DJ/producer Alesso recently opened up about his own experiences with mental health issues as well as his friendship and working on music with the late Avicii.
"A couple of years ago I went through a difficult time mentally," Alesso tells Haute Living in a new interview. "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."
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The death of his friend and fellow DJ/producer Avicii, who passed in 2018 after struggling with mental health issues for years, Alesso says made him realize "it was a thing I started thinking about even more. I knew him." Adding, "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."
"The bigger our careers got, the harder it was to get together and have some sort of relationship," Alesso continued. "Obviously, though, it was the biggest shock ever,” he says about Avicii's sudden passing. “Being lonely in this world is not good for you, 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."
Check out the full Alesso interview with Haute Living here.
Related
Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-273-8255.
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