Avicii's friend reveals heartbreaking regret about DJ’s tragic death

WARNING: This article contains references to suicide which some readers may find distressing.

Avicii's close friend has lifted the lid on his biggest regret in the latest Netflix documentary about the DJ's life.

Avicii - real name Tim Bergling - first rose to fame in the 2010s, having been sharing his house remixes online since he was 16.

In 2011, his first official track 'Levels' hit top 10 spots around the world, and in the years that followed, the musician collaborated with some of the globe's best-selling stars, including Nicky Romero for 'I Could Be the One', with Robbie William's for 'The Days', with Rita Ora for 'Lonely Together' and with David Guetta for 'Sunshine'.

It was at the height of his success, however, in 2016, Avicii announced his retirement from touring, claiming to have suffered both stress and poor mental health for years behind the scenes.

And two years later, the then 28-year-old took his own life whilst on holiday in Muscat, Oman.

News of his death sent shockwaves around the world, with tributes subsequently pouring in from friends, family, fans and fellow big-name stars.

Earlier this year, Netflix producers announced that a new documentary centring on the musician's life and legacy following his death would be released later this year.

The musician retired from touring in 2016 (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

According to the synopsis, the film aims to portray 'Tim himself' as the narrator as 'he shares his inner self in a way we haven't heard before'.

Avicii -I Am Tim - as it is titled, which landed on the streaming service earlier this week - hears also those who knew him best recount his chart-topping successes and lowest moments, including his close friend Jesse Waits.

Reflecting on Avicii's death, Waits began by admitting: "I don't think anybody really know why or what happened, nobody really knows what was going through his mind, everybody can speculate.

"He seemed good to everybody I talked to that were around him, he was in a good place. It's hard to accept."

Naturally, this led onto Waits expressing his regret over not noticing his friend's pain earlier, and claiming that he wished he'd done more to help.

"I know this is something that is inevitable, but if I was there I could have fixed it." he said.

The DJ took his own life in 2018 (Lester Cohen/WireImage)

He continued: "Whatever he was going through, I'd be like, 'F**king shut the f**k up, f**king put your shoes on, and let's go out f**king outside for a walk.

"I'm sure everybody feels that they could have changed something, especially his family."

The documentary also revealed how the DJ spent his final days, as those who've seen the film said it left them 'heartbroken'.

You can stream Avicii - I Am Tim on Netflix now.

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123.

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