Netflix will soon release a documentary about Avicii, eight months after the DJ passed away, and—unsurprisingly—it looks like it’s going to be incredibly heartbreaking.
The documentary, Avicii: True Stories,was filmed over the course of four years, and throughout that time, Avicii, whose real name is Tim Bergling, can be seen saying, “There was never an end to the shows, even when I hit a wall. My life is all about stress.” Toward the end of the film, he said touring can be so stressful and difficult that “it will kill me.”
And at one point, Avicii’s manager Ash Pournouri admitted, “Tim is going to die, with all the interviews, radio tours and playing. He’ll drop dead.”
In April 2018, the 28-year-old DJ was found dead in Oman. TMZ later reported that his death was confirmed a suicide, and in the footage, his family said he “could not go on any longer.”
The Guardian, who have seen the documentary, say the footage makes it apparent that Avicii had struggled with pressure to be successful to financially provide for his team, and he turned to alcohol to help cope with the stress of performing. During filming, Avicii said, “If I don’t [drink] I gradually get more and more nervous before shows.” In 2012, he was hospitalized for 11 days because of health issues caused by excessive drinking, and he had to remove his appendix and gallbladder in 2014. After the surgery, doctors had given him prescriptions for opiates, which added to his substance abuse.
Because the documentary was filmed and had a limited release after Avicii took a break from touring but before he died, the final scenes are meant to be quietly celebratory and show Avicii relaxing on a beach in Madagascar. But because of his tragic end, it now comes off as “chillingly false,” according to the director.
Avicii: True Stories was originally only intended for a limited release in Europe, but Netflix will release it for streaming in the US. and the UK on December 28.
Credit:Cosmopolitan
