A very heartfelt letter thanking friends, family, and fans was posted on Avicii’s website last night. The 26 year old EDM superstar announced that he will be bowing out of the limelight to focus on himself and his private life. “I have too little left for the life of a real person behind the artist,” he wrote, signaling to the world that a lot of thought has gone into this decision.
What does this mean for the world of electronic music? To be blunt, not a whole lot. The genre isn’t built upon one person, no matter how much they’ve contributed – how much they’ve helped steer the ship so to speak. He’s a huge name with a lot of star power and his fans will be around when he chooses to come back. In the meantime, others will rise up in his place and fill the void that he leaves. It’s the nature of the beast that is electronic music. Those with the desire and the grit to succeed will make their way to the top.
We’re going to miss Avicii. This announcement was of course a troll/hater paradise to let loose, but at the end of the day you have to appreciate what he’s accomplished. I was fortunate enough to meet Avicii when he was performing in Wisconsin a few years back. Even at that time, I could tell that he just didn’t seem right. The toll that touring takes on a performer seemed to be getting to him then and that was almost three years ago. I hope that Avicii finds his balance again and has a chance to get back to his normal self. I’m sure this won’t be the last that we see of Tim Bergling.
Read his letter here.