Piece of Magic Entertainment/FacebookHaunting scenes from Avicii: True Stories shows the exhausted looking DJ fighting to keep his eyes open while discussing interview commitments.
The documentary aired just six months before the Swedish musician’s death in Muscat, Oman, at the age of just 28.
True Stories shows Avicii – real name Tim Bergling – telling his managers and business associates about his plans for retirement.
Not long afterwards, he announced his intentions to fans.
Piece of Magic Entertainment/FacebookThe clip shows Avicii inside a car, attempting to stop his eyes from closing as a business associate questions him about committing to telephone radio interviews; with the hope of assuring fans he was ‘back on track’.
After a long pause, the DJ’s eyelids can be seen dropping as he responds, ‘Yeah, sure.’
You can watch the clip for yourself below:
https://aviciitruestories.com/
My documentary just got released not long ago… Levan Tsikurishvili, who’s the director of the documentary, has followed me for the past four years I think, four or five years.He’s had so much material from both in the studio, from behind the scenes on concerts, during good and bad times. I’m really excited. I’m also a bit nervous because it is kind of gritty sometimes. It’s very personal. There’s a lot of ups and downs. It’s going to be interesting to see what people say.https://aviciitruestories.com/
Posted by Avicii on Friday, 10 November 2017
According to IMDB, ‘Avicii: True Stories offers a unique and compelling insight into the life of a modern day musical genius:’
Follow the incredible rise, fall and rebirth of one of the worlds most renowned DJ’s and composer’s, Avicii.
From the highs of worldwide chart domination to the lows of major health scares.
The tagline, which feels deeply sad in retrospect, reads, ‘If you were thrown into a life of success, what would you do when it all comes crashing down?’
Check out the trailer for the documentary below:
Speaking candidly in the documentary, Avicii said he was ‘going to die’ if he continued performing:
When I decided to stop, I expected something completely different. I expected support, particularly considering everything I have been through.
I have been very open with everyone I work with, and everyone who knows me.
Everyone knows that I’ve had anxiety and that I have tried. I did not expect that people would try to pressure me into doing more gigs.
They have seen how ill I have felt by doing it, but I had a lot of push-back when I wanted to stop doing gigs.
Watching Avicii’s True Stories is so mad.. there he is alive and now he’s just gone. It’s so sad :(
— Jay Bennett (@rekrom12) April 20, 2018
I recommend everyone, and I mean EVERYONE to watch @Avicii’s documentary, True Stories. It gives insight into how his life was, and will help solve unresolved questions some of you may have. I strongly advice to check it out.
— ◢ ◤ ΛVICII Music Norway (@AVMusicNorway) April 20, 2018
the Avicii true stories doc…you could tell how overworked and how much pressure he was under to keep going despite his heath. It’s quite sad. the only positive thing I enjoyed was to see how passionate he was about his music and what a true musician he was.
— daddy loi (@kenloi) April 23, 2018
Director Levan Tsikurishvili told The 405 how he had intended to show viewers just how intense a life in the spotlight could be:
I wanted to do a brutally honest film about Tim as a person and not only about Avicii. Everybody knows Avicii but very few people know Tim.
I think this documentary really shows Tim’s struggle and strength of character. Being a worldwide superstar artist is not as easy as it looks on Instagram.
He added:
What I think I want people to understand about Avicii is the actual person behind it which is Tim. What I mean by that is, it’s so easy to judge nowadays from social media, and the press, and all the information we are getting from our phones.
We really don’t know who the person is, but you think you know – that is what I think is the biggest point with that. Also, there is the whole explanation of who he is and how his life has been the past 8 years.
In order to achieve this sense of realism, Tsikurishvili took fly-on-the-wall video footage of Avicii during a period spanning over four years; capturing both the highs and the lows of his successful career.
Piece of Magic Entertainment@Avicii ‘True Stories ‘. My god …Tim was put into a pressure cooker by management and whoever else , pushing him to go on when his health was failing him . Am in tears watching this . And am just half way into the documentary….
— Swenglish (@LondonSwenglish) April 21, 2018
6 months ago I didn't get a chance to go watch 'Avicii: True Stories' but I finally got to watch it & man, I truly understand y Avicii quit touring; it was such an emotional movie. Thank you @Avicii & plz continue to do what u love! I'm so hyped for your 2nd EP! ?? #TrueStories pic.twitter.com/iNO8ZLL8pm
— calvin (@calvjumba) April 21, 2018
Just today (April 26), Avicii’s family made a statement concerning his death, which said:
Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions. An over-achieving perfectionist who travelled and worked hard at a pace that led to extreme stress.
When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most – music.
He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness.
He could not go on any longer.
He wanted to find peace. Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight.
Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive.
We love you,
Your family.
I’ve been crying for about an hour about Avicii. Watching the documentary “true stories” really made me realize that he was just a simple person like you and me, surrounded by the wrong people. It’s heartbreaking to watch. His songs will always have a special place in my heart
— Sara (@autumnlightsdjh) April 25, 2018
Unfortunately, Avicii: True Stories is not currently available on Netflix in the UK.
However, if you do get a chance to watch it then it appears to be an unusually personal and emotional insight into a very rare and special talent.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via [email protected]
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.