The esteemed French pop star, Françoise Hardy, renowned for her graceful charm and melodious vocals, passed away at the age of 80. Her son, fellow musician Thomas Dutronc, confirmed the news of her demise through an Instagram post featuring a childhood image of himself with Hardy, with the caption “Maman est partie,” which translates to “mum is gone” in English.
Since 2004, Hardy had been battling with lymphatic cancer and had endured several years of radiotherapy and other treatments. Her health significantly declined in 2015, resulting in a temporary induced coma. Post this, she faced challenges with speaking, swallowing, and breathing. Last year, she strongly advocated for euthanasia and criticised France for its firm stance against the practice, labelling the country as “inhuman.”
Hardy entered the world amidst an air raid in 1944 during the Nazi occupation in Paris and she grew up mostly under the care of her mother in the city. At the tender age of 16, Hardy began her musical journey when she received a guitar as a gift and started composing her own songs. She performed live and auditioned for various record labels before finally securing a deal with Disques Vogue in 1961.
Hardy’s music was influenced by the classic French chanson style of romantic ballads and the burgeoning trends of pop and rock’n’roll, making her a significant contributor to the yé-yé genre, which was popular within the French music scene in the mid-20th century. The genre was characterized by its repetitive use of the English word “yeah,” and Hardy played a substantial role in shaping this style. Her early song, La Fille Avec Toi, began with the English phrase: “Oh, oh, yeah, yeah.”
Her self-composed ballad ‘Tous les garçons et les filles’, which became a major hit in 1962 selling over 2.5 million copies and taking the top spot in French charts, cemented her status as a breakthrough artist. Her early singles, Je Suis D’Accord and Le Temps de L’Amour, also tasted success in French charts. Hardy gained further prominence in 1963 when she represented Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest and secured the fifth position.
Her escalating popularity across Europe led her to re-record her album in several languages, including English. Although her 1964 song “All Over the World”, an English adaptation of “Dans le Monde Entier”, was her single entry into the top 20 hits in the U.K, her reputation remained strong in regions such as France, Germany, and Italy. “Comment te Dire Adieu”, her 1968 rendition of “It Hurts to Say Goodbye”, first sung by Vera Lynn and now with lyrics by Serge Gainsbourg, turned into one of her greatest triumphs.
Embodying French chic and elegance of the 20th-century with her commendable fashion skills ranging from impeccably tailored suits to casual wear, Hardy’s aesthetic became iconic. Famed designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Paco Rabanne found their muse in her, and she became a popular subject for renowned fashion photographers including Richard Avedon, David Bailey, and William Klein. Later, designer Rei Kawakubo named her brand Comme des Garçons after a line from one of Hardy’s songs.
During the 60s, Hardy was the object of admiration from several pop culture icons, including the Rolling Stones and David Bowie. Bob Dylan even penned a poem dedicated to her in his 1964 album “Another Side of Bob Dylan”. She also caught the eye of filmmakers and was featured in works by Jean-Luc Godard, Roger Vadim, John Frankenheimer, among others.
Despite leaving Disques Vogue due to monetary disputes, she struck a deal with Sonopresse in 1970 that lasted for three years. This fruitful phase of her career allowed her to collaborate with Brazilian artist Tuca on the lauded 1971 record “La Question”. She continued her multilingual releases, but by the end of her contract her celebrity had dwindled, and the contract wasn’t extended.
In the mid-seventies, she primarily concentrated on bringing up her son, Thomas, whom she had with her companion Jacques Dutronc – a musician and actor. Her career took a pause during this period, only to restart with the release of ‘Star’ in 1977. Though reluctant at times, she tackled the prevailing vibes of funk, disco, and electronic pop tunes. Another significant break followed in the 80s, until 1988 when she launched ‘Décalages’, said to be her swansong album. Yet, in 1996, she made a comeback with ‘Le Danger’, exploring the realm of sombre contemporary rock. Up until 2018, she dropped six more albums, ending her musical chronology with ‘Personne D’Autre’.
After first crossing paths in 1967, she and Jacques Dutronc formalised their relationship by getting married in 1981. However, she didn’t find the institution of marriage too fascinating, referring to it as an “uninteresting formality”. By 1988, they had decided to part ways but continued to maintain their friendship. She is remembered by Jacques and their son. -Guardian