Nightcall producer Kavinsky dead at 50

Kavinsky – the French producer best known as a trailblazer in the synthwave scene, and for his megahit, Nightcall – has been found dead aged 50, reports say.

According to French news outlet Le Figaro [via NME], the musician was discovered by authorities at his home in Paris, France, after a concerned neighbour contacted emergency services to report that they hadn’t seen him in several days.

Le Figaro writes that Kavinsky – real name Vincent Belorgey – had complained to those close to him about suffering severe headaches lately, and that the cause of death is believed to have been a stroke.

• READ MORE: Kavinsky’s Nightcall breaks record for the most Shazam’d song in a single day

Another French outlet, France24 has shared a statement issued by police surrounding the death of the DJ, saying an investigation had been opened, but that “no suspicious elements were discovered at the scene by the first responders”.

A synthwave icon and veteran of the French electronic music scene, Kavinsky’s big break came with the inclusion of his track Nightcall in the opening credits of the now-cult movie Drive, starring Ryan Gosling.

The song has hundreds of millions of plays across streaming platforms, no doubt bolstered heavily by Kavinsky’s performance of the track during the 2024 Olympics closing ceremony. Following the performance, Nightcall broke the record as the most Shazam’d song in a single day.

Nightcall placed Kavinsky on the map, leading to a collaboration with one of the world’s biggest stars the Weeknd on the track Odd Look.

Elsewhere, heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold have featured the song as the intro to their live shows for the past few years, and it no doubt influences some of the avant-garde vocal lines on their controversial new EP, STATICA.

Former French Secretary of State for European Affairs and Minister for Transport Clément Beaune has paid tribute to Belorgey, writing on X: “From Odd Look to Nightcall, and with so much emotion during the Games, Kavinsky made generations dance. And he will continue to make many more dance.”

Tributes have been flooding the internet following the announcement of Kavinsky’s sudden death:

Triste nouvelle, le DJ et producteur Kavinsky nous a quittés à l’âge de 50 ans.

Figure incontournable de la French Touch, il était notamment à l’origine du tube "Nightcall", emblématique générique du film "Drive". pic.twitter.com/FkUnQ3xO3l

— CANAL+ (@canalplus) July 29, 2026

rest in peace kavinskyyou were very kind and had a brilliant vision/story. i’m so heartbroken. pic.twitter.com/4f4OqLOZxS

— cris (@gesaffelsteyen) July 29, 2026

Kavinsky Forever.
Nightcall Forever.
French Touch Forever. pic.twitter.com/rVJScDHhHf

— Jack (@JackCanalPlus) July 29, 2026

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