Global superstar DJ and producer Alesso has become a household name in the EDM community, having dominated dance-floors and airwaves for over a decade with hits like “Calling (Lose My Mind)” and his seminal album Forever.
In a new interview, he opened up about his experiences with mental health issues and his friendship with the late Avicii.
“A couple of years ago I went through a difficult time mentally,” Alesso told Haute Living. “I got everything I wanted—a career and to travel around the world—but then I noticed that if I didn’t take care of my health, all these things I wanted just became stressful to me. They were supposed to give me happiness, but they started not to because I didn’t take care of myself mentally or physically. That was scary. Your health is everything.”
Alesso went on to recall his friend Avicii, who tragically passed in 2018 after succumbing to longtime mental health struggles.
Avicii and Alesso.
“When Avicii passed away, it was a thing I started thinking about even more. I knew him,” Alesso said. “The last couple of years we weren’t that close, but I remember in the beginning of our careers, we would hang out a lot more and even make music.”
As Alesso and Avicii navigated hectic touring schedules and a relentless music production workload—watching their careers skyrocket over time—they drifted apart.
“The bigger our careers got, the harder it was to get together and have some sort of relationship,” Alesso explained. “Obviously, though, it was the biggest shock ever.”
“Being lonely in this world is not good for you,” he continued, “and so, for me, the two things I care most about in the world are family and friends. Everything else comes after, including my career.”
You can read the full Haute Living interview with Alesso here.
