Avicii has died at the age of 28.
Billboard said Friday the globally successful DJ, whose real name was Tim Bergling, had been found dead in Muscat, Oman. In a statement, his publicist said the family was "devastated" and clarified that no additional statements will be released at this time.
"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii," the publicist said. "He was found dead in Muscat, Oman this Friday afternoon local time, April 20th. The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time."
The Grammy-nominated musician had a lengthy run of hits including "Wake Me Up" (which clocked over a billion views on YouTube), "Levels," and the Nicky Romero-featuring "I Could Be the One." The 2011 cut "Levels," specifically, is considered a pioneering song for the EDM genre. In their 2012 write-up on Avicii's complementary single "Silhouettes," Pitchforkpraised the Etta James-sampling cut for achieving a "life-affirming touch of humanity" that proved key to its massive success.
In 2016, Avicii spoke with the Hollywood Reporter about his decision to retire from live performances. "To me it was something I had to do for my health," Avicii, who had his gallbladder and appendix removed two years earlier, said. "The scene was not for me. It was not the shows and not the music. It was always the other stuff surrounding it that never came naturally to me. All the other parts of being an artist. I'm more of an introverted person in general. It was always very hard for me. I took on board too much negative energy, I think." Previously, in 2012, he had been hospitalized with acute pancreatitis reportedly caused by "heavy drinking."
As news of Avicii's death broke Friday, fellow artists and fans alike—including Liam Payne and Charlie Puth—paid tribute to his short but masterfully prolific career.
