Avicii would have turned 31 next week, September 8. The producer/DJ tragically took his own life on April 20, 2018 and the void left by his absence has not yet been filled, and may never be. In celebration of his life, SiriusXM and The Tim Bergling Foundation today announced BPM Presents: Avicii Birthday Tribute for Mental Health Awareness on SiriusXM’s BPM channel. The special take-over will kick off on Tuesday September 8, Aviciis birthday and during Suicide Prevention Week.
The week’s programming will feature a never-publicly-broadcast Avicii set from Osaka, Japan in June 2016, as well as interviews from the 2019 Avicii Tribute Concert in Stockholm, Sweden. Klas Bergling, Tim’s father, will sit down for an exclusive interview to discuss Tim’s life and music and the mission of the Foundation, which is to prevent suicide and remove the stigma attached to mental illness.
“Anki [Tim’s mother] and I want to thank Geronimo and SiriusXM for their continued support of Tim’s music and for taking this time to put a spotlight on the global issue of mental health,” said Klas Bergling. “We want to encourage Tim’s fans and all young people to know that they are not alone. It’s important to talk to someone, a friend or family member or workmate. There is help for any emotional struggle they or their friends may have.”
“SiriusXM championed Avicii from his start and we hope his fans will join us in celebrating him and his music as we take this special week to premiere a never-before-heard set, play music spanning his career, and hear about the importance of mental health wellness from those who knew him best,” said Scott Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer. “We are honored to work with The Tim Bergling Foundation to spotlight the issue of mental health, while also celebrating Avicii’s legacy through his music.”
“The loss of Tim was personal for me,” said Geronimo, SiriusXM’s Vice President of Dance and EDM Programming. “Tim was my friend and like many fans around the world, I was excited to watch his career grow exponentially. I’m honored to work with his father, Klas and his family, to bring awareness to mental health and how asking for help is equally as important. The world has changed so quickly due to the pandemic, so this topic is more crucial now than ever.”
The take-over will also feature music from Avicii all weeklong and commentary from artists including Aloe Blacc, Armin van Buuren, Bonn, David Guetta, Joe Janiak, Laidback Luke, Martin Garrix, Nicky Romero, Nile Rodgers, Rita Ora, Sandro Cavazza, Zak Abel and more discussing Avicii, as well as sharing personal stories about Tim, his music and their experience with mental illness. Additionally, the channel take-over will include a special broadcast of Avicii’s SiriusXM Town Hall from 2013.
Listeners can experience BPM Presents: Avicii Birthday Tribute for Mental Health Awareness Week starting on Tuesday, September 8 at 12:00 pm ET through Sunday, September 13 at 9:00pm ET on SiriusXM radios (channel 51) and on the SiriusXM app. Additionally, Pandora will launch Avicii Forever mode on their EDM Hits station showcasing collaborations, mixes and original tracks from Avicii.
Photo: Sean Eriksson