French pop culture icon and actress Francoise Hardy who inspired Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan dies aged 80
12 June 2024, 13:19 | Updated: 12 June 2024, 13:27
Legendary French singer Francoise Hardy has died aged 80 after a long battle with cancer, her son has announced.
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Hardy was a music icon and a key fixture of pop culture in the 1960s - known for inspiring stars such as Bob Dylan and Sir Mick Jagger.
The star’s son Thomas Dutronc announced her death late on Tuesday evening, as he wrote in French "Maman est partie..." which translates as "Mum is gone".
He shared the announcement on Instagram with a photo of his mother holding him as a baby, as she looks on at him adoringly.
She had suffered from different types of cancer, including lymphoma in 2004 and also laryngeal, according to Variety.
Hardy was also a model for designers including Yves Saint Laurent and Paco Rabanne.
She was known for her androgynous style and as one of the most famous faces of the 60s influenced the style of women all around the world.
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Sir Mick famously described her as his "ideal woman".
Bob Dylan wrote several love letters to her and addressed her in a poem on the back of his 1964 album Another Side Of Bob Dylan.
Hardy first found fame with her debut single Tous Les Garcons Et Les Filles (All The Girls And Boys), in which she lamented her single status.
Her other hits included the ballad Mon Amie La Rose and Comment Te Dire Adieu, which featured lyrics by Serge Gainsbourg.
In 1965, she released an English-language song, All Over The World, which made it into the top 20 on the UK charts for 15 weeks.
Over the course of her career she released almost 30 albums.
