Aloe Blacc Recalls Lesson He Learned from Avicii Before His Death (Exclusive)

Aloe Blacc looks back with nothing but fondness when it comes to his friendship and working relationship with Avicii.

The singer, 46, who famously provided the vocals on the late DJ’s 2013 smash hit “Wake Me Up,” told PEOPLE exclusively on the red carpet of the Opry 100: A Live Celebration event in Nashville on March 19 that he was able to pick up on notable artistic traits from his time around the producer, who was born Tim Bergling, including the value of “dedication to craft.”

“I remember we were in Miami, and he had to DJ at a party, and there was a huge entourage, but he couldn’t care less,” Blacc recalled. “It wasn’t his entourage, it was like hangers-on, management’s friends. I was there … I was invited, I just kind of watched him, and he sat in a corner, and he just put his headphones on. He just worked on his set.”

“He wasn’t there to be at the party and to party with people,” the artist continued. “He was there to deliver what he was supposed to deliver to the party. And I thought that was really special, especially being in the studio with him … [to see his] dedication to his craft, focusing on melodies and never letting good enough be enough and keeping the intensity up and pushing for a better and better.”

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Also known for other chart-topping dance music hits such as “Levels” and “Sunshine,” Avicii’s stardom was tragically cut short when the superstar DJ died by suicide at just 28 years old while vacationing in Oman in April 2018.

After Avicii’s death, Blacc shared a tribute on X. “My heartfelt condolences to Tim’s family and close friends. I can’t express how deeply sad I am. Meeting him changed my life. He was an amazingly talented person and it hurts so bad that he’s gone,” he wrote at the time.

In 2019, Blacc took part in the Avicii Tribute Concert, which celebrated the life and music of the legendary producer live from the Friends Arena in Stockholm, with over 50,000 fans in attendance.

Now, Blacc is looking to recontextualize the duo’s iconic hit and pay tribute to his late friend once again with a fully countrified rendition of “Wake Me Up,” alongside Cooper Alan, which was released in December 2024.

“We wrote a song together … wrote a couple of songs,” Blacc told PEOPLE of tapping Alan, 29, for the special rework of his and Avicii’s hit. “And then he was like, ‘What if we reinterpret ‘Wake Me Up?’ It has a country feel, for sure.’ ”

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“Wake Me Up (Country Version)” is available to purchase and stream now. The Opry 100: A Live Celebration is available to stream on Peacock.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.