Avicii has it all – success, fame, talent, money... even good looks.
The 26-year-old's success is undisputed. The teenage Tim Bergling was plucked from his Stockholm high school by a smart manager with an ear, and eye, for the next big thing. A few years later, Avicii became the poster-child for the EDM generation, with his breakout 2011 anthem, Levels.
Next, Bergling smartly crafted a new radio-friendly crossover sound, merging electronic beats with retro influences. He also enlisted a trio of American genre guests: soul man Aloe Blacc for Wake Me Up, bluegrass singer Dan Tyminski for Hey Brother, and folk singer Audra Mae for Addicted to Love, all enormous hits in 2013.
His financial success is well documented. With an estimated fortune of $75million (Dh275m) Bergling is the third-richest DJ in the world, after Calvin Harris and Tiësto. Last month, Inc magazine declared Avicii the sixth-fastest-growing "business" in Europe, having expanded 1,905 per cent in three years.
With success and money comes fame. As for the talent, it is clear Bergling has a canny ear to achieve the above. And good looks? There’s even empirical proof for that – in 2013 he was recruitedas a model by Ralph Lauren. Some people really do have it all.
Returning to spin in the UAE for the first time in more than three years – a 2014 gig was cancelled due to a medical emergency – we caught up with the superstar DJ while he was enjoying some R&R in Malibu.
In the past three months, Dubai has hosted gigs by David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Hardwell, Tiësto and Steve Aoki – how will you compete?
I don’t really see it as competition. For the past four months I’ve been doing a lot of studio work, resetting a lot of touring and life routines, and spending all this time working on tracks. So in Dubai, I’m going to have a lot of new material.
You famously found yourself in hot water – and incurred the wrath of the DJ community – after revealing how much of modern DJ sets is premixed. So if I went to see you on a Thursday and then a Friday, how much would be new?
Then it’d be completely new. Basically completely new – there are a certain amount of tracks I have to play to not feel like I’m cheating any of my fans out of that experience.
You’ve written some catchy tunes – where do the melodies start? In your head, on an instrument or on the computer screen?
I build a chord progression, and then when I hear that progression playing I’ll get a lot of different melodies. A lot of the times I’m by a piano or guitar, and I’ll be writing out the different notes in a programme. The only thing that changes in the process is the instrumentation and where the sound is coming from.
You got very famous very quickly after Levels. Do you ever feel that perhaps you missed out on growing up naturally?
Yes and no. It was a little bit of a problem for me, especially in the first four years. I was in a bit of a nest because I was so, so focused on what I was doing. My manager took care of all the business side of things, so all I needed to think about was making music.
People describe you as intense – how would you describe your personality?
I’m very stubborn. I wouldn’t say intense – when I go into the studio, I’m very intense, I have no problem being there for 60 hours without sleep, just maniacally trying out millions of different melodies, that’s no problem for me – but when I’m not in the studio, I don’t really feel like that.
Where do you see electronic music going next?
I’m not sure. It’s super-interesting right now, it’s a golden time for producers and DJs – there’s such an open-minded market right now. I don’t necessarily like all of it, but just seeing how open people are to new music, new sounds, makes me feel secure doing whatever type of music. I don’t think EDM is going to disappear – it’s just going to keep evolving, just like hip-hop or anything else.
Avicii is live at Dubai World Trade Centre on Friday from 9pm. Tickets start at Dh395 from www.platinumlist.ae
rgarratt@thenational.ae
Small Things Like These
Director: Tim Mielants
Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Watson, Eileen Walsh
Rating: 4/5
The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
Veil (Object Lessons)
Rafia Zakaria
Bloomsbury Academic
Forced Deportations
While the Lebanese government has deported a number of refugees back to Syria since 2011, the latest round is the first en-mass campaign of its kind, say the Access Center for Human Rights, a non-governmental organization which monitors the conditions of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
“In the past, the Lebanese General Security was responsible for the forced deportation operations of refugees, after forcing them to sign papers stating that they wished to return to Syria of their own free will. Now, the Lebanese army, specifically military intelligence, is responsible for the security operation,” said Mohammad Hasan, head of ACHR.
In just the first four months of 2023 the number of forced deportations is nearly double that of the entirety of 2022.
Since the beginning of 2023, ACHR has reported 407 forced deportations – 200 of which occurred in April alone.
In comparison, just 154 people were forcfully deported in 2022.
Violence
Instances of violence against Syrian refugees are not uncommon.
Just last month, security camera footage of men violently attacking and stabbing an employee at a mini-market went viral. The store’s employees had engaged in a verbal altercation with the men who had come to enforce an order to shutter shops, following the announcement of a municipal curfew for Syrian refugees.
“They thought they were Syrian,” said the mayor of the Nahr el Bared municipality, Charbel Bou Raad, of the attackers.
It later emerged the beaten employees were Lebanese. But the video was an exemplary instance of violence at a time when anti-Syrian rhetoric is particularly heated as Lebanese politicians call for the return of Syrian refugees to Syria.
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Omania, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
Winner: Brehaan, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Craving, Connor Beasley, Simon Crisford
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Prep (PA) Dh100,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Fertile De Croate, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
The specs
Powertrain: Single electric motor
Power: 201hp
Torque: 310Nm
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Battery: 53kWh lithium-ion battery pack (GS base model); 70kWh battery pack (GF)
Touring range: 350km (GS); 480km (GF)
Price: From Dh129,900 (GS); Dh149,000 (GF)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
Results
6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes (PA) Group 3 Dh175,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Aatebat Al Khalediah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer).
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Avenue, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: My Catch, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Dubai Creek Mile (TB) Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
SPECS
Engine: Twin-turbocharged 4-litre V8
Power: 625 bhp
Torque: 630Nm
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh974,011
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) | US$95,000 | (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) ) | $175,000) | (Turf) 1,600m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 3 (TB) ) | $300,000) | (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Curlin Handicap Listed (TB)) | $160,000) | (D) 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB)) | $175,000) | (T) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (T) 2,000m
