French DJ ​and electropop ‌musician Kavinsky dies aged 51

What the report says

BBC World News reported that French DJ and electro-house musician Kavinsky, the stage persona of Vincent Belorgey, has been found dead at his home in Paris. The BBC article text said he was 50, while the supplied headline described him as 51. The Paris prosecutor’s office said he was discovered at his residence, according to Reuters and French media cited by the BBC, and the BBC said it had contacted his representatives for confirmation.

Kavinsky was best known internationally for “Nightcall,” the 2010 synthwave track used in the opening sequence of the Ryan Gosling film Drive. The song gained renewed attention after it was performed during the Paris 2024 Olympics closing ceremony, where Belgian singer Angèle joined Kavinsky and French band Phoenix. The BBC reported that the Olympic performance made the track the most Shazamed song in a single day in the app’s history.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute on Facebook, calling Kavinsky a lasting source of national pride, while Culture Minister Catherine Pégard said France had lost one of its most distinctive musical voices. The BBC also cited Le Figaro as reporting that Kavinsky had complained of headaches in recent days and that authorities were considering a possible stroke; prosecutors have opened an investigation to establish the cause of death. Le Figaro said first responders did not find suspicious items at the scene.

Belorgey, a self-taught pianist from Seine-Saint-Denis near Paris, emerged in the early 2000s and opened for Daft Punk. His Kavinsky character, known as a red-eyed zombie DJ alter ego, became associated with the later wave of French Touch and synth-driven electronic music.