Swedish DJ Avicii was the iconic force behind 2010s EDM hits such as “Levels,” “Wake Me Up,” and “Hey Brother.” Born Tim Bergling, the artist spent the latter half of his life topping music markets across Europe and the United States. He built up a discography that many credit as the reason why EDM began to infiltrate the Top 40 charts. Avicii played unforgettable sets at festivals across the world until 2016 when he retired from touring to focus on his then third studio album and documentary. In a very unfortunate turn of events, he lost his life at 28 years old in April 2018, shocking the music industry.
Since Avicii’s passing, his family set up the Tim Bergling Foundation, a mental health awareness and suicide prevention charity that eventually expanded into fields such as climate change and conservation. Adding to posthumous events in his name, such as the album Tim and a tribute concert, the foundation will soon be hosting an auction of his old equipment. Speakers, decks, synthesizers, and more will be for sale in person and online on October 1st at Nybrogatan 32 in Stockholm, Sweden. The auction will go live at 3:00 pm local time, 9:00 am in New York, and 6:00 am in Los Angeles.
The charity auction will be held through Stockholms Auktionsverk, the oldest known auction house in the world. They dominate the Nordic marketplace of arts and antiques from a wide range of eras, taking pride in vast knowledge and traditions. In partnership with the Tim Bergling Foundation, the event honors Avicii’s selfless attitude toward life, continuing his legacy. A quote on the event page reads:
I discovered when I started making money that I didn’t really need it. When you have such a surplus of money that you don’t need, the most sensible, most humane and most obvious thing is to give to people in need.
In loving memory of Avicii, the full proceeds from this collection will support the foundation’s efforts, allowing them to continue providing guidance and resources for young people across industries and cultures.
For more details on the event, visit the auction house’s website.
To learn more about Avicii’s life and career, check out his biography “Tim – The Official Biography of Avicii” by journalist Måns Mosesson.