Avicii, Swedish Deejay and 'Wake Me Up' Hitmaker, Dead at 28

Swedish deejay and producer Avicii — born Tim Bergling — died Friday in Muscat, Oman at 28 years old.

“It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii,” his rep confirms to PEOPLE in a statement. “He was found dead in Muscat, Oman this Friday afternoon local time, April 20th.”

“The family is devastated and we ask everyone to please respect their need for privacy in this difficult time. No further statements will be given.”

A cause of death has not been released.

In early 2016, the Grammy-nominated artist announced his retirement from touring in a lengthy letter to fans on his website. Avicii suffered from ongoing health problems, including acute pancreatitis which caused him to have his gallbladder and appendix removed four years ago.

“We all reach a point in our lives and careers where we understand what matters the most to us,” he wrote on his website. “For me it’s creating music. That is what I live for, what I feel I was born to do. Last year I quit performing live, and many of you thought that was it. But the end of live never meant the end of Avicii or my music. Instead, I went back to the place where it all made sense — the studio.”

“The next stage will be all about my love of making music to you guys. It is the beginning of something new. Hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do,” he continued.

In an interview in 2013 with PEOPLE, the entertainer reflected on the toll touring had taken on him.

“I’m tired, really tired,” he said. “I’ve been at it since I was 17, 18 years old … touring pretty much nonstop, 300 shows a year. It’s been very hectic. The [schedule] has been stripped down a lot for the upcoming couple of months and I’m not going to be doing that much, just doing some promos, a couple of shows, but no heavy touring. I need a break.”

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Avicii appears to have last been spotted dining with friends last week at The Muscat Hills Resort. According to the Swedish news site Expressen, Matrai Joshi, a local DJ spinning at the resort, got the chance to meet him. “He told me he liked Oman so much that he would extend his journey and stay for a few days extra,” Joshi, reportedly told Expressen following news of his death.

Avicii broke out with his smash hit “Levels” and also produced massive songs including “Wake Me Up” and “Hey Brother.”