Source: CBS News
NEW YORK — Tim Bergling, the Swedish DJ and electronic dance music (EDM) producer known as Avicii, was found dead Friday in Muscat, Oman, his publicist Diana Baron said in a statement. He was 28.
The statement said, “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii.
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.”No more details about the death were provided. Oman police and state media had no immediate report late Friday night on the artist’s death.
Avicii was an international pop star, performing his well-known electronic dance songs around the world for die-hard fans, sometimes hundreds of thousands at music festivals, where he was the headline act. His popular sound even sent him to the top of the charts and landed onto U.S. radio: His most recognized song, the country-dance mashup “Wake Me Up,” was a multi-platinum success and peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. On the dance charts, he had seven Top 10 hits.
But in 2016, the performer announced he was retiring from the road. He continued to produce songs and albums. “I know I am blessed to be able to travel all around the world and perform, but I have too little left for the life of a real person behind the artist,” he said at the time.
“I will however never let go of music but I’ve decided this 2016 run will be my last tour and last shows.
Let’s make them go out with a bang!”Avicii was part of the wave of DJ-producers, like David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia, who broke out on the scene as lead performers in their own right, earning international hits, fame, awards and more like typical pop stars. He earned his first Grammy nomination at the 2012 show — for a collaboration with Guetta. It was around the time he gained more fame for the Etta James-sampled dance jam, “Le7els,” which reached No. 1 in Sweden.
He continued to collaborate with more high-profile acts, producing Madonna’s “Devil Pray” and the Coldplay hits, “A Sky Full of Stars” and “Hymn for the Weekend.” He was even part of Mike Posner’s megahit “I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” which featured the lyrics: “I took a pill in Ibiza/To show Avicii I was cool.” The song was based off Posner’s true story at an Avicii concert in Ibiza.
Avicii built a strong musical and personal friendship with Nile Rodgers, who called Avicii his “little brother” in an interview with The Associated Press on Friday.
“I’m shocked because I don’t know medically what happened, but I can just say as a…
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