“Wake Me Up” Artist Avicii Has Died At Age 28 & Fans Are Mourning The Loss

Tim Berglund, the Swedish DJ best known by his stage name Avicii, is dead at 28, reports Billboard. The EDM artist, who is well known around the world for his hits like "Wake Me Up" and "Lonely Together," was found dead in Muscat, Oman on Friday afternoon.

In a statement to Billboard his publicist Diana Baron 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.

According to Rolling Stone, Berglund rose to fame with his 2011 hit "Levels." The song, which uses an Etta James sample became a favorite of clubs and other dance venues. It went platinum in the United States. His 2013 song "Wake Me Up," became an even bigger success. The song featured vocals by soul singer Aloe Blacc, an opening guitar strum very reminiscent of Mumford and Sons, and a beat that was decidedly EDM. The unusual music genre mashup worked wonders — it got favorable reviews and landed the No. 4 spot on Billboard's Hot 100 list.

The DJ released two studio albums, True (2013) and Stories (2015). According to MTV, he was the first electronic artist to headline a North American arena tour with his 2012 tour, which included stops at New York's Met Life Stadium, Miami's American Airlines Arena, and Houston's Reliant Arena.

Yet, despite his success on the road, Avicci quit touring in 2016 when he was just 26. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the musician had troubles with his health. He suffered from acute pancreatitis, which was reportedly related, in part, to excessive drinking. He had his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014. As he was finishing up his last tour he told THR about his reason for quitting, "To me it was something I had to do for my health.” He added:

“The scene was not for me. It was not the shows and not the music. It was always the other stuff surrounding it that never came naturally to me. All the other parts of being an artist. I'm more of an introverted person in general. It was always very hard for me. I took on board too much negative energy, I think.”

Berglund received many awards and nominations throughout this career. He won the American Music Award for Favorite Electronic Dance Music Artist in 2013, and won the Billboard Music Award for Top Dance/Electronic Song in 2014 for "Wake Me Up." He was nominated twice for a Grammy in the category of Best Dance Recording (2012 and 2013).

Though he retired from touring at a young age, he continued to create new music. He wrote in a statement on his website:

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.

His most recent EP AVĨCI (01), which he released last August, is nominated for a 2018 Billboard Music Award for Top Dance/Electronic Album. The nomination was announced just days before his death.

His unexpected death surprised many of his fans and fellow EDM artists. Many took to social media to share their thoughts.

Many remembered him for his music.

Other music artists also shared their memories of him.

Berglund died tragically young. Many will miss his upbeat dance hits.