In a new interview, Klas Bergling, the father of the late EDM icon Avicii, revisited his son’s legacy and unraveled the complex journey of an artist who left a void far deeper than fame could fill.
Bergling sat down with Geronimo, SiriusXM’s VP of Electronic/Dance Music Programming, on Avicii Radio for the intimate interview. The tribute station in May launched as a partnership with the Tim Bergling Foundation, the philanthropic organization founded by Avicii’s family following his tragic death by suicide back in 2018.
For Bergling, it seems keeping Avicii’s spirit alive is a labor of love, bridging the ache of loss with the power of legacy.
“That’s the difficulty also with him being so, you know, famous, you could say, and still so popular because he will always be there as long as I live, and my wife lives at least,” he said.
c/o Klas Bergling
Bergling also discussed Pophouse Entertainment, the Swedish investment firm who in 2022 purchased a majority stake in Avicii’s music catalog. Honoring his son through stories that amplify his light and lasting impact, the company’s long-term brand strategy includes an Avicii musical.
Responding to Geronimo’s question about whether or not the Pophouse deal will “ensure that [Avicii’s] memory is around forever,” Bergling affirmed.
“Absolutely. That’s what we hope and that was the reason for doing it, and of course, very, very strong reason is also that his music and, you know, the catalogs are a guarantee for the Tim Bergling Foundation,” he explained. “We have said that we will guarantee the foundation to be running for 50 years, and 50 years is a chosen number because that’s the age that Tim could have reached with the normal living standard we have today.”
“So it’s a big task to do it, and the foundation is growing. We have a very, very nice, good team in Stockholm, and so for me, I feel today quite relaxed to rely on the team to take it further, you know, when I don’t have the capacity to be there, so it’s important for me to know that also, of course, and my wife.”
In other Avicii news, a rare auction of his personal belongings recently raised over $700,000 in support of his family’s efforts to advocate for suicide prevention. 267 of his items hit the auction block and all proceeds benefitted the Tim Bergling Foundation in its efforts to provide support for young people experiencing mental health issues.
Meanwhile, Avicii – I’m Tim, an intimate documentary about the life of Avicii, is coming to Netflix. The film, which is narrated by the artist himself, will launch globally on the streaming service on December 31st, 2024. Netflix is also premiering Avicii – My Last Show, which chronicles his final performance.
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