Swedish DJ and producer Tim Bergling, who performed under the name Avicii, has died at the age of 28, according to a statement from his publicist. “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii,” the statement reads. “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.”
Bergling was one of the most successful, most widely known EDM musicians in the world, scoring Top 10 hits with his two albums, 2013’s True and 2015’s Stories, and landing chart-topping singles in several countries with songs like “Levels,” “Wake Me Up,” “Hey Brother,” and “I Could Be The One.” He collaborated with artists like Madonna, Coldplay, Wyclef Jean, Jon Bon Jovi, and Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, and twice scored Grammy nominations for Best Dance Recording.
He also regularly headlined festivals until 2016, when he announced that he was retiring from touring after suffering for years from health problems—including acute pancreatitis that he said was partially from excessive drinking. (He’d previously had his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014.) A 2017 documentary, Avicii: True Stories, captured his struggles on the road as he made the difficult decision to stop performing live and concentrate on his studio work.
“We all reach a point in our lives and careers where we understand what matters the most to us,” Bergling wrote in announcing his retreat from live performance. “For me it’s creating music. That is what I live for, what I feel I was born to do. Last year I quit performing live, and many of you thought that was it. But the end of live never meant the end of Avicii or my music. Instead, I went back to the place where it all made sense—the studio. The next stage will be all about my love of making music to you guys. It is the beginning of something new. Hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do.”
Bergling’s most recent Avicii release was last summer’s Avīci (01), a six-track EP he said was the first of a planned three that would eventually lead to his third album.