Kriti Mehrotra
As a Henrik Burman directorial documentary chronicling the extraordinary life and career of Tim Bergling – a man the world came to know and love as Avicii – Netflix’s ‘Avicii – I’m Tim’ lives up to its title. That’s because it incorporates not just archival footage of the late Swedish DJ but also exclusive interviews with those closest to him to really underscore his prodigious story in his own words. Amongst those to thus feature in this original was none other than his former manager as well as friend Arash “Ash” Pournouri, especially since there would have never been Avicii without Ash.
Arash “Ash” Pournouri Kickstarted His Career Far From Entertainment
It was on August 28, 1981, when Ash was born into a loving family in Iran, only for them to soon leave their then revolution-ridden homeland behind for good in the hopes of better opportunities. They actually settled down in Sweden, where the youngster managed to adjust and thrive within mere years thanks to his age and the apparent unwavering, everpresent support of his loved ones. In fact, by the time 2001 rolled around, he was attending Stockholm University for a more traditional higher education before ultimately graduating in 2006 with a Master’s Degree in Law (LLM).
However, as time passed, Ash realized his calling was far from the legal world and ended up establishing a few restaurants as well as bars across Norway before getting into club promotions. It was for the latter that he often scoured local music blogs because he could always find interesting tunes there without having to spend money, just for Avicii (aka Tim Bergling) to catch his eye. Therefore, once he decided to step into the music industry as a full-fledged manager – he established At Night Management in 2008 – one of the first people he contacted was the local DJ.
Ash’s office in the early days was essentially the living room and kitchen of his home, all of which captured his confidence in the truest form by being very out there in terms of color plus style. The truth is his inexperience made him a dreamer, yet his hard work as well as his understanding of the market almost always matched his vision, resulting in him making Avicii a worldwide name. In the artist’s own words, his manager was key to his success because he was not only great at his job but also often served as his soundboard and taught him the real mentality behind DJing.
Arash “Ash” Pournouri Went Above and Beyond For Avicii
According to the aforementioned film, Ash used to be right by Avicii during his tours and worked just as hard for him, if not harder, to ensure his reach. From tours across Europe to events in the US to music festivals all across the globe, he gave him opportunities for everything to the best of his abilities, and they all panned out. In fact, by 2011, Avicii was well known all across the music industry thanks to his single “Levels” as well as his performance at the Ultra Festival in Miami, Florida. This actually continued as the years passed, that is, until Ash realized his artist/friend was struggling with alcoholism, anxiety, and an addiction to painkillers owing to his hectic schedule.
In an interview, Ash actually conceded that he knew of Tim’s anxieties early on but refused to label them a problem of mental health owing to the fact Avicii was at its peak. However, when it became evident in 2014 that he was also struggling with addiction, he actually went as far as to keep in constant touch with his artist’s parents before staging two interventions for him. Neither of them was successful in the long run, but Ash did everything in his power to help Tim, including rescheduling shows and reportedly canceling two world tours, which were estimated to have added up to approximately $ 2.9 million in profits.
Then, when Avicii did perform, Ash actually even forbade promoters from offering him alcohol and cleared out his minibar in the hotels so as to help him focus on just his music as well as his recovery. But alas, because no one could keep an eye on Avicii at all times, things only worsened, and it resulted in them holding a second intervention and the artist deciding to step back from music entirely. In 2016, realizing there needed to be a change, Ash and Avicii also separated as professionals, only for them to not speak for a year and then meet again in 2018, by which point Manu believed the artist was doing better. But alas, in April, he died by suicide, and Ash burst into tears upon hearing this news.
Arash “Ash” Pournouri is a Jack of Many Trades
While At Night Management also closed its doors in 2016, Ash didn’t stray away from the music industry. Instead, he continued running his record label PRMD in New York (established in 2012), all the while also evolving as a record producer, songwriter, and record executive, co-writing the lyrics to Cazzette’s song, “Beam Me Up.” As if that’s not enough, he served as a founder of Connected Artists Limited from 2012-2016, through which he essentially brought people from the industry together.
Then, although PFMD also closed its doors in 2019, he continues to be present in the industry by serving as an Angel Investor in Bonfire Studios and a judge on ‘Idol 2024,’ which was the 20th season of Swedish Idol. Moreover and more importantly, Ash is an Investor and Strategic Advisor at Indify, the co-founder of Convendum, an Investor at the Flex Company, an Investor and Brand & Communications Partner/Advisor at Bolt, an Investor and Strategic Advisor at Mos.com as well as AudiusAudius, the founder at Landmarket, an Investor at Akash Systems, an Investor and Strategic Advisor at Foodiq, Kwara, as well as MindMed.
Furthermore, Ash has Founded and Co-founded several other organizations, including Oatlaws, Angel Prize, Shewy, Nordic Angels, Norrsken Launcher, Brilliant Minds Foundation, as well as UNLTD Group. He serves as a Chairman at Nordinc Angels too. As for his work at the latter two organizations, they are non-profit organizations in the management industry, through which he aims to help people in his homeland thrive in the creative industry.
