Google Doodle Pays Tribute to DJ Tim Bergling 'Avicii' on Birth Anniversary

Google on Tuesday paid an homage to Tim Bergling, popularly known as Avicii — the Swedish musician known for his tremendous contribution to EDM. The special video doodle celebrates the musician on the occasion of his 32nd birth anniversary on September 8, and is set to one of Avicii's most popular hits, "Wake Me Up." Bergling was born in 1989 in Stockholm, Sweden, and showed an inclination for music at a very young age. The note that accompanies the video doodle revealed that the artist had begun mixing songs at the age of 16 in his bedroom.

In 2011, Avicii released the dance anthem "Levels," which was one of the first progressive house tracks that topped the charts in several countries including the UK. The note by Google added, “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.”

In addition to being a tremendous music talent, Avicii was also a humanitarian. “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,” the noted explained. 

After a struggle with his mental health that spanned years, Avicii committed suicide in 2018 at the age of 28. In his memory, it was announced in 2021 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,” the note said, adding that the initiative is led by the Tim Bergling Foundation.

Tim Bergling Foundation is set up by the “Bergling family to honour Tim's life and legacy, remove the stigma attached to suicide, and promote mental health awareness, especially among young people worldwide.”

Reacting to the Doodle, Bergling's father Klas said, “The Doodle is fantastic, my family and I feel honoured 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.”

Google said that the doodle honours Avicii's "legacy as one of the first artists to elevate electronic music to mainstream global success.” The doodle was created by artists Alyssa Winans, Olivia When, and Sophie Diao.