Tim Bergling's 32nd Birthday

Whether blaring from speakers of a music festival mainstage or into the headphones of millions of listeners worldwide, the music of Swedish superstar DJ, producer, songwriter, and humanitarian Tim Bergling—known best by his stage name Avicii—is widely considered to have forever altered the trajectory of the Pop genre. Today’s video Doodle, set to one of his most iconic tracks “Wake Me Up,” celebrates his 32nd birthday and honors his legacy as one of the first artists to elevate electronic dance music to mainstream global success.

On this day in 1989, Tim Bergling was born into a family of creatives in Stockholm, Sweden. From 60s soul to 80s glam-rock, multi-genre musical experiences played an important role 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. Desiring more than just industry success, Bergling also set off on “House for Hunger,” a 2012 American tour that donated its proceeds to combating food insecurity worldwide. That year, Madonna joined him in closing Miami’s Ultra Music Festival, where the pair broke the festival’s live stream viewer record.

From 2011 to 2016, Bergling played an estimated 220 Avicii sets globally, including a five-year residency in Ibiza and sold-out shows at the 16,000 person Ericsson Globe arena in Stockholm. In addition to breaking down sonic boundaries with hits like the 2013 bluegrass-house-hybrid “Wake Me Up,” Bergling was also among the first DJs and producers to share the spotlight previously reserved for vocalists and instrumentalists.

Within a few years, Bergling racked up over a dozen global music awards such as Swedish Grammis Awards for Best Innovator (2012) and Best Artist (2014), as well as a World Music Award for Best Electronic Dance Artist (2014). In the U.S. he was nominated for several Grammys and won the American Music Award for Electronic Dance Music Artists (2013), the Billboard Music Award for Top Dance/Electronic Song (2014), and the MTV Music Award for Best Dance Music Video (2018). 

Like so many individuals globally, Bergling struggled with his mental health for years. Unfortunately, he died by suicide in 2018 at the age of 28.

In 2021, it was announced that Stockholm’s Ericsson Globe Arena would be changed to Avicii Arena. A symbol of Swedish pride, the arena stands today not only as an events venue but also as a hub for the exchange of ideas focused on mental health. This initiative is led by the Tim Bergling Foundation, an organization founded by the Bergling family to honor Tim’s life and legacy, remove the stigma attached to suicide, and promote mental health awareness, especially among young people worldwide. Additionally, the foundation supports aid work in areas where Tim had a passion such as climate change, global hunger and preservation of wildlife and endangered species. 

Here’s to you, Avicii.

Learn more about Tim, the foundation’s work, and the inspiration for today’s video Doodle in a conversation with his father, Klas Bergling.

Special thanks to the Tim Bergling Foundation for their collaboration on the project. Below Tim’s father, Klas Bergling, shares his thoughts on the Doodle and Tim’s legacy.

I will never forget when Tim played in a park called Strömparterren in Stockholm in the early days of his career. He’d told me explicitly to not come — maybe because it wasn’t very cool to have your father around at that age — but I went anyway and hid behind a tree. It was a great evening and I remember feeling surprised, amazed and very proud. When I came to find him backstage afterwards, he was so glad I came.

The Doodle is fantastic, my family and I feel honored and Tim would have been very proud and love it. It is a friendly and warm story of a young man fulfilling his dream to be a DJ and at the same time telling us that our journey in life is not always easy despite fame and fortune.

Pictured: Tim Bergling
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Tim Bergling Foundation

Pictured: Klas and Tim Bergling
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Tim Bergling Foundation

Pictured: Tim Bergling
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Tim Bergling Foundation

Pictured: Tim Bergling
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Tim Bergling Foundation

Doodler Q&A

Today’s Doodle was illustrated by Doodler Alyssa Winans. Below, she shares her thoughts behind the making of this Doodle:

Q. What was your creative approach for this Doodle? Why did you choose this approach?

A. I knew from the beginning that I had to carefully consider what scenes we would include in the video. The truth is Tim struggled a great deal during the touring part of his adulthood, and I wanted to find a way to both touch on the realities of that experience, while still celebrating and honoring his life in a way that fit the lyrics and tone of the track. I ultimately decided to spend the majority of the video on the aspects of his life he loved, with a few symbolic moments to allude to some of the more emotionally challenging experiences.

Style-wise, Olivia (Doodler) and I mimicked loose, sketchy pencil line animation with speckled airbrush rainbow sprays for the color. I wanted to find a style that was a nod to the EDM style of Tim’s music, but was still flexible enough to support each of the emotions within the video.

Q. Did you draw inspiration from anything in particular for this Doodle?  Are there specific elements of the artwork that have symbolic meaning?

A. Between the documentary and various movie clips, there is so much footage of Tim in his element. I was grateful to be able to see snippets of his life, and I was inspired to incorporate the same feeling of warmth and wonder he approached music with. As for symbolic meaning, I included the hand scene to both fit the lyrics of the song, but also as a nod to the symbol I often saw Tim use to show care and appreciation to the people that loved and supported his work. One of the more sober scenes is one Olivia animated, where the crowds at a concert slowly lift to fill the screen. This is an artistic transition to change scenes, but is also meant to symbolize the overwhelmed feeling Tim might have experienced at these shows.

Q. What was your favorite part about the creation of this Doodle?

A. Honestly, the research phase was very meaningful to me. As someone who has also struggled with depression, seeing the strength Tim showed during both the inspiring and difficult realities of his story in turn gave me strength. 2020 and 2021 have been hard years. To spend so much time watching footage of Tim’s warmth and the joy he took in creating music with genuine love and care made everything a little easier. 

Q. What message do you hope people take away from your Doodle?

A. I hope people continue to love and cherish Tim’s memory. I also hope people worldwide are inspired to learn more about and discuss mental health openly, especially as we collectively live through such a challenging time in global history where so many may be struggling in unseen ways.

Drafts and storyboard of the video Doodle below

Artists | Alyssa Winans, Olivia When, Sophie Diao

Program Manager | Lindsay Elgin

Business Affairs & Partnerships | Madeline Belliveau

Marketing & Partnerships | Sierra Menzies, Perla Campos 

Google Sweden | Andrea Lewis Akerman, Hanna Schmitz

Music Legal Manager | Joy Edgar

Doodle Team Leads | Jessica Yu, Brian Kaas