Kavinsky's Real Name: Vincent Belorgey

Quick answer: The French electronic musician performed as Kavinsky. The Associated Press, the BBC, Reuters, and the Guardian all reported in July 2026 that his real name was Vincent Belorgey. AllMusic also describes Kavinsky as the alter ego of French DJ Vincent Belorgey. The AP says he was found dead at his home in Paris on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 50.

Real name and early life

The AP and Reuters both say the performer's real name was Vincent Belorgey. The BBC calls Kavinsky "the red-eyed zombie DJ alter ego of Vincent Belorgey," and the Guardian also gives his real name as Vincent Belorgey. A Library of Congress name record lists a longer form, Vincent Pierre Claude Belorgey, from a recording's packaging; the news reports used here give the shorter name.

The sources agree on a 1975 birth year but differ on the place. The Guardian says he was born in Paris in 1975, while AllMusic says he was born that year in Seine-Saint-Denis, the department just north-east of Paris. AllMusic says he first worked as an actor and got into electronic production after Quentin Dupieux, also known as Mr. Oizo, gave him a discarded Apple computer.

Career highlights

Both the Guardian and AllMusic say he signed with the French label Record Makers. AllMusic dates his first EP, Teddy Boy, to 2006, followed by 1986 (2007) and Blazer (2008), and says he toured with Justice, SebastiAn, and Daft Punk. The sources name his first single slightly differently: AllMusic calls it "Testarossa Overdrive," the Guardian "Testarossa Autodrive."

All four news sources point to "Nightcall," released in 2010, as his best-known track. The Guardian says it featured the Brazilian singer Lovefoxxx, was co-produced with Daft Punk's Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, and opened Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 film Drive. The Guardian and AllMusic both say the debut album OutRun (2013) reached number two in France, and both list a second album, Reborn, in 2022. The AP says he performed "Nightcall" with Belgian singer Angèle at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Death

The AP says the Paris prosecutor's office reported that he was found dead at his home on Tuesday evening, July 28, 2026, and that an investigation into the cause had been opened, with first responders not regarding it as suspicious. Reuters and the BBC reported the same statement. The BBC and the Guardian said French media had reported a possible stroke; that cause was not confirmed in the reports used here.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Kavinsky, Vincent Belorgey, or Vincent Pierre Claude Belorgey are looking for the same French musician.