Propelled by his hit “Nightcall” and returned to the forefront during the Paris Olympic Games, French DJ Kavinsky, figure of the French Touch, was found dead at his home, a few days before his 51st birthday.
The Paris prosecutor’s office, confirming information from the newspaper Le Parisien, indicated on Wednesday that “an investigation into the causes of death” had been opened to determine the origin of the death, “no suspicious element having been discovered on site by the first responder services”, Tuesday evening.
In a reaction on the social network Instagram, the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, greeted the artist, described as “French pride forever”.
“With the sudden disappearance of Kavinsky, France loses one of its most unique voices. From the film +Drive+ to the Paris Olympics, the whole world vibrated to +Nightcall+. Both danceable and nostalgic, his music will continue to cross generations and borders,” wrote the Minister of Culture, Catherine Pgard, on X.
The sudden disappearance of Kavinsky, real name Vincent Belorgey, shines a spotlight on a shadowy artist.
A self-taught pianist born on July 31, 1975 in Seine-Saint-Denis, he launched himself in the early 2000s by multiplying projects and especially live experiences, notably opening for Daft Punk.
Night phone call
More than an alias, his artistic double was built around a retro-futuristic legend in red and black: that of a racing driver who disappeared in an accident in 1986 in Los Angeles, then returned from the dead.
Released in 2010, its flagship track, “Nightcall”, is performed by Brazilian singer Lovefoxxx and co-produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, half of Daft Punk. A piece shrouded in synthwave – a subgenre of electro – with a darkened ambience and a slowed tempo, it evokes a mysterious nocturnal call and embodies, in itself, the imagination created by the artist.
A year later, it was part of the soundtrack of “Drive”, a successful thriller starring Ryan Gosling, and brought international recognition to Kavinsky, a film buff.
The composer is part of the new generation of French Touch, this virtual banner bringing together electro signatures that are a hit outside of borders, like the groups Air or Justice.
His first studio album was only released in 2013: “OutRun” – another reference to the automotive world – brings together pieces already published by the artist and adds new ones.
Under the radar, Kavinsky returned in force in August 2024, for the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, at the Stade de France. He played “Nightcall”, accompanied by the pop-rock group Phoenix and the Belgian star Angèle, in one of the most memorable moments of the evening.
