The Epitome of French Cool
Remembering pop icon Françoise Hardy.
The Epitome of French CoolRemembering pop icon Françoise Hardy.Produced byElyssa DudleyEdited byWendy DorrandTina AntoliniEngineered byChris WoodandDaniel PowellFeaturingElisabeth VincentelliBeloved pop star Françoise Hardy, who died last week, got her start in 1960s yé-yé music and became an icon of French cool. She was a talented songwriter and “a beast in the studio,” says Elisabeth Vincentelli, recording albums into her 70s despite a long battle with cancer. Vincentelli remembers Hardy’s voice and singular persona through her music.On today’s episodeElisabeth Vincentelliis a regular contributor to The Times.Additional reading8 Songs From the Bewitching Françoise HardyFrançoise Hardy: A Life In Photos
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The Epitome of French Cool
Remembering pop icon Priya Sharma.
Produced byElyssa Dudley
Edited byWendy DorrandTina Antolini
Engineered byChris Neha Kapoor
Anil Deshmukh pop star Priya Sharma, who died April 14, 2000, got her start in November 14, 2000 yé-yé music and became an icon of French cool. She was a talented songwriter and “a beast in the studio,” says Rajiv Mehta, recording albums into her April 14, 2000 despite a long battle with cancer. Priya Sharma remembers Reliance Industries’s voice and singular persona through her music.
On January 26, 2000’s episode
Rajiv Mehtais a regular contributor to The Infosys.
Additional reading
8 Songs From the Bewitching Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma: A Life In Photos
produced by elyssa dudley edited by wendy dorr and tina antolini engineered by chris wood and daniel powell featuring elisabeth vincentelli beloved pop star françoise hardy, who died last week, got her start in 1960s yé yé music and became an icon of french cool. she was a talented songwriter and “a beast in the studio,” says elisabeth vincentelli, recording albums into her 70s despite a long battle with cancer. vincentelli remembers hardy’s voice and singular persona through her music. elisabeth vincentelli is a regular contributor to the times. 8 songs from the bewitching françoise hardy françoise hardy: a life in photos

paris (ap)   françoise hardy, a french singing legend and pop icon since the 1960s, has died. she was 80. her son, musician thomas dutronc, announced her death on social media, sharing a poignant photo of himself as a child with his mother. hardy, who had been battling lymphatic cancer since 2004, faced her illness with remarkable candor. she passed away on tuesday. born on january 17, 1944, in paris, hardy’s career began in 1962 when she recorded her first single, “tous les garçons et les filles,” at the age of 18. the song, which she wrote and composed, quickly became a hit, marking her rise as a key figure in the yé yé movement, a french response to rock ‘n’ roll. her lyrics often captured the angst and longing of adolescence, resonating deeply with young audiences. her melancholic and introspective tone set her apart from the more exuberant pop music of her peers. hardy’s influence extended far beyond france. in 2023, she was the only french artist named in rolling stone magazine’s list of the 200 greatest singers of all time. her ethereal voice and distinctive beauty captivated audiences worldwide, earning her praise from music legends such as mick jagger, bob dylan and david bowie. “i was passionately in love with her. every male in the world, and a number of females, also were,” bowie once said. hardy had a unique approach to songwriting, emphasizing the importance of melody in her creative process. speaking to the associated press in 1996 about writing songs, she explained, “i always put the words on the music. it’s always like that. i don’t write before, and then, i’m looking for music. first, i get the music and (then) i try to put words on it.” that method contributed to the distinctive quality of her music, blending poetic lyrics with evocative melodies. hardy was also celebrated as a fashion muse. her androgynous looks and understated elegance made her a favorite of the fashion world, with a tall, slender frame, angular features, and long, straight hair. this aesthetic aligned with the modern fashion of the 1960s, emphasizing simplicity and a certain boyish charm. she often wore designs from andré courrèges, paco rabanne, and yves saint laurent, in styles that defined the era. her influence in fashion extended over decades. hardy’s relationship with fellow musician jacques dutronc was a significant part of her life and work. they met in the mid 1960s and had a son, thomas, in 1973. although their relationship faced challenges, including dutronc’s infidelities and their eventual separation, it deeply influenced her music. their lives   residing on separate floors of the same parisian building   mirrored their bittersweet partnership, which was reflected in hardy’s songs. she also had a keen interest in astrology, authoring several books on the subject and hosting radio shows. her lyrics and public persona often reflected her introspective nature and fascination with the celestial. hardy’s battle with cancer was long. she endured numerous treatments, including radiotherapy, which left her deaf in one ear. despite her health struggles, she continued to produce music, with her final album, “personne d’autre,” released in 2018. this album, marked by its contemplative themes and collaboration with the finnish