'Tim was a musical genius': Avicii's legacy to be celebrated in new Stockholm museum

The work of the late Swedish DJ will highlighted in the upcoming The Avicii Experience

Avicii's career will be celebrated in a new museum in Stockholm, Sweden. Photo by Sean Eriksson

Fans will soon be able to trace Avicii's journey to DJ stardom in an upcoming tribute museum.

The Avicii Experience, to be opened next year in Stockholm, Sweden, will feature an interactive exhibition of the producer's work including memorabilia, photos and never-before-heard recordings, including a new version of his signature 2011 hit Levels.

In a joint statement announcing the project, Avicii (real name Tim Bergling) collaborators Aloe Blacc (who provided the vocals for Wake Me Up) and producer Mike Einziger said the museum will be a worthy tribute to the artist.

“Tim was a musical genius. He was boundless and incredibly driven in his creativity. He had the ability to unite people with his music. I’m certain that with his fans’ memories his legacy will last forever," they said.

Also adding his support to the initiative is Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers. "Avicii has quite rightly been celebrated as one of the greatest DJs of all time and as an important artist who made massively successful records – but what I will remember the most is that Tim was one of the finest songwriters I ever worked with,” he said.

“We could work together for 24 hours a day and his melodic ideas would never stop coming. He was a melodic beast who has not as yet had the recognition he deserves for his extraordinary talent.”

A portion of the revenue from the Avicii Experience will go to the Tim Bergling Foundation, a non-profit youth organisation promoting mental health awareness.

The museum is one of many posthumous initiatives

The upcoming museum forms part of the legacy Avicii left the music industry after taking his own life in Oman in April 2018. His death also kick-started a much-needed discussion about mental health within the electronic dance music industry.

In June last year, his estate released a video for the single Heaven, in addition to the posthumous album Tim.

In an exclusive interview with The National promoting the release, Levan Tsikurishvili, who directed the documentary Avicii: True Stories, revealed how a retired Avicii spent the last few months of his life fearing if his work would stand the test of time.

“He was so worried about that,” he said. “He would tell me ‘oh man, what will happen now that I have stepped back.’ If I am totally honest with you, he was scared of being forgotten.”

Judging by the upcoming museum and continued outpouring of love from an industry still in mourning, Avicii’s legacy is firmly intact.