Stockholm: Thousands of fans gathered in Stockholm Saturday to remember Swedish star Avicii, one of the world’s most successful DJs who has died aged 28.
The DJ, whose real name was Tim Bergling, was found dead Friday in Muscat, the capital of the Gulf sultanate Oman, where he had been on holiday with friends.
A police source in Oman said the death was not considered to be suspicious, adding that the circumstances would remain confidential at the request of the family.
On Saturday afternoon, several thousand people gathered to remember the DJ at Sergels Torg plaza in Stockholm, where the crowd danced to his hit songs.
“He was a modern Mozart,” said 61-year-old language teacher Chris Koskela. “One of the greatest artists that Sweden has ever known.”
Fellow DJ Sebastian Ingrosso, who organized the event with Swedish House Mafia, tweeted: “We were just kids with dreams, Tim inspired us all and millions more.”
On Friday night nightclubs across the capital held a minute’s silence and his name was projected on the Ericsson Globe arena, where in 2014 Avicii played three sell-out gigs.
Tributes poured in from the musical world, as well as from Swedish royalty.
Madonna, who worked with Avicii on her last album, posted a picture of herself in the DJ booth with him and wrote: “So Tragic. Goodbye Dear Sweet Tim. Gone Too Soon.”
DJ David Guetta, who collaborated with Avicii on “Sunshine,” wrote: “We lost a friend with such a beautiful heart and the world lost an incredibly talented musician
In 2015, Avicii DJ-ed at the wedding reception of Sweden’s Prince Carl Philip and his bride Sofia. In a statement they said: “We had the honor to have known him and admired him both as an artist and the beautiful person that he was.”
Avicii was among the first DJs to break through into the mainstream as electronic dance music grew over the past decade from nightclubs to Top 40 radio.
His biggest hits included “Wake Me Up,” which went to number one across Europe in 2013 and featured the soul singer Aloe Blacc.
But he had made no secret of his health problems, including pancreatitis, triggered in part by excessive drinking linked to his party lifestyle.
In 2016, Avicii 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 for years was one of the world’s most lucrative electronic musicians — in 2016 made number 12 on the list of top-paid DJs of Forbes magazine, which said he earned $14.5 million in the previous year.
Musicians and fans pay tribute to DJ Avicii
Musicians and fans pay tribute to DJ Avicii
- The DJ, whose real name was Tim Bergling, was found dead Friday in Muscat, Oman.
- He had been holidaying in Oman with friends.
Christmas Eve winner in Arkansas lands a $1.817 billion Powerball lottery jackpot
- The winning numbers were 04, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with the Powerball number being 19
- The last time someone won a Powerball jackpot on Christmas Eve was in 2011, Powerball said
ARKANSAS, USA: A Powerball ticket purchased at a gas station outside Little Rock, Arkansas, won a $1.817 billion jackpot in Wednesday’s Christmas Eve drawing, ending the lottery game’s three-month stretch without a top-prize winner.
The winning numbers were 04, 25, 31, 52 and 59, with the Powerball number being 19. The winning ticket was sold at a Murphy USA in Cabot, lottery officials in Arkansas said Thursday. No one answered the phone Thursday at the location, which was closed for Christmas. The community of roughly 27,000 people is 26 miles (42 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock.
Final ticket sales pushed the jackpot higher than previous expected, making it the second-largest in US history and the largest Powerball prize of 2025, according to www.powerball.com. The jackpot had a lump sum cash payment option of $834.9 million.
“Congratulations to the newest Powerball jackpot winner! This is truly an extraordinary, life-changing prize,” Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, was quoted as saying by the website. “We also want to thank all the players who joined in this jackpot streak — every ticket purchased helps support public programs and services across the country.”
The prize followed 46 consecutive drawings in which no one matched all six numbers.
The last drawing with a jackpot winner was Sept. 6, when players in Missouri and Texas won $1.787 billion.
Organizers said it is the second time the Powerball jackpot has been won by a ticket sold in Arkansas. It first happened in 2010.
The last time someone won a Powerball jackpot on Christmas Eve was in 2011, Powerball said. The company added that the sweepstakes also has been won on Christmas Day four times, most recently in 2013.
Powerball’s odds of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to generate big jackpots, with prizes growing as they roll over when no one wins. Lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the game’s many smaller prizes.
“With the prize so high, I just bought one kind of impulsively. Why not?” Indianapolis glass artist Chris Winters said Wednesday.
Tickets cost $2, and the game is offered in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
