Google Doodle Honours Swedish DJ Avicii on His 32nd Birthday
Google honoured his legacy with a video Doodle, set to one of his most iconic songs “Wake Me Up”.
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Google Doodle on Wednesday, 8 September, celebrated the 32nd birthday of popular Swedish DJ, producer, songwriter Tim Bergling, who is popular by the name of Avicii.
Avicii was one of the first artists to elevate electronic music to mainstream global success. Google honoured his legacy with a video Doodle, set to one of his most iconic songs “Wake Me Up”.
Tim Bergling was born on 8 September 1989 into a family of creatives in Stockholm, Sweden. His varied interest in musical genre like 60s soul and 80s glam-rock played an important in his upbringing. "By 16, he was mixing tunes in his bedroom, and began writing uplifting, melodic electronic music soon after. In 2011 he released the dance anthem ‘Levels’ under the name Avicii, breaking ground as one of the first electronic music tracks to climb the Pop charts," reads Google Doodle blog.
He played an estimated 220 Avicii sets globally from 2011-16. This included a five-year residency in Ibiza and sold-out shows at the 16,000 person Ericsson Globe arena in Stockholm. The blog further states that Avicii was among the first DJs and producers to share the spotlight previously reserved for vocalists and instrumentalists.
His work got him multiple global awards like Billboard Music Award for Top Dance/Electronic Song (2014), World Music Award for Best Electronic Dance Artist (2014), etc.
However, after struggling with his mental health for years, Bergling unfortunately died by suicide in 2018 at the age of 28.
The name of Stockholm’s Ericsson Globe Arena was changed to Avicii arena in the year 2021. According to the Google doodle blog, this arena not only serves as a venue, but also a hub for the exchange of ideas focused on mental health. This initiative is supported by Tim Bergling Foundation, a organization founded by Avicii's family to honour his legacy, remove the stigma attached to suicide, and promote mental health awareness.
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