The birth of a pioneer: How Avicii dared to dream
“Someone in a particular area of activity who is one of the first people to be involved in, or develop, something new.”
The dictionary definition of a ‘Pioneer‘ is perhaps the most fitting tribute that can be paid to the late, great Tim Bergling (aka, Avicii). With many producers and DJs looking to assert their own fresh sound on the industry, the tale of Tim is one that can inspire you to become a pioneer yourself, but first, it’s worth looking into the historical impact of the footprint he left in dance music:
The first realisation in the step to becoming a pioneer is to realise that back in 2009, music lovers consumed their tracks in different ways. With smartphones still something of a luxury, many gained their fix of the latest records via Freeview radio stations and the now-soon-to-be defunct iTunes store. In an era stuck between the purgatory of the post-Top of the Pops generation, and the boom of the Spotify and Soundcloud revolution, the whole industry was soon to perform the most radical 180-degree flip, all thanks to a baby-faced Swede by the name of Tim Bergling. First picked up by Laidback Luke, Tim had been flooding Reddit forums with his bedroom productions, when the Dutchman decided to take a chance on the teenage talent, plunging him into the deep end with a spot at his ‘Super You & Me’ party in Miami, alongside the likes of Diplo, A-Trak, Chocolate Puma, and another breakthrough producer, a Dutch DJ by the name of Hardwell.
Having already teased tracks like ‘Alcoholic’ and his truly timeless mix of Bob Sinclar’s ‘New New New’, Tim’s commercial breakthrough soon followed when Ministry of Sound snapped up his August 2010 anthem ‘Seek Bromance’, a production which captivated the entire dance music world with crushing rattles that came from the opening breakdown of the track, soon followed by a synth-driven melody and keyboard chords built into unique sonic arrangements.
But as ‘Tim Berg’ soon became ‘Avicii’, the brand snowballed in a way that the Swede’s manager, Ash Pournouri predicted, and by the time ‘Levels’ was released in 2011, the pair knew they were soon facing world domination. A collaboration with Madonna followed on the main stage of Ultra Music Festival, with ‘The Avicii hotel‘ launched in Miami, and merchandise – including Avicii condoms – flying off the shelves worldwide. Now the face of Ralph Lauren’s advertising campaign, Avicii the was dazzling brighter than ever.
A further point to analyse when looking into his rise is how the ‘EDM’ exploded at the tail-end of the noughties decade. Dance music was catapulted into the mainstream in a way never seen before. Acts like Swedish House Mafia and Calvin Harris helped merge the lines between dance and pop, and within weeks, tracks like ‘Miami 2 Ibiza’ and ‘I’m Not Alone’ were dominating the charts worldwide, with lyrics being bellowed across the dancefloors of commercial clubs and student unions on Saturday nights, weekly. Sensing a shift in momentum for the industry, French superstar David Guetta – who had previously enjoyed a fairly underground flavour – performing on Space Ibiza’s terrace with vinyl sets until sunrise – scored 3 consecutive UK number #1 singles in the space of just 2 months via the releases of ‘When Love Takes Over’, ‘Gettin’ Over’, and ‘Sexy Chick’. Though many corners of the industry criticised Guetta for amalgamating the lines between R&B, and dance, through collaborations with acts like Kelly Rowland and Akon, the fact remains – David proved himself an innovator during a time of change, and shaped the course of dance music forever.
Those who succeed in this game are widely praised – and often criticised – for adventure and artistic diversity. When Avicii turned up to Ultra Music Festival in 2013, he was undoubtedly at the peak of his powers. What followed was nothing short of iconic, with Bergling deciding to debut a genre-change to the biggest dance festival in world music, leaving the Miami crowd open-mouthed, as he played track after track of a country & western-infused unreleased new album, in place of his singalong anthems like “Silhouettes” and “I Could Be The One”. The fuss the fiasco caused is legendary. Dance website Dancing Astronaut labelled the set “too advanced for dance music”, whilst Avicii himself issued an official statement in the aftermath that read:
“Wow, looks like I stirred up some controversy with my set Friday night at UMF. Seeing a lot of people who don’t understand. I really wanted to switch things up and do something fun and different, as I always strive for, and this album is about experimentation and about showing the endless possibilities of house and electronic music. My album is certainly not “country”, and people have gotten hung up on an instrument we used for the live cover of a song. People will soon see what it’s all about.”
Within months, the world had come round to Tim’s line of thinking, with ‘country’ hit ‘Wake Me Up’ gaining multi-platinum certification, racking up almost 1 billion Spotify streams in the process. A pioneer was born.
Avicii called time on his touring career in 2016, citing his extreme anxiety before taking to the stage as a key reason for his decision. Emerging with right arm held aloft in a now customary pose at Ushuaia Ibiza on 28th August 2016, the Swede performed live for one final time, cue a cacophony of chorus sing-a-longs in the two hours of Balearic whoomps, thumping claps and soul platitudes that followed. Eight layers of lasers formed a dense neon mesh-works sizzling across the open air. Each track is met with roars of approval as modern twists and synths are placed during key loops and drops. As the lights drop and the crowd is plunged into darkness the Swede had promised they would fade into, the sounds that have illuminated the evening slowly grind to a gradual halt. One final crescendo, as the lights are raised, the strobes start to flicker, and the CO2 cannons and ticker tape are flung into the air. A sea of fans bounce to the rhythm of his now iconic track ‘Levels‘ and as Bergling gradually elopes backstage from his podium after a farewell to his followers, he’s safe in the knowledge he’s one of the few artists in world music that fans are still screaming for long after the final track ends.
The recent return of Swedish House Mafia had inspired the ‘True’ star to return to touring, whilst Summer 2018 was earmarked as the date for his next album, prior to his death.
Tim leaves behind an eternal legacy. Not just for the sensational melodic one-of-a-kind tones that his early career heralded, but also for becoming EDM’s first true superstar, bringing the genre into the spotlight, and forever making dance music socially acceptable across mainstream media and national radio. Paving the way for today’s biggest acts such as Martin Garrix, Marshmello, The Chainsmokers, Kygo, and many more, his death caused huge shockwaves to travel across the industry, but if you’re looking for tips on how to create a sparkling future for yourself in this industry, then the case study of his meteoric rise is the ultimate tale of branding strategy success, and marketing yourself in the right way.