Earlier today, I learned about the tragic, untimely death of EDM icon Avicii (whos real name is/was Tim Bergling). I had just finished wrapping up my music theory lessons for the day, when I stumbled upon an article announcing the EDM superstar's death - at the young age of 28 for reasons unknown at this time.
I was immediately hit with shock and disbelief. I was at a loss for words. It seemed like it hit me seemingly out of nowhere. I couldn't believe that it was true. In fact, didn't want it to be real. But unfortunately, it was. Upon realizing that, I was just struck with sadness - there have been several instances today where I was on the verge of tears. It just seemed so surreal.
I never got the opportunity to meet or work alongside Tim (and now I never will), but I loved his work (even though on the electronic music side of things, I primarily listen to & work with Bass Music) - and the guy himself. He has touched so many people (both artists and music fans alike), that his influence transcends beyond House music - and EDM.
He transformed the Electronic Music industry - by using his musicianship and love for the craft - and took it to the next level. He helped EDM achieve great popularity (the most its ever seen) and inspire a new crop of artists to pursue their ambitions in the industry. He did all of this by crafting unique, innovative, captivating music, and overall, doing what he loved most.
Avicii was a true master of the craft. He knew how to craft great melodies and whole songs together. He had a profound level of musicianship (which is what you need in order to be a truly great artist) and knew how to translate emotion into music. He was very fluent in the art, science, & language of music. He seemed to never be afraid of pushing boundaries (his hit "Wake Me Up" - which is a fusion of dance, folk, and country - is a great example of this) and encouraged others to do the same.
Avicii is the type of artist that I - and many other upcoming artists - aspire to be. Now that he's gone, I'm going to meticulously study his work and appreciate it a little more. I'm going to study his work with the goal of learning more about how great music is made (which is perfect timing since I'm currently delving deeper into music theory and musicianship - more on that soon). He will forever be a source of inspiration for me.
It really sucks to hear about Avicii's death, but at least we can all take comfort in knowing that he got to live his dream - and achieve great success from it. Here, I share a quote from him humbly reflecting on just that. Let this serve as inspiration in your own life:
"When I look back on my life, I think: whoa, did I do that? It was the best time of my life in a sense. It came with a price - a lot of stress a lot of anxiety for me - but it was the best journey of my life."
Avicii may be gone now - and will be dearly missed - but he will forever live on through his music.
Long live Avicii!
[Photo by Rukes.com]