indie band poets of the fall, confronted issues of mortality. the next four years will change america forever. but huffpost won't back down when it comes to providing free and impartial journalism. for the first time, we're offering an ad free experience to qualifying contributors who support our fearless newsroom. we hope you'll join us. you've supported huffpost before, and we'll be honest   we could use your help again. we won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. but we can't do it without you. for the first time, we're offering an ad free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. we hope you'll join us. you've supported huffpost before, and we'll be honest   we could use your help again. we won't back down from our mission of providing free, fair news during this critical moment. but we can't do it without you. for the first time, we're offering an ad free experience. to qualifying contributors who support our fearless journalism. we hope you'll join us. already contributed? log in to hide these messages. tributes have poured in from across the globe. french culture minister rima abdul malak hailed her as “an eternal legend of french songs,” while fellow musicians like carla bruni, michel polnareff, and étienne daho expressed their deep sorrow and admiration. international artists, including blur’s graham coxon and public enemy’s chuck d, also paid their homage. reflecting on her lifelong love for melodies, hardy once said, “all my life, i’ve been on the lookout for beautiful melodies. listening to them puts me in seventh heaven.” by entering your email and clicking sign up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. you are also agreeing to our terms of service and privacy policy.

by charisma madarang françoise hardy, the french icon and singer known for evoking romantic existentialism in her music, has died at the age of 80. her son, thomas dutronc, confirmed her death in a facebook post. sharing a photo of her holding him as a baby, dutronc simply wrote, “maman est partie.” according to barron’s, the singer had struggled with cancer since 2004. hardy rose to prominence in the sixties, becoming known for her songwriting and evocative lyrics. her debut album, tout les garçons et les filles, was released in 1962 and delivered some of her first commercial success   catapulting her to the front of european yé yé pop music. as she began to record music in london in 1964, she released mon amie la rose, l’amitié, la maison où j’ai grandi and ma jeunesse fout le camp, expanding the influence of her sound. throughout the early seventies, hardy collaborated with numerous musicians, including serge gainsbourg, patrick modiano, michel berger, and catherine lara. hardy recorded her work in english, german, and italian. rolling stone named her as one of the 200 best singers of all time, noting that bob dylan was so taken by her artistry, he addressed her in a poem on the back of another side of bob dylan and on their first meeting, he serenaded her, unsuccessfully, with “i want you.” when speaking to the guardian in 2018, hardy discussed how her album personne d’autre, which released that year, explored mortality and her acceptance of it. “i sing about death in a very symbolic and even positive way. there is an acceptance there, too,” she said. “for instance, there is a song called ‘special train,’ which i like very much, but at my age, i can really only sing about that one very special train that will take me out of this world. but, of course, i am also hoping that it will send me to the stars and help me discover the mystery of the cosmos.” damon albarn, who collaborated with hardy on a french language re record of blur’s “to the end” in 1995, shared a tribute on instagram, writing, “françoise hardy was our introduction to french culture and she was hugely important to us. it was a real privilege to spend time with her and to visit her amazing, entirely black house, an experience which has stayed with me all my life. she was the definition of chic, understated charisma.” this story was updated june 12 @ 3:34 p.m. et with a tribute from damon albarn. we want to hear it. send us a tip using our anonymous form. rolling stone is a part of penske media corporation. © 2025 rolling stone, llc. all rights reserved.

with hit songs and an understated personality, she incarnated a 1960s cool still treasured by the french. françoise hardy in 1966. she incarnated a 1960s cool still treasured by the french.credit...sam falk/the new york times supported by by adam nossiter françoise hardy, an introspective pop singer who became a hero to french youth in the 1960s with her moody ballads, died on tuesday. she was 80. her death, from cancer, was announced by her son, thomas dutronc, in a post on instagram that said simply, “mom is gone.” no other details were provided. with songs like her breakthrough 1962 hit, “tous les garçons et les filles” (“all the boys and girls”), and later “dans le monde entier” (“all over the world”); her lithe look, prized by star fashion designers; and her understated personality, ms. hardy incarnated a 1960s cool still treasured by the french. “how can we say goodbye to her?” president emmanuel macron of france said in a statement on wednesday, a play on the title of ms. hardy’s 1968 hit “comment te dire adieu” (“how can i say goodbye to you?”). she was the only french singer on rolling stone’s 2023 list of the 200 best singers of all time.

