The DJ who defined a generation: Relive Avicii’s journey in new Netflix documentary

The music of Tim Bergling, the DJ and producer who rocked the music world as Avicii, has always sounded so timeless and electrifying that it’s still difficult to think about him in the past tense. It’s been almost seven years now since his death in April of 2018, and for many of his fans, Avicii’s music is like a light that never went out — still pulling them up from the underground, to paraphrase the man himself, and helping them make their way through the darkness. And now comes a new Netflix documentary, Avicii — I’m Tim, through which fans old and new will have a chance to reconnect with the artist who defined a generation of electronic dance music.

The documentary, from director Henrik Burman, hits the streaming giant on New Year’s Eve and blends rare and never-before-seen footage, candid interviews, and heartfelt reflections from those who knew him best. From the euphoric highs of his chart-topping hits to the quiet moments of introspection that shaped his artistry, the film offers an intimate portrait of Avicii — narrated by the legend himself. Paired with a companion Netflix release (Avicii — My Last Show, presenting his final performance from Ibiza’s Ushuaïa), the documentary also captures the immense pressure Avicii felt to outdo himself, the raw energy of his shows, and the way he created deeply affecting work.

Image source: Netflix

Fans will see in the Netflix film an artist striving to meet the standard he set in his song The Nights, when he urged listeners to live a life you will remember. “Through unique home movies and a huge private archive,” Netflix explains, “we get to follow Tim on a winding journey through life — from the very first breath at the maternity ward in Stockholm in 1989 to the tragic end in Oman in 2018. This is a film where Tim himself is the narrator and he shares his inner self in a way we haven’t heard before. Through himself and everyone close to him – family, artist colleagues and best friends – we get to know Tim, the boy behind Avicii, for the first time.”

Perhaps the saddest part of Avicii — I’m Tim is the duality throughout the film that caused Bergling such wrenching pain. As he says at one point, “I didn’t like having to be Avicii, and then having to be Tim.” He goes on to reminisce about being happier before he was famous, with fame accompanied by a particular kind of emptiness. His music brought joy and connection to so many millions of people; what a shame it was that the man who made that music remained bereft, fighting a constant struggle with his mental health and with the unrelenting demands of superstardom.