Françoise Hardy turns 80 today!

“L’ idole des jeunes” (The idol of the young generation), the muse of the Yé-Yé movement of the 60s, is turning 80 on this day of January 17, 2024!

Joyeux Anniversaire, Happy Birthday Françoise!

Françoise had an exceptional career and is one of the most talented and iconic French artists, along with Brigitte Bardot (who will, believe it or not, turn 90 later on this year!).

A Quick Bio

Françoise Hardy's early years were marked by a challenging childhood. Her father paid little attention to her and her younger sister Michèle, recognizing them only years after their birth.

Instead, Françoise was primarily raised by her mother, a bookkeeper, and her grandmother.

Despite these early hardships, Françoise showed exceptional promise. She graduated from high school at the remarkable age of 16.

As a reward, her father gifted her a guitar, which ignited her passion for music. She began composing her own songs, setting the stage for her extraordinary career.

A year later, at the age of 17, she joined Mireille’s "Petit Conservatoire de la Chanson", which can be seen as the ancestor of “Star academy”.

Her talent quickly became evident. Her height, standing at almost 5'11", also made her stand out in the crowd.

In 1962, at just 18 years old, Françoise made her debut on television.

A few months later, she released an EP (Extended Play) under the Vogue label, and one of the songs, "Tous les garçons et les filles" catapulted her to overnight stardom, selling an astounding 2.5 million copies in a matter of months.

This song was featured in a Scopitone filmed by Claude Lelouch, who would later become a renowned movie director.

During the 1960s, Françoise Hardy became "l’idole des jeunes" (the idol of the young generation) and played a prominent role in the Yé-Yé movement, alongside artists like Johnny Hallyday, Sheila, and Sylvie Vartan.

The Yé-Yé movement was forever captured in 1966 in the iconic photograph known as "The picture of the century."

Can you spot Francoise?

Her popularity transcended French borders, with her music resonating with audiences worldwide. Even the legendary David Bowie openly admitted to being passionately in love with her.

She was also well loved by The Beatles, Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan (who wrote her some passionate letters) to name a few…

Then came Jacques Dutronc, a talented and renowned French singer. They met in 1967, and it was love at first sight. In 1973, they welcomed their son Thomas into the world, and eventually married in 1981.

Françoise continued to achieve success with hits like "Mon amie la rose", "Le premier bonheur du jour," and "Comment te dire adieu." She toured the globe and even ventured into acting, although it was not her strongest suit.

In the late 60s, she gradually transitioned from performing concerts to focusing on composing her own songs. She also established her own production company, named Hypopotam.

Although her albums saw less success than her early work, her collaboration with Michel Berger revitalized her career with the release of the album "Message Personnel" in 1973.

In the 1970s, Françoise Hardy developed a deep passion for astrology, dedicating much of her time to the subject and authoring several books on the topic.

Despite her separation from Jacques Dutronc in the 90s, they remained close friends and are still legally married to this day.

Françoise Hardy's last album, "L'Amour Fou," was released in 2012, an impressive 50 years after her debut album.

She faced health challenges in the early 2000s, and in 2015, she came close to passing away.

She is currently battling a relentless cancer and has become a vocal euthanasia advocate.

Françoise Hardy's enduring legacy continues to inspire and captivate, reminding us of the dreams she shared with the world.

Happy Birthday, and Godspeed Françoise.

PS: Two of Françoise’s famous songs, “La Maison où j’ai grandi ” and “Comment te dire adieu” are available with French/English subtitles on the YouTube channel Tune into French that recently reached 100,000 views.