Kavinsky, the acclaimed French electronic musician whose 2010 song “Nightcall” gained international fame through the film Drive, has died at the age of 50.
According to the BBC, Kavinsky was found dead at his Paris home on Wednesday. A cause of death has not yet been confirmed. However, French newspaper Le Figaro, citing local authorities, reports that the DJ may have suffered a stroke after complaining of headaches for the past several days.
The paper added that first responders found no suspicious items at the scene and prosecutors in Paris have opened an investigation to determine the cause of death.
French president Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Kavinsky on Facebook, writing that the artist would be “a source of French pride forever.” Culture Minister Catherine Pégard added on X/Twitter: “With the sudden passing of Kavinsky, France has lost one of its most unique voices.”
Pégard continued, “From the film Drive to the Paris Olympics, the whole world was moved by ‘Nightcall.’ Both danceable and nostalgic, his music will continue to transcend generations and borders.”
Born Vincent Belorgey on July 31st, 1975, in Seine-Saint-Denis, France, Kavinsky switched from acting to music in 2005, following in the footsteps of his friends Jackson Fourgeaud and Quentin Dupieux.
Following Kavinsky’s signing to the label Record Makers with the help of Dupieux, the DJ released the EPs Teddy Boy in 2006 and 1986 in 2007. He joined Daft Punk, The Rapture, Justice, and SebastiAn on the road in 2007.
But Kavinsky’s breakout moment came when “Nightcall,” co-produced by Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo with vocals from Brazilian singer Lovefoxxx, arrived in 2010. It was featured in the opening credits of the 2011 neo-noir crime film Drive, starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn.
A few years later, “Nightcall” was included on Kavinsky’s 2013 debut studio album, OutRun, a concept record about a young man who died in a Testarossa car crash in 1986 before being reanimated as a zombie electronic music producer in 2006. Inspired by 1980s video games, shows like Miami Vice, and Dario Argento movies, the project peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Top Dance Albums chart.
Kavinsky’s second and final studio album, Reborn, was released in 2022. “Nightcall” returned to the spotlight at the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony, where he performed a new remix of the track with Phoenix and Belgian vocalist Angèle.
