Popular DJ Avicii will soon retire from touring and all live performances after he finishes up his final run of shows this year.
The 26-year-old mastermind behind hit songs like "Levels" and "Wake Me up" wrote a long, emotional letter to his fans on his website on Tuesday explaining his decision to retire at such a young age.
"Thank you for letting me fulfill so many of my dreams. I will be forever grateful to have experienced and accomplished all that I have with the help of the team around me and my beloved fans," he wrote before naming everyone, including his brother and partner Ash, that he's ever worked with.
"Thank you to all artists, musicians and songwriters who helped me develop musically and personally, the list is long but there is no one I've worked with where I haven't learnt something," he added before naming a long list of people in the industry. "There has been too many people to mention in one sitting that had an impact on me in this industry and I'm sorry I'm forgetting some of you. But last but not least thank you to every fan who has ever bought a ticket or snuck in, bought a song or downloaded it, commented on posts or hated at them. It's your thoughts and ideas about the music that helped me evolve and I do owe everything I have to you."
As for his decision to retire, he explained that he's been seeing things in a new way and that this helped him "realize I needed to make the change that I'd been struggling with for a while."
"My path has been filled with success but it hasn't come without its bumps. I've become an adult while growing as an artist, I've come to know myself better and realize that there's so much I want to do with my life. I have strong interests in different areas but there's so little time to explore them."
"My choices and career have never been driven by material things, although I'm grateful for all the opportunities and comforts my success have availed me," he added. "I know I am blessed to be able to travel around the world and perform, but I have too little left for the life of a real person behind the artist. I will however never let go of music-I will continue to speak to my fans through it, but I've decided this 2016 run will be my last tour and last shows. Let's make them go out with a bang!"
The talented DJ has struggled with health issues over the past several years and even had to cancel several shows at one point after he had his gallbladder and appendix removed.
As of now, he is set to perform during the UK leg of the Electric Daisy Carnival Festival in July, at Belfast's Boucher Playing Fields on Aug. 26. His last scheduled gig is currently at the Creamfields festival on Aug. 27.
While this is his departure for now, he did reveal that there's a chance he could come back in the future. "One part of me can never say never, I could be back," he concluded. "But I won't be right back."
Read the full letter here!
