French DJ Kavinsky, known for 'Nightcall' and 'Drive' soundtrack, found dead at 50 in Paris

Discovery and investigation

Vincent Belorgey, the French DJ and producer known as Kavinsky, was found dead at his home in the 18th arrondissement of Paris on Tuesday evening, 28 July 2026. A neighbour, worried after not seeing him for several days, alerted emergency services, who arrived around 10:30 p.m. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed on Wednesday that an inquiry into the cause of death had been opened, stating that first responders discovered "no suspicious elements at the scene." According to a police source cited by Le Figaro, Belorgey had complained of headaches in the days before his death, and a stroke is being examined as a possible cause. He was 50 years old and would have turned 51 on 31 July.

From French Touch to global fame

A self-taught pianist from Seine-Saint-Denis, Kavinsky launched his career in the early 2000s, performing as a support act for Daft Punk and alongside emerging names such as SebastiAn. He became a defining figure of the French Touch movement, blending electronic production with 1980s aesthetics. His breakthrough came with the 2010 single 'Nightcall,' a dark, slowed-down synthwave track co-produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk and featuring Brazilian singer Lovefoxxx. The song initially went unnoticed, but its inclusion in the opening scene of Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 film 'Drive,' starring Ryan Gosling, propelled it to worldwide recognition. It went on to accumulate over 560 million streams on Spotify.

Olympic comeback and streaming surge

Kavinsky returned to the spotlight on 11 August 2024, when he performed 'Nightcall' at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games at the Stade de France. He appeared in his signature sunglasses and glowing red eyes, joined by French band Phoenix and Belgian singer Angèle. The performance was watched by more than 17 million viewers in France alone and triggered a record number of Shazam searches in a single day. A re-recorded version of the track with Angèle and Phoenix was released on streaming platforms and has since reached 72 million streams.

Tributes from Macron and culture minister

President Emmanuel Macron posted a tribute on Instagram, calling Kavinsky "French pride forever." Culture Minister Catherine Pégard wrote on X: "With the sudden loss of Kavinsky, France loses one of its most distinctive voices. From the film Drive to the Paris Olympics, the whole world vibrated to Nightcall. Simultaneously danceable and nostalgic, his music will continue to transcend generations and borders."

A retro-futurist persona

Belorgey constructed an artistic double around a retro-futurist legend: a racing driver who died in a 1986 crash in Los Angeles and returned as an undead DJ with blue skin and red eyes. "Kavinsky is a character I created because just putting my face on a record sleeve isn't something that suits me," he said in a 2007 interview. His debut album 'OutRun' arrived in 2013, followed by 'Reborn' in March 2022, featuring collaborations with Cautious Clay and Olivia Merilahti. The investigation into his death continues.