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By Sam Stevenson
Associate News Editor
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French DJ and producer Kavinsky, best known for the hit track "Nightcall," has been found dead at his home in Paris, the prosecutor's office said in a statement. He was 50 years old.
"An investigation into the cause of death has been opened to determine the origin of the death, as no suspicious elements were discovered at the scene by the first responders," the Paris prosecutor's office said, adding, "The investigation is ongoing."
The musician had been scheduled to headline the Garten on the Beach festival outside Deauville alongside electronic music stars Bakermat and Bellaire on August 8.
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Tributes began pouring in following reports of the DJ's death. French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard said France had lost "one of its most unique voices," adding that his music would continue to resonate across generations and borders.
Kavinsky, whose synthwave sound earned international acclaim, performed alongside Belgian singer Angèle during the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
French journalist Nicolas Malaboeuf said on social media that one of Kavinsky's final public appearances was on July 10, 2025, when he performed at the Stade de France as part of the opening act for the Weeknd's After Hours Til Dawn Tour.
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How One Hit Changed Kavinsky's Life
Born Vincent Belorgey, the artist rose to international prominence by blending electronic music with sounds inspired by 1980s film soundtracks and video games to create retro-futuristic electronic music.
In a 2022 interview with Le Parisien, he described growing up in Seine-Saint-Denis and credited his mother, a nurse, with raising him and his siblings after his parents separated. "I wasn't born with a silver spoon in my mouth," he said.
Kavinsky's biggest hit, "Nightcall," gained worldwide attention after featuring prominently in Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 thriller Drive, starring Ryan Gosling.
The song's popularity transformed Kavinsky's career. He told Le Parisien in 2022, "'Nightcall' changed my life."
Beyond "Nightcall," Kavinsky built a devoted fanbase with tracks such as "Testarossa Autodrive," "ProtoVision," "Roadgame" and "Odd Look," the latter of which featured a remix collaboration with the Weeknd.
His debut album, 2013's OutRun, was widely praised for its cinematic sound and neon-soaked aesthetic, while the 2022 follow-up, Reborn, marked his return after a lengthy hiatus.
Kavinsky's stage name was itself part of the mythology he built around his music.
The French artist said he adopted the pseudonym after inventing it at a party because it sounded more fitting than his real name for the cinematic persona he wanted to create.
He later developed an elaborate backstory for the character, portraying Kavinsky as a zombie-like figure who returned from a fatal 1980s Ferrari crash to make electronic music.
Kavinsky's Extensive Influence
His influence extends far beyond electronic music. In recent years, artists across genres have cited Kavinsky's work as an inspiration, helping cement his status as one of the most recognizable names in modern synthwave.
Most recently, Lady Gaga cited Kavinsky as a major influence while discussing a reworked version of her song "Die With a Smile."
Explaining the track's creation, Gaga said she wanted to draw on the French musician's signature sound, describing him as "one of my big influences" and praising the "French electronic energy" and "relentless arpeggio" that characterizes his music.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Shakeema Edwards.
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