Avicii laid to rest in private funeral

13 June 2018: Swedish superstar DJ Avicii has been buried in a private ceremony with just his family and close friends present, his agent said Tuesday.

The musician, whose real name was Tim Bergling, "was buried Friday at the Skogskyrkogarden cemetery in Stockholm", Ebba Lindqvist told AFP.

"Only his family and closest friends were present."

Avicii was found dead on April 20 in Muscat, the capital of the Gulf sultanate Oman, where he had been on holiday with friends.

In an open letter published several days after his death, his family said he "wanted peace" and "could not go on any longer".

"He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness," they wrote in the letter, seen by AFP.

Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for Avicii refused to confirm the cause of his death, amid media reports he committed suicide.

Avicii had made no secret of his health problems, including pancreatitis, triggered in part by excessive drinking linked to his party lifestyle.

In 2016, he stunned fans by announcing his retirement when he was just 26, saying that he wanted to leave the high-flying electronic music lifestyle.

Avicii, who collaborated with stars like Madonna and Coldplay, was among the first DJs to break through into the mainstream with his hit songs "Wake Me Up" and "Levels" as electronic dance music grew over the past decade from nightclubs to Top 40 radio.

Located in southern Stockholm, Skogskyrkogarden, or "Woodland Cemetery", is a UNESCO world heritage site that blends vegetation and architectural elements. Swedish actress Greta Garbo is buried there.