Last Thursday, the world gathered in Stockholm’s Friends Arena to celebrate Avicii‘s life and music, and to “[fulfill] Tim’s dream of having his music played live by a big band.” For many, it was a beautiful reminder of the influence Avicii had on the world; an intimate, shared moment of remembrance. For his father, Klas Bergling, the tribute concert would serve more than that. It would not only be a bittersweet trip down memory lane, but also a means of closure.
“I hope that with this concert, we will be able to start listening again to his music, I don’t really know. I hope so, I would really love to get there again. We’ll see.”
In a heartfelt interview (below) with Swedish television network TV4, Bergling expressed his gratitude for everyone who had taken part, both performers and audience alike. Unified by a shared sense of loss, all who had taken part have given Bergling “enormous support… to keep going somehow“.
The interview at the tribute concert goes on to discuss Tim’s struggle with anxiety throughout his career. What had initially begun as years of seeing Tim’s “incredible happiness and growth“, evolved into difficult moments of confrontations and intervention. This was especially after Tim had grown a dependency on painkillers.
After Avicii’s passing, Klas Bergling created the Tim Bergling Foundation. His intention, among many initiatives, is recognizing suicide as a global health emergency and promoting overall mental health awareness.
“It’s important for many young people to have someone to talk to, and realise it’s not the end of the world if they experience anxiety.”
Watch the full interview (with English subtitles) below.