Avicii’s father discusses mental health and suicide prevention at IMS Ibiza 2019

The suicide of 28-year-old Swedish DJ and producer Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii, brought to light last year, the underlying mental health issues that are becoming increasingly common within performing artist and those working in the music industry.
Avicii’s father, Klas Bergling spoke recently at the International Music Summit in Ibiza, sharing the ethics and philosophy of the newly created Tim Bergling Foundation. The main idea, being, to open up conversations about the importance of recognizing and treating the early signs of deteriorating mental health, anxiety and depression. Klas paid tribute to his son and outlined some of the areas that may have contributed to a deterioration of his state of mind pointing at a punishing schedule, lack of sleep, the pressure to perform and alcohol abuse all contributing to depression and anxiety.

During his successful career, Avicii always had a strong interest in charity and had previously supported many social initiatives, including hunger relief and starting the non-profit DJ tour ‘House for Hunger’ with other high-profile DJ’s. He also supported campaigns against human trafficking and gang violence.

“We are setting up the foundation to focus preventative work for mental illness and suicide, we are also looking at threatened animals and nature which was Tim’s passion as well as climate”. Klas Bergling

After his interview with BBC Radio 1’s Pete Tong, Klas joined a wider conversation entitled “MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS DEBATE”. Alongside world-renowned artists and mental health campaigners, Professor Green, Luciano, Sasha and many other industry professionals and health experts, the discussion centred around what the music industry could do to protect the health of all those that work within it.