French singer-songwriter, actor, and model Françoise Hardy has 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 emojis, 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.
In June 2021, she 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 wave maker 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.
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