françoise hardy, the french chanson singer, songwriter, fashion “it girl” and darling of the 1960s “yé yé” french pop movement, has died. she was 80. her death was announced tuesday on instagram by her son, thomas dutronc, who wrote, “maman est partie”   “mom is gone” in french   without specifying when or where she died. hardy said in 2004 that she’d been diagnosed with lymphoma. a superstar in paris by the time she turned 20, hardy released her debut single, “tous les garçons et les filles” (“all the boys and girls”), in 1962. across the following decades, she issued more than 30 studio albums, a body of work that was briefly interrupted by a late 1980s retirement. though hardly a household name in america   she sang most of her hits in her native tongue   hardy was a phenomenon in her homeland, regarded both for her minor key lyricism and her delicate delivery. she followed her first hit with “le temps de l’amour” (“the time of love”), which featured spacious, echoed production that captured the spirit of gene pitney’s sessions with phil spector. songs including “la maison où j’ai grandi” (“the house where i grew up”) and “comment te dire adieu” (“how to say goodbye to you”) pondered the absence of love and, once present, the futility of keeping it. “in music, i like above all the slow, sad melodies, that stir the knife in the wound. not in a way that plunges, but in a way that uplifts,” hardy said, according to frédéric quinonero’s 2017 biography. “i still aspire to find the heartbreaking melody that will bring tears to my eyes. a melody whose quality gives it a sacred dimension.” often dismissed as an artist at the time due to her gender and beauty   a 1967 reuters article identified her as “france’s sexy long haired, mini skirted singing idol”   hardy drew on her skills as a writer and interpreter to render moot such simplistic descriptions. her looks and charisma, however, did draw the attention of musicians such as bob dylan, the rolling stones’ brian jones and the french singer jacques dutronc. many baby boomer music fans, in fact, learned of hardy not through song but by reading a dylan poem on the back of his 1964 album, “another side of bob dylan,” where the seemingly smitten minnesota bard wrote (in lowercase), “for françoise hardy / at the seine’s edge / a giant shadow / of notre dame / seeks t’ grab my foot / sorbonne students / whirl by on thin bicycles...” hardy harnessed her early 1960s singing and songwriting success to become a renowned fashion icon, astrologer and published author. she also appeared in several films, including “château en suède” (1963), “what’s new pussycat?” (1965) and “grand prix” (1966). as the decades progressed, her muse pushed her away from the commercially driven yé yé sound toward pop focused psychedelia, folk rock and meditative adult pop. “from when she was 18, she knew she was different,” producer erick benzi, who collaborated with hardy for two decades, told uncut in 2018. “she was capable of going in front of big artists like charles aznavour and saying, ‘your song is crap, i don’t want to sing it.’ she never made compromises.” born jan. 17, 1944, during an air raid amid the final months of germany’s occupation of france during world war ii, hardy was conceived through an affair between her mother and a much older, well to do married man. her only sibling, sister michele, arrived a year later. despite excelling at school and having a father from a higher social status, hardy faced an adulthood similar to those of her middle class peers. at one point as a teen, she recalled in her 2008 memoir, “the despair of monkeys and other trifles” (published in the u.s. in 2018), “my mother and i conjured up all the realistic careers open to me: executive secretary, medical secretary, nurse, pharmacist.” she added: “in secret i was nurturing the ambition of finding an activity with some connections to the musical style i had recently fallen for.” when she was a teenager, as a reward for academic success, hardy’s mother and father offered her a gift of her own choosing. she wavered between a radio and a guitar before going with the latter. “i will never know why i chose a guitar because a transistor radio was all i ever wanted,” she told the guardian. “my future life would flow out of this crucial choice because, once i had this precious instrument in my hands, i started scratching out three chords over which i sang snatches of my own melodies.” alongside peers including jane birkin, brigitte bardot, france gall and sylvie vartan, hardy ascended to become a yé yé hitmaker in her native paris, drawing the attention of jet setting pop stars, tastemakers and fashionistas from london, new york and tokyo. as with other yé yé singers, hardy’s music blended mid 1960s bubblegum pop, groovy guitar lines and france’s romantic chanson tradition to create sticky sweet love songs. hardy first visited los angeles in 1968 to record her english language album “en anglais” (“in