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer."
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His relatives said the DJ had "wanted to find peace" and said he would be "sadly missed".
Avicii, known for global hits like Wake Me Up and Hey Brother, was one of music's highest paid DJs earning more than £20million at the height of his fame in 2014.
He announced in 2016 that he was retiring from touring saying the demands of the DJ lifestyle were too much.
Avicii had in the past suffered acute pancreatitis, in part due to excessive drinking. He later had his gallbladder and appendix removed before he quit touring in 2016.
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The family statement added: "Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight.
"Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive."
The Sun Online revealed Avicii’s heartbreaking struggle in the years before his death.
His fans directed their anger at his former management team, who Avicii claimed weren’t supportive when he told them he wanted to stop performing live.
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In his unearthed True Stories documentary, Avicii said he felt pushed to perform when he didn’t want to.
He also predicted his own death and told his pals: “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 even entertain the thought of doing another gig.”
Church bells played one of Avicii's biggest hits in the Swedish capital Stockholm on Tuesday.
Avicii back on the road just one day after being hospitalised in True Stories documentary
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans on (free) 116123 or 020 7734 2800.
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