# French DJ and producer Kavinsky dies at 50 after suspected stroke

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/kavinsky-dead-at-50/
- Published: 2026-07-29T14:32:45+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-29T21:09:35+00:00
- Original publisher: Stereogum
- Original article: https://stereogum.com/2506611/kavinsky-dead-at-50/news/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- French DJ Kavinsky, known for "Nightcall" from Drive, has died aged 50.
- Found dead in Paris; a stroke is suspected after reported headaches.
- His 2024 Olympics performance had recently revived "Nightcall" as a hit.

## Summary

Kavinsky, the French DJ, producer and actor best known for the track "Nightcall" from the film Drive, has died at the age of 50. He was found dead at his home in Paris on Tuesday, with local authorities investigating the cause; the BBC reports he had been suffering from headaches beforehand and officials believe he may have had a stroke. His death has prompted tributes from senior French political figures, including President Emmanuel Macron and culture minister Catherine Pégard, reflecting his standing as a significant cultural figure in France.

Born Vincent Pierre Claude Belorgey, Kavinsky began as an actor in the early 2000s, appearing in Quentin Dupieux's 2007 film Steak, before building a music career during the blog-house era under a self-created "zombie" persona inspired by 1980s film soundtracks. He released his debut EP Teddy Boy in 2006, opened for Daft Punk, and in 2010 released "Nightcall" with CSS singer Lovefoxxx, which became a top-10 hit in France after featuring in Drive. His debut album OutRun followed in 2013, and after a long hiatus he returned with 2022's Reborn; in 2024 he performed "Nightcall" at the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony alongside Phoenix and Angèle, a viral performance that sent the track back into the French top three.

## Coverage

- [Stereogum: French DJ and producer Kavinsky dies at 50 after suspected stroke](https://stereogum.com/2506611/kavinsky-dead-at-50/news/)
- [Brooklyn Vegan: French DJ Kavinsky found dead in home at age 50](https://www.brooklynvegan.com/french-dj-kavinsky-found-dead-in-home-at-age-50/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.