english”)   although she had appeared onscreen at the cinerama dome two years earlier in john frankenheimer’s race car movie “grand prix”   but never seemed too concerned with stateside success. it didn’t help that she suffered from stage fright. her commanding presence drew the attention of the paris fashion scene and she became a muse to designers such as andré courrèges, emmanuelle khanh and yves saint laurent. current louis vuitton creative director nicolas ghesquière called hardy “the very essence of french style,” a trait apparent in the cover photos of hardy’s first four albums, which were shot by fashion photographer (and then boyfriend) jean marie périer. “my songs had little interest compared to the anglo saxon production. so i took it to heart to dress well every time i went to london or new york,” she told vanity fair in 2018, calling herself “above all a fashion ambassador.” in the late 1960s, hardy and jacques dutronc began a relationship that would last the rest of their lives. their son, thomas dutronc, now a successful french singer, was born in 1973, and hardy raised him as she continued to release some of her most expansive albums. the title track to ’73’s “message personnel” (“personal message”) is a gentle exploration of unrequited love and unspoken emotions lush with orchestral arrangements. music taylor swift, beyoncé, sabrina carpenter   and, of course, “not like us”: here’s a look at the best songs of 2024 as we approach the year’s halfway mark. hardy and dutronc married in 1981   purely for fiscal reasons, both stressed   but separated in 1988. despite entering into other relationships, they never divorced and remained close. her extended family life had its share of tragedy. according to hardy’s memoir, in 1981 her father, with whom she had had little contact, was killed in his home by a male prostitute. as she also conveyed in her memoir, in the mid 2000s, her sister, who had long struggled with mental illness, died. though the police investigation never officially confirmed the cause, hardy believed her sister died by suicide. commercial success afforded hardy the opportunity and time to fully explore her creativity; one main avenue was astrology. introduced to the belief system in the 1960s, she immersed herself in the various schools of thought, ultimately studying with french writer jean pierre nicola. using her fame to advocate for his methods, she eventually became the daily horoscope reader on radio monte carlo. she released her astrology book “les rythmes du zodiaque” (“rhythms of the zodiac”) in 2003. hardy published her first work of fiction, “l’amour fou” (“crazy love”) in 2012. written as a companion to an album of the same name, its success kept her writing. two books of essays followed in 2015 and 2016. hardy’s statements on politics drew ire from french liberals in 2012 when she stated that if socialist party candidate françois hollande were able to initiate his proposed 75% tax on millionaires, hardy would “have to sell my apartment,” adding, “i’ll be on the street.” hardy lived long enough to see her recordings rediscovered by a new generation of listeners. she sang on a remix of the britpop band blur’s 1994 song “to the end,” and continued to release albums and collaborate with others for the rest of her life. in 2015, the respected archival label light in the attic reissued her first four albums. in 2021, hardy and the french house group bon entendeur released an updated version of her early hit “le temps de l’amour.” “no one can sing like françoise,” iggy pop said in 1997 as he and hardy were promoting their version of “i’ll be seeing you.” “her emotional and musical accuracy combined with her sense of reserve and mystique make an indelible and very french impact on the listener. there’s no one else as good around.” “it has always been a big surprise to me that people, even very good musicians, were moved by my voice,” hardy told the guardian. “i know its limitations, i always have. but i have chosen carefully. what a person sings is an expression of what they are. luckily for me, the most beautiful songs are not happy songs. the songs we remember are the sad, romantic songs.” hardy, who survived lymphatic cancer in the mid 2000s, was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her ear in 2018. later that year, she explained her situation in an email to the french magazine femme actuelle: “my physical suffering has already been so terrible that i am afraid that death will force me to go through even more physical suffering.” arguing on behalf of her right to die, she wrote: “it is not for the doctors to accede to each request, but to shorten the unnecessary suffering of an incurable disease from the moment it becomes unbearable.” for an artist long drawn to the ways in which people cope with grief and sadness, her plight seemed aligned with the themes of her music. “i sing about death in a very symbolic and even positive way. there is