“Why did you do it? Why did you leave us?”: Avicii’s father on dealing with anger and grief after his son’s death
“I miss him every minute. Of course, I talk to him every day.”
Image: Kevin Mazur / Getty
Klas Bergling, father to superstar EDM artist Avicii, has spoken out about the feelings of anger he experiences following his son’s tragic death.
Avicii took his own life in 2018, after which Klas and family, including Avicii’s mother Anki Lidén, established The Tim Bergling Foundation in his honour, using the artist’s real name.
Speaking to the BBC surrounding the release of a picture book to honour his legacy titled Avicii: The life and music of Tim Bergling, Klas explains how his son’s death makes him feel a sense of anger and frustration at times.
“I miss him every minute, of course, I talk to him every day. But I admit, I get angry at him sometimes. Why did you do it? Why did you leave us?” He says. Of the new picture book, Klas adds, “We want to help people see beyond the Avicii fame. That’s also why we named his posthumous album Tim.”
Avicii’s fans still feel a deep connection to his music, including colossal hits such as Hey Brother, Levels and Wake Me Up. Thousands of letters left on his website are a testament to this.“Tim meant a lot to young people – his music, his lyrics, and his person,” adds Klas.
“At first, I didn’t understand why, but then a fan said, ‘Tim was authentic.’ I understood. Many young people relate to that authenticity, his honesty, and struggles.”
Klas’ work with The Tim Bergling Foundation has helped to fund Sweden’s new national suicide prevention hotline. The government is also working on legislation to better investigate suicide. The BBC states that Klas has a 50-year plan to cement his son’s legacy.
“The most important thing is to break the stigma facing young people. [With] a war-torn, unstable world facing the next generation, that’s where I think we can be useful,” he states.
Find out more about The Tim Bergling Foundation. You can also order Avicii: The life and music of Tim Bergling now.
If you need mental health support, you can find help via the following organisations:
There is further advice available via the NHS.
