Few songs are as inseparable from a film as Kavinsky’s “Nightcall” is from Drive. The haunting synth track became the defining musical signature of Nicolas Winding Refn‘s 2011 neo-noir, helping establish both the movie’s dreamlike atmosphere and Kavinsky’s international profile. Following the French musician’s death on July 28 at age 50, after he was found at his Paris home in what authorities are investigating as a suspected stroke, Refn — who recently revisited the making of Drive on THR‘s It Happened in Hollywood podcast — reflected on the serendipitous way “Nightcall” found its way into the film, the quiet man behind the music, and the enduring legacy he leaves behind.
I was in Los Angeles when I got the news. Gaspar Noé texted me from Paris before anyone else did. Because of the time difference, I had no idea what had happened. Then the messages started pouring in. It was one of those moments when the world suddenly feels much smaller.
To many people in America, Kavinsky will always be the artist behind the unforgettable opening of Drive. In France, he was much more than that. He was an icon of French pop music, a cultural figure whose influence reached far beyond any one song.
When we made Drive, “Nightcall” already existed. It wasn’t something we created together. My editor, Matt Newman, and I were experimenting with music during the edit, searching for the sound the film needed. I wanted what we called the “European sound,” though to me it was simply great pop music, rooted in the lineage of New Order, Italian disco and synthesizer-driven melodies. Then this track fell into our lap.
The moment we laid “Nightcall” over the opening sequence, everything clicked. It gave the film exactly what it had been missing.
People often think of Drive as a muscular movie. The cars are muscular. Los Angeles is muscular. Ryan Gosling’s Driver is muscular in his own restrained way. But I always believed the soul of the film was feminine. It was a love story. The music had to be soft, romantic, almost like whipped cream floating over steel. “Nightcall” gave the movie that pink heartbeat.
After the film, I didn’t spend enormous amounts of time with Kavinsky. We met in Paris, where he stopped by to say hello. We even did an interview together about fatherhood, of all things. After that, we’d occasionally cross paths or stay connected through social media.
What struck me about him was how kind he was. He was immensely successful as a DJ and producer, one of the defining voices of his generation, yet he was incredibly gentle. In fact, he was almost shy. There was nothing performative about him as a person.
His death is heartbreaking. Dying young is never how anyone’s story should end. My thoughts are with the family he leaves behind.
But in the end, we are remembered for what we give. Kavinsky gave the world extraordinary music. “Nightcall” became part of the language of modern cinema, but more importantly, his work inspired countless musicians who came after him. You can hear his influence everywhere now.
That is a remarkable legacy.
His voice will continue to echo long after all of us are gone.
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