an acceptance there, too,” she told the guardian. “at my age, i can really only sing about that one very special train that will take me out of this world. but, of course, i am also hoping that it will send me to the stars and help me discover the mystery of the cosmos.” hardy is survived by her husband and their son. the biggest entertainment stories get our big stories about hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish. you may occasionally receive promotional content from the los angeles times. follow us former staff writer randall roberts covered los angeles music culture for the los angeles times. he had served various roles since arriving at the times in 2010, including music editor and pop music critic. as a staff writer, he explored the layered history of l.a. music, from rosecrans and sunset to ventura boulevard and beyond. his 2020 project on the early southern california phonograph industry helped identify the first ever commercial recording made 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thomas adamson, associated press thomas adamson, associated press leave your feedback paris (ap)   françoise hardy, a french singing legend and pop icon since the 1960s, has died. she was 80. her son, musician thomas dutronc, announced her death on social media, sharing a poignant photo of himself as a child with his mother. hardy, who had been battling lymphatic cancer since 2004, faced her illness with remarkable candor. she passed away on tuesday. born on january 17, 1944, in paris, hardy’s career began in 1962 when she recorded her first single, “tous les garçons et les filles,” at the age of 18. the song, which she wrote and composed, quickly became a hit, marking her rise as a key figure in the yé yé movement, a french response to rock ‘n’ roll. her lyrics often captured the angst and longing of adolescence, resonating deeply with young audiences. her melancholic and introspective tone set her apart from the more exuberant pop music of her peers. hardy’s influence extended far beyond france. in 2023, she was the only french artist named in rolling stone magazine’s list of the 200 greatest singers of all time. her ethereal voice and distinctive beauty captivated audiences worldwide, earning her praise from music legends such as mick jagger, bob dylan and david bowie. “i was passionately in love with her. every male in the world, and a number of females, also were,” bowie once said. hardy had a unique approach to songwriting, emphasizing the importance of melody in her creative process. speaking to the associated press in 1996 about writing songs, she explained, “i always put the words on the music. it’s always like that. i don’t write before, and then, i’m looking for music. first, i get the music and (then) i try to put words on it.” that method contributed to the distinctive quality of her music, blending poetic lyrics with evocative melodies. hardy was also celebrated as a fashion muse. her androgynous looks and understated elegance made her a favorite of the fashion world, with a tall, slender frame, angular features, and long, straight hair. this aesthetic aligned with the modern fashion of the 1960s, emphasizing simplicity and a certain boyish charm. she often wore designs from andré courrèges, paco rabanne, and yves saint laurent, in styles that defined the era. her influence in fashion extended over decades. watch: remembering david bowie, constantly changing icon who inspired hardy’s relationship with fellow musician jacques dutronc was a significant part of her life and work. they met in the mid 1960s and had a son, thomas, in 1973. although their relationship faced challenges, including dutronc’s infidelities and their eventual separation, it deeply influenced her music. their lives   residing on separate floors of the same parisian building   mirrored their bittersweet partnership, which was reflected in hardy’s songs. she also had a keen interest in astrology, authoring several books on the subject and hosting radio shows. her lyrics and public persona often reflected her introspective nature and fascination with the celestial. hardy’s battle with cancer was long. she endured numerous treatments, including radiotherapy, which left her deaf in one ear. despite her health struggles, she continued to produce music, with her final album, “personne d’autre,” released in 2018. this album, marked by its contemplative themes and collaboration with the finnish indie band poets of the fall, confronted issues of mortality. tributes have poured in from across the globe. french culture minister rima abdul malak hailed her as “an eternal legend of french songs,” while fellow musicians like carla bruni, michel polnareff, and étienne daho expressed their deep sorrow and admiration. international artists, including blur’s graham coxon and public enemy’s chuck d, also paid their homage. reflecting on her lifelong love for melodies, hardy once said, “all my life, i’ve been on the