French Touch pioneer Kavinsky dead at 50, mourned as global icon

Kavinsky, the French DJ and producer whose 2010 synthwave hit 'Nightcall' became a global phenomenon through the film Drive and whose retro-futuristic aesthetic defined the French Touch movement of the 2000s, has died at 50.

Vincent Belorgey, known professionally as Kavinsky, was found dead at his Paris home on Tuesday. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that an investigation into the cause of death was underway, though initial findings indicated no suspicious circumstances. Belorgey was days away from his 51st birthday on July 31.

President Emmanuel Macron called him a "pride of France forever," while Culture Minister Catherine Pégard wrote on social media that with Kavinsky's sudden death, "France loses one of its most singular voices. From the film Drive to the Paris Olympics, the entire world vibrated to Nightcall. At once danceable and nostalgic, his music will continue to cross generations and borders."

A self-taught pianist born in Seine-Saint-Denis in the Paris region in 1975, Kavinsky built his artistic identity around a rétro-futuristic legend: a race car driver who disappeared in a 1986 Los Angeles accident and returned from the dead. The project began with early-2000s live performances and opening sets for Daft Punk.

Nightcall, his signature track, features Brazilian singer Lovefoxxx and was co-produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk. Released in 2010, the track's darkened synthwave sound—evoking a mysterious late-night phone call—captured Kavinsky's cinematic vision. A year later, the track appeared on the Drive soundtrack, propelling him to international recognition.

His 2013 debut album OutRun cemented his place in the new generation of French Touch—the virtual banner uniting electronic producers like Air and Justice who found massive success abroad. Though largely working outside the spotlight in recent years, Kavinsky returned to prominence in August 2024, performing Nightcall at the Paris Olympics closing ceremony alongside pop-rock group Phoenix and Belgian star Angèle in one of the evening's most memorable moments.