The late EDM star Avicii was not just an “arena act” — he’s now an arena namesake. A venue in his native Sweden formerly known as the the Ericsson Globe has been renamed the Avicii Arena, the Stockholm facility announced Wednesday.
Said Klas Bergling, the father of Tim Bergling, aka Avicii, “It was a significant milestone in Tim’s career when he played here nine years ago, and he would be extremely proud that this iconic building from today will bear his name.”
The venue will “become a symbol for a new initiative with partners for preventing mental illness for the young people of Sweden,” the naming announcement said. Klas Bergling said ”the hub for sharing ideas and host activities with the focus on young peoples’ mental health,” said Bergling.
Avicii died by suicide in April 2018. His father founded the Tim Bergling Foundation after the DJ’s death, along with his wife, Anki Lidén. The Bergling Foundation andASM Global’s Stockholm Live joined forces in agreeing on the naming rights, with Trygg-Hansa and Bauhaus as sponsors.
Klas Bergling hopes to see the landmark on the Stockholm skyline become a “hub” for awareness of mental health issues among the young. ”Globally, suicide is the second most common cause for death among the 15-29 age groups,” he said. “This highly distressing statistic must be changed. It’s only together we kind find a way to make a difference #ForABetterDay.”
To celebrate the arena’s new moniker, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra has released a new symphonic version of Avicii’s song “For a Better Day” with vocals by 14-year-old Kristianstad native Ella Tiritiello, accompanied by a laser-filled music video filmed atop the venue.
| The Tim Bergling Foundation initiated a survey last year that is due to be presented to Sweden’s Prime Minister this summer. “It is only by listening to the young people and working with them that we can really make a difference,” Klas Bergling said. “We will start from that in everything we do. We call the collection of young peoples thoughts For a Better Day because we focused our surveys on what they need for a better tomorrow, and their answers will form the basis of our work inside and outside the Avicii Arena.” |