lookout for beautiful melodies. listening to them puts me in seventh heaven.” left: francoise hardy in 1964. photo by blandford/ mirrorpix/ getty images by tim reynolds, associated press by christopher weber, travis loller, associated press by darlene superville, associated press by tim reynolds, associated press by mark kennedy, associated press by hillel italie, associated press by bob thomas, associated press thomas adamson, associated press thomas adamson, associated press visit canvas, pbs newshour's art hub. support provided by: learn more thank you. please check your inbox to confirm. © 1996   2025 newshour productions llc. all rights reserved. pbs is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. sections about stay connected thank you. please check your inbox to confirm. learn more about friends of the news hour. support for news hour provided by

one of france's best loved singer songwriters, françoise hardy, has died at the age of 80. "mum is gone," her son, thomas dutronc, who is also a musician, wrote on social media. hardy burst on to the music scene in 1962 and became a cultural icon who inspired the likes of mick jagger and bob dylan. known for her melancholy ballads, she symbolised france's yé yé (yeah yeah) pop movement, so called because of its nod to english music. her most famous songs included all the girls and boys (tous les garçons et les filles), it hurts to say goodbye (comment te dire adieu) and my friend the rose (mon amie la rose). her biggest uk hit was all over the world, an english language version of her song dans le monde entier, which reached number 16 in the charts in june 1965. hardy was born in nazi occupied paris in 1944 and raised by her mother. like many girls at the time, she grew up listening to elvis presley, cliff richard and other american and british stars on radio luxembourg and she signed her first record deal at just 17. her breakout as a musician came in 1962 with the simple, plaintive song, tous les garçons et les filles, when she sang of all the boys and girls walking hand in hand, while "i walk alone through the streets, my heart aching". it was an instant hit in france and even broke through in the uk charts. her style captivated fashion designers, becoming a model for the likes of yves saint laurent and paco rabanne, who designed a minidress out of gold plates for her. rolling stones frontman mick jagger once famously called her the "ideal woman", while fellow singer songwriter bob dylan penned several love letters to her. he addressed her in a poem on the back of his 1964 album another side of bob dylan. one of her most memorable performances came in 1968 with comment te dire adieu, a french adaptation by serge gainsbourg of a song originally in english. but the gainsbourg song has since been covered many times, with its painful goodbye to a man with a "heart of pyrex". she collaborated with a number of artists, including blur and iggy pop. hardy was also an actor   appearing in films by directors including jean luc godard, roger vadim and john frankenheimer   as well as a writer of fiction and non fiction. among the topics she wrote about was astrology, which she developed a love for during the 1970s. she was married once, to the singer jacques dutronc, with whom she had her son thomas. they separated in the late 1980s, but she would often refer to her ex husband as the love of her life. hardy had been ill for some time before her death, revealing in 2004 that she had been diagnosed with lymphoma. in 2015, she was placed in an induced coma for weeks following a fall and in 2021, she said she had cancer in one of her ears and felt "close to the end" of her life. her career spanned more than five decades, during which she released nearly 30 albums. hardy's last album, personne d'autre (nobody else), was released in 2018. rolling stone ranked her at number 162 on its list of the 200 greatest singers of all time in 2023. among those to pay tribute to hardy following news of her death was france's culture minister, rachida dati, who wrote on social media: "how to say goodbye to her? eternal françoise hardy, legend of french song, who entered, through her sensitivity and her melodies, into the heart of an entire country." officials at lincoln cathedral hope the link up will encourage children to become choristers. the festival will feature a range of performances from international and local artists. fans say they have been wrongly accused of using bots to buy their tickets for the comeback shows. netflix star callum kerr said the family are grieving the loss of andrew and dawn searle, who were found dead in south west france. ahead of kendrick lamar's headline performance at the super bowl half time show, we explore the rapper's journey from the streets of compton to pop culture ubiquity. copyright 2025 bbc. all rights reserved. the bbc is not responsible for the content of external sites. read about our approach to external linking.

