The end result is the nostalgic and affecting music video – officially approved by the Avicii estate – for the track Heaven. 'He was scared of being forgotten'ĭeeply affected by the artist's death, and with hours of unused footage of their Madagascar trip, Tsikurishvili decided to honour his friend by returning to the island nation in April and retracing their journey. It was in Madagascar that Avicii gave his final on-camera interview to Tsikurishvili, which went on to form part of the documentary. We would sit together, laugh and joke around, and at the same time he was interested in analysing his life and what we both went through together over the years." "He was in good spirits and also very reflective.
"He was in a great place mentally when I saw him," he tells The National. The talented DJ was only 28 when he died in Muscat, Oman.īut Tsikurishvili says Avicii was happy and at peace during those 19 days spent in Madagascar, less than two years before his death. Avicii took his own life six months after the documentary was released, in April 2018. Released in October 2017 and available to stream on Netflix, the film is an unflinching portrayal of a young artist struggling with the demands of fame. Levan Tsikurishvili, director of new Avicii video 'Heaven' and a friend of the late artist. Levan Tsikurishvili He followed him through the hundreds of clubs and festivals he performed at, and spent hours with him on planes, at hotels and in his Sweden and Los Angeles homes, piecing together footage that would eventually become the documentary Avicii: True Stories. It was a break that was well earned Tsikurishvili had been Avicii's virtual shadow for the past few years of his career. They chilled on beachside hammocks, cracking jokes and playing Monopoly. He packed his bags and cameras and joined Avicii (real name Tim Bergling) a few days later. Swedish-Georgian film director Levan Tsikurishvili didn't think twice. When he got to I le Sainte Marie, an island off the east coast of Madagascar, he was so taken with it that he wanted to share its turquoise waters with a friend, so he called the man who had been with him in the electronic dance music trenches. Every few days, he would visit another town on the island and indulge in sightseeing, swimming and a good dose of hiking. The plan was simple: rest, rec uperate and replace the cacophony of clubs and crowds with the cool sounds of nature.
A few days later, he hopped on a plane for a solo trip to Madagascar, off the coast of East Africa.
W hen Avicii retired early from his frenetic touring career after a soaring 2016 set at Ibiza super-club Ushuaia, he had his mind set on visiting another island.