Avicii’s family announce plans for private funeral that won’t be open to fans – only ‘people who he was closest to’
THE family of the late Swedish DJ, Avicii, have confirmed that his funeral will not be open to the public as they prepare to say goodbye to the chart topping star.
Music star Avicii – whose real name was Tim Bergling – took his own life on Friday 20 April 2018 at the age of 28.
Family of the star – whose hits included the chart topping dance anthems Wake Me Up and I Could Be the One – said in a statement they wish to make his funeral service a private event.
“There have been many inquiries regarding the funeral arrangements for Tim Bergling, known by music fans as Avicii,” they began in a statement issued to Billboard magazine.
“The Bergling family has now confirmed that the funeral will be private, in the presence of the people who were closest to Tim,” the statement continued.
“They kindly ask media to respect this. There is no additional information forthcoming,” the family added.
Avicii – who announced his retirement from touring in 2016 due to ill health - was found dead in a hotel in the city, Muscat, in the Arabian Peninsula nation of Oman.
Following his death, the hotel where the musician’s body was discovered released an emotional statement.
“All we can confirm is that Avicii did visit Muscat Hills Resort, and throughout his visit he was extremely kind to all our staff and acted like any of our regular guests,” the hotel said.
Avicii’s family later revealed the star had died following a long battle with mental health issues.
“Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions," the family said in a statement.
"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 could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace,” the family added.
American news website TMZ later reported the star had committed suicide.
Fans were left devastated by the news, with many taking to social media to express their grief.
On Sunday night, artists participating in the 2018 Billboard Music Awards paid tribute to the tragic musician.
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Alex Pall and Andrew Taggart of the band The Chainsmokers and pop singer Halsey gave an emotional speech at the star studded event.
“His passing was a great loss for the music world and for us," Drew of The Chainsmokers said.
"He was an artist who inspired so many in so many ways, and simply put, he meant so much to us and everyone in the EDM community,” he added.
While Halsey highlighted the importance of speaking out about mental health and emphasized the need to support those in need.
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