Illenium will be placing the safety of his fans first on his upcoming world tour. Nicholas Miller has not shied away from speaking out about his previous opiate addiction. Over a decade ago, the hitmaker survived a heroin overdose.
Videos by American Songwriter
The DJ-turned-producer wants to combat the fentanyl and drug crisis by sharing his personal experience and providing proper training alongside the non-profit End Overdose.
Illenium took to social media (April 25) to share his action plan.
“Yo fam! I wanted to update you about something incredibly important to me and a topic that I think should be more common and accepted in all of our everyday lives,” he wrote on Instagram. “As some of y’all know, my past had some dark days and I suffered from an overdose back in 2012. Today the danger of drug overdose is way higher because of the fentanyl problem. I think to battle that, everyone should be knowledgeable and prepared to help anyone who may need it.”
The mastermind behind party bangers “Takeaway” and “Good Things Fall Apart,” will be jumping on Instagram Live with End Overdose to train followers on recognizing an overdose and responding fast. The informative livestream will be held at 5 p.m. EST/ 2 p.m. PST on Wednesday, April 26.
The class will also teach fans how to administer naloxone to the victim, the government-approved drug that is used to reverse an opiate and opioid overdose. For people who can’t tune in, Illenium confirmed that he would be offering the same helpful resources on tour.
“@end.overdose will also have a presence on many of my tour dates to provide same service in person!” said Illenium. “Please consider attending the IG live tomorrow, stopping by their table at a show, or visiting their website at endoverdose.net as this education saves lives,” he concluded.
Members of his devoted fan base flocked to the comments to praise Illenium for his initiative.
“THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS! I saw two people overdose last year at your gorge show In the pit, and the medics took forever to get there, and no one in the crowd knew what to do. I APPRECIATE YOU @illenium,” said a follower. “Over and over again, you remind me of why you are my FAVORITE!! Goes way beyond just your music. You actually care and is amazing,” added another.
The beneficial resources will be available at his stops in San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, Denver, Austin, Atlanta, Brooklyn, Detroit, Rothbury, and Bridgeview. However, he is working with the organization to get more training on additional dates. The 32-year-old recently told Billboard that it is important for every concert-goer to know how to help in an emergency.
“With how rampant fentanyl is in our communities, it’s important for everyone, regardless of whether they use these drugs or not, to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of an overdose and know how to provide aid if needed,” he explained to the outlet. “This issue is very personal to me as a recovering addict and someone who has overdosed in the past. Providing education and free naloxone to those who need it will save lives.”
The ILLENIUM Live Tour is slated to kick off at the Gorge Amphitheater on May 27 and will run until early Aug. Following his summer North America run, he will head overseas to perform in Europe and Australia. Illenium will release his self-titled fifth studio album on Friday, April 28.
Photo by Zachary Mazur/Getty Images
