The late Kavinsky once told NME that another collaboration with The Weeknd was likely to arrive “soon”.
READ MORE: ‘Drive’ at 10: the story behind its moody, synth-laden soundtrack
The French electronic producer, whose real name was Vincent Belorgey, has died at the age of 50, after being found at his home in Paris on Tuesday evening (July 28). The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to determine the cause of death, but said that first responders found “no suspicious elements” at the scene.
Kavinsky was best known for his synthwave sound and his breakout track ‘Nightcall’, which featured on the soundtrack to Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 film Drive, starring Ryan Gosling.
Kavinsky also joined forces with The Weeknd in 2013 on a version of the song ‘Odd Look’, and speaking to NME in February 2022, the producer suggested that another collaboration could be in the works.
“My friend Prince 85 introduced me to him,” he said. “He was one of his collaborators and producers.”
“I happened to just love his voice when I heard it, so we did our track together back then very easily, very simply. This was way before he became super huge and was really accessible and available.”
Kavinsky went on to reveal that the pair had been discussing the possibility of working together again “for a long time”.
“So something might happen – something might happen very probably,” he told NME. “It’s happening soon, and he is still such a nice guy.”
No further collaboration between the two artists was released during Kavinsky’s lifetime, and it is not known whether they completed any additional material together.
Following news of his death, The Weeknd paid tribute to the producer and described him as an inspiration.
“So heartbreaking to hear the news,” he wrote. “An inspiration to so many, including myself. I will continue to honour your name and your music. Rest easy Kavinsky.”
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 pic.twitter.com/ts84bigDCV
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) July 29, 2026
‘Nightcall’ played over the opening credits of Drive and was co-produced by Daft Punk’s Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. It featured vocals from CSS singer Lovefoxxx and was later included on Kavinsky’s 2013 debut album ‘OutRun’.
Reflecting on its sudden success in the same NME interview, Kavinsky admitted that he had initially felt reluctant to follow it.
“After the sudden success of ‘Nightcall’, I didn’t really want to record again at that moment,” he said. “I sensed some pressure; I was scared.”
“I was scared to imagine what my music was going to be after this success. I took two steps back and started to imagine what I was going to record after that, at my own pace.”
He eventually returned with his second album ‘Reborn’ in March 2022, nine years after ‘OutRun’. In a three-star review, NME said the record offered “new avenues to explore”, adding: “When Kavinsky eases up on maximalism, the songs flourish and we see a different side to his production prowess.”
Kavinsky later performed ‘Nightcall’ alongside Phoenix and Angèle during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The performance led to the song becoming the most Shazamed song in a single day in the platform’s history. The trio subsequently released their new version of the track.
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