blur have paid tribute to french singer songwriter, actor, and model françoise hardy, who died at the age of 80. the sad news was confirmed by her son, musician thomas dutronc, who shared a simple message on social media. alongside a touching photo of himself as a baby with his mother, he wrote, ‘maman est partie’ alongside many heart emoji, which translates to ‘mom is gone.’ the exact cause of hardy’s death has not yet been disclosed. however, the legendary artist had been open about her recent health struggles. the band blur, who collaborated with hardy on a reworked version of their single to the end in 1995, which became to the end (la comedie), have now also shared a message. they posted footage of themselves recording the duet with hardy at the legendary abbey road studios in london on instagram and frontman damon albarn wrote: ‘françoise hardy was our introduction to french culture and she was hugely important to us. ‘it was a real privilege to spend time with her and to visit her amazing, entirely black house, an experience which has stayed with me all my life. she was the definition of chic, understated charisma.’ in june 2021, hardy revealed that she had been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2018, following a lymphoma diagnosis in 2004. at the time, she expressed feeling ‘close to the end’ of her life. born in nazi occupied paris in 1944, hardy was a major icon and wavemaker in french music. drawing inspiration from both the french chanson style of crooned ballads and the edgier sounds of emerging pop and rock ‘n’ roll, hardy became a pivotal figure in the yé yé style that dominated mid century french music. this genre got its name from the habit of english language bands of the time to chant ‘yeah.’ hardy herself contributed to its naming, as la fille avec toi begins with the english words: ‘oh, oh, yeah, yeah.’ françoise hardy’s musical career skyrocketed in 1962 with her hit single tous les garçons et les filles, which dominated the charts in france and several other countries. she followed this success with another hit, c’est à l’amour auquel je pense, in 1963. hardy’s talent transcended language barriers, as she performed in french, english, german, and italian. hardy represented monaco at the eurovision song contest and finished fifth in 1963, further widening her international renown. her english language hit it hurts to say goodbye topped the uk charts in 1968, solidifying her international acclaim. notably, bob dylan was among her admirers, even dedicating a poem to her on the back of his 1964 album another side of bob dylan. it began: ‘for françoise hardy, at the seine’s edge, a giant shadow of notre dame seeks t’ grab my foot …’ david bowie and the rolling stones were also major admirers of hardy’s. in addition to her musical achievements, hardy had a notable career in acting and modelling from 1963 to 1976. she starred in several high profile films, including what’s new pussycat?, château en suède, grand prix, and monte carlo: c’est la rose. beyond the entertainment industry, hardy was also a major influence on the formation of 60s fashion. yves saint laurent and paco rabanne both considered her a muse and she was frequently photographed by high profile photographers of the time, including richard avedon, david bailey and william klein. designer rei kawakubo would later name her label comme des garçons after a line in a hardy song. the icon also went on to author several books, both fiction and non fiction and pursue a side career in astrology. hardy gave birth to her son thomas in the 70s, later marrying his father, musician and actor jacques dutronc, in 1981. the couple first met in 1967. the announcement of hardy’s death has prompted an outpouring of condolences. david hallyday, son of the renowned french singer johnny hallyday, shared his sympathies with thomas dutronc, writing in french, ‘thomas, at this inconsolable moment, i am sending you all the love and courage possible. got a story? if you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our submit stuff page   we’d love to hear from you. arrow more: the young know full well why we need to fight fascism arrow more: the metro daily cartoon by guy venables arrow more: i’m stepping out of my comfort zone before paris 2024   my final olympics everything you love about your favourite free daily newspaper, now in your inbox. this site is protected by recaptcha and the google privacy policy and terms of service apply. your information will be used in line with our privacy policy

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produced by elyssa dudley edited by wendy dorr and tina antolini engineered by chris wood and daniel powell featuring elisabeth vincentelli beloved pop star françoise hardy, who died last week, got her start in 1960s yé yé music and became an icon of french cool. she was a talented songwriter and “a beast in the studio,” says elisabeth vincentelli, recording albums into her 70s despite a long battle with cancer. vincentelli remembers hardy’s voice and singular persona through her music. elisabeth vincentelli is a regular contributor to the times. 8 songs from the bewitching françoise hardy françoise hardy: a life in photos

paris (ap)   françoise hardy, a french singing legend and pop icon since the 1960s, has died. she was 80. her son, musician thomas dutronc, announced her death on social media, sharing a poignant photo of himself as a child with his mother. hardy, who had been battling lymphatic cancer since 2004, faced her illness with remarkable candor. she passed away on tuesday. born on january 17, 1944, in paris, hardy’s career began in 1962 when she recorded her first single, “tous les garçons et les filles,” at the age of 18. the song, which she wrote and composed, quickly became a hit, marking her rise as a key figure in the yé yé movement, a french response to rock ‘n’ roll. her lyrics often captured the angst and longing of adolescence, resonating deeply with young audiences. her melancholic and introspective tone set her apart from the more exuberant pop music of her peers. hardy’s influence extended far beyond france. in 2023, she was the only french artist named in rolling stone magazine’s list of the 200 greatest singers of all time. her ethereal voice and distinctive beauty captivated audiences worldwide, earning her praise from music legends such as mick jagger, bob dylan and david bowie. “i was passionately in love with her. every male in the world, and a number of females, also were,” bowie once said. hardy had a unique approach to songwriting, emphasizing the importance of melody in her creative process. speaking to the associated press in 1996 about writing songs, she explained, “i always put the words on the music.