All you need to know about Françoise Hardy, the iconic French singer, actress and model who passed away at 80

At the age of 80, Françoise Hardy, the acclaimed French singer, actress, and model, known for her melancholic music and timeless beauty that mesmerised audiences worldwide from the 1960s onwards, has passed away. Her son, Thomas Dutronc, took to Instagram on June 11 to announce her demise, writing "Maman est partie" (Mom is gone).
Hardy fought lymphatic and laryngeal cancer for the past 20 years, starting with her diagnosis in 2004.Her health declined steadily during this time.
In 1962, Hardy rose to fame with her hit single 'Tous les garçons et les filles', which topped the music charts in France and several other countries. The following year, she achieved another French No. 1 hit with 'C’est à l’amour auquel je pense'.
In the 1960s, embracing the ye-ye trend, Hardy garnered almost a dozen Top 10 singles in France and achieved nine Top 10 albums throughout her career, with her most recent release in 2018. She retains her position as one of the best-selling French musicians of all time.
Hardy's music was loved in Belgium, Germany, and Canada. She had some success in the UK with three Top 30 singles in the mid-'60s but didn't make it big in the U.S. Still, Rolling Stone ranked her No. 162 on their 2023 list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time, praising her for making French music popular globally.
Hardy was born on January 17, 1944, in Paris during an air raid amidst Nazi occupation. Raised mostly by her mother in the romantic city, she seamlessly juggled an acting career with her successful music pursuits. American audiences may recognize her from John Frankenheimer’s road racing drama 'Grand Prix', where she starred alongside James Garner and Eva Marie Saint. The film clinched three Oscars for sound, sound effects, and editing.
Hardy ventured into writing, authoring numerous fiction and nonfiction books throughout her life. Additionally, she graced the fashion world as a model, catching the attention of designers like Yves Saint Laurent.