There’s no doubt Avicii is one of EDM’s most prolific creators, having pioneered a fresh sound throughout his career DJing and producing in the 2010s. But following his untimely passing in 2018, many fans have longed to know more about who the man behind the DJ persona was. Henrik Burman’s new documentary I’m Tim offers up just that, from his upbringing in Sweden to the tremendous highs and lows of his fame. Now streaming on Netflix, there’s plenty to discover about Avicii’s journey, including these highlights of the film!
Learning about Tim’s childhood
I’m Tim naturally starts at the beginning, revealing plenty of home footage of a young Tim Bergling experimenting with the creative arts and exploring the world around him. He describes his youth as extremely happy, with loving parents who supported him in all endeavours. He struggled with insecurities and social interactions as a child, but quickly attuned to the belief of treating everybody with kindness, an ethos that would later shine through his lyrics and freeing dance sound. Although Tim always felt music in his soul, he struggled picking up traditional musical instruments. It all changed when he got into digital music software in his teens, and the rest became history.
Seeing Tim as his friends and family saw him
I’m Tim features extensive footage of Tim touring the world and spending time with those who knew him best. Through the intimacy of these personal recordings, we get to know an upbeat, kindhearted person who cared for those around him immensely. In-depth coverage of Tim’s relationship with his manager Arash Pournouri sheds new light on their bond rising up together. Elsewhere, Tim touches the souls of so many collaborators, from entrepreneur Jessie Waits who describes him as a “little brother”, to Chris Martin from Coldplay, who deeply admires how in touch he was with his feelings and notes his undeniable gift with melody. Their heartfelt depictions of Tim’s later years showcase the ups and downs of his life with far greater insight than we’ve ever seen before.
Going behind the scenes recording the hits
Avicii’s catalogue boasts an incredible amount of hit songs in only a few years, and I’m Tim offers up the exclusive on what it was like making them. Get ready to feel like you’re in the studio with the team as you witness Avicii cook up tunes like ‘Wake Me Up’ and ‘Hey Brother’ alongside a star-studded list of collaborators, from Aloe Blacc to Audra Mae. The joy in these scenes is infectious, with Tim and friends constantly pushing themselves to make something out of the box that they know is going to truly hit.
Feeling the business impacting the art
One of the biggest elements of Tim Bergling’s mental struggles in his later years was his battle to make genuine, forward-thinking music that still topped the charts. The film highlights this impact in a scene showcasing Avicii’s set at Ultra festival in 2016, as he debuts new incorporations of vocals and genres that unfortunately disappoint the live audience. Whilst these songs would go on to be some of his most memorable, at the time of the performance, it’s clear his team were in crisis mode, and this put immense pressure on the real person behind the artist. This sequence truly puts you in the shoes of how skyrocketing to fame in such a way can be an intense double-edged sword. It’s hard not to understand why playing Avicii would come with such emotional pain, which contributed to his early retirement in 2016.
Celebrating Tim’s memory
Although Avicii’s life ended far too soon, I’m Tim embraces the positivity Tim Bergling left with those who knew him, rather than dwelling on the lows. The documentary emphasises how uplifting and life-changing Avicii’s music was for his fans, and how emotionally moving it was for him to create. It’s a profound tribute to such a talent, who will be remembered with love for as long as his music is with us.
Check out I’m Tim now, streaming on Netflix!
