Belorgey launched his career in the early 2000s opening for Daft Punk, adopting a fictional persona—the red-eyed, undead electronic producer Kavinsky—who had died in a Ferrari crash before returning to make music. He orbited the blog house moment before rising to prominence as part of the second wave of French touch, finally breaking out when “Nightcall,” sung by CSS’s Lovefoxxx and produced with Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, featured on the soundtrack of Nicolas Winding Refn’s stylized, music-forward 2011 thriller Drive. Kavinsky subsequently performed the track with Phoenix and the Belgian singer Angèle at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Having released a string of albums and EPs on the Parisian label Record Makers, Kavinsky parlayed the success of Drive—with which “Nightcall” quickly became synonymous—into an international career. He released Outrun, containing some of his older hits and billed as his debut studio album, in 2013, using a concept that riffed on the neon aesthetics, ’80s synths, and vintage car fetishism of Drive and his alter-ego. After touring the LP, he took a break from music before returning with Reborn in 2022.
French president Emmanuel Macron wrote in a tribute on social media that Kavinsky was “a source of pride for France forever.” The Weeknd, who featured on a version of Kavinsky’s “Odd Look,” posted on X, “So heartbreaking to hear the news. An inspiration to so many, including myself. I will continue to honor your name and your music. Rest easy Kavinsky.”
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