A forthcoming documentary about the life of DJ Avicii has shed light on how he spent his final days.
Avicii - real name Tim Bergling - was a Grammy nominated Swedish DJ and producer who brought us timeless classics including 'Wake Me Up', 'Hey Brother' and 'Levels', which ended up charting in several different countries at the same time.
In 2018, it was revealed that he'd taken his own life at just 28 years old.
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He had retired from touring in 2016 following years of stress and mental health issues.
At the time of his death, his family provided a statement, calling him 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." they continued.
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"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 now not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace."
Now, six years after his death, a documentary Avicii: I'm Tim will be released after premiering at Tribeca Film Festival.
Directed by Henrik Burman, Tribeca states that the film is 'handled with passion' and takes a deep dive into Avicii's 'meteoric rise to fame'.
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It is also stated that Avicii: I'm Tim features 'never-before-seen tour footage and behind-the-scenes glimpses of his creative process'.
As well as hearing from Bergling himself, it also features appearances of his friends and collaborators including Chris Martin and Nile Rogers, as per The Daily Mail.
Over the course of six years, Bergling played over 800 shows and the film features footage of him saying he was 'killing himself' with how much he was working.
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He said: "I realised how stiff I was when I wasn't drinking so I found the magical cure of having a couple of drinks before going on [stage] to loosen you up.
"I just took everything on that I could. I didn't realise you could do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday but once that opened up you could tour the whole year."
The film also captures how Bergling spent his last days before his death.
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His friend and nightclub managing partner, Jesse Waits, shared to filmmakers: "I realised he was taking painkillers.
"I grew up with family that did drugs and I saw when people do opiates their eyes change. The pin, the little black parts of their eyes.
"His eyes were wide open like a zombie, he was not there. At the dinner, his demeanour changed and his eyes dilated.
"That changed everything, those pills change how you act and how you feel. You wake up feeling like s*** and have to have another one to feel good.
"For him it was to suppress his anxiety but it just created more anxiety."
Reacting to the film, many online called it 'heartbreaking', while another said they will 'never get over his death'.
A wider release date for Avicii: I'm Tim is yet to be confirmed.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.
Topics: Music, Documentaries, TV And Film
Kya Buller