French Pop Icon Françoise Hardy Dies At 80

The singing legend's androgynous looks and understated elegance also made her a favorite of the fashion world

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.