françoisehardy

Françoise Hardy

Françoise Hardy was born in Paris, France on January 17th 1944.  She is famous as a chanteuse, songwriter, fashion model, actress and astrologer.  Her music style, fashion sense and personality have made her an iconic figure in the French-speaking world.

As a child, Françoise was reserved and introverted.  Her mother, abandoned by her partner whilst Françoise was still young, sent Françoise to a convent school for girls.  Here, Françoise was the perfect student, obedient in her duties and diligent in her work.  In her free time she listened to popular music and started to write her own songs.After completing secondary school, she enrolled at the Petit Conservatoire de la chanson, a school for singers.  However, pressured by her family, she also attended the University of Paris.

In 1961 that Hardy began her music career.  After a number of auditions, she was offered a recording contract by the Vogue record label, and in 1962 she released her first single, "Tous les garçons et les filles", which was popular across Europe.  The next year, 1963, she was placed 5th in the Eurovision Song Contest.  Representing Monaco she sang "L'amour s'en va".

It was also in 1963 that Hardy released her first album and made her first appearance in a film - "Chateau en Suède" - as the lead role. Together, these established Hardy as a Europe-wide celebrity. In 1964 Hardy toured Europe.  Her talents in songwriting, performing, and acting were complimented by her ability to sing in a variety of languages - English, Italian, Spanish and German.  She wooed Italian audiences with "Parla mi di te", whilst "Tous les garçons et les filles" reached number 36 in the UK charts after previous song releases of her songs in English. This was topped in 1965 with the song 'All Over the World' which reached No. 16 in the UK charts.

Hardy continued to perform throughout until 1968.  Exhausted by constant touring, she decided to focus her energies on recording.  She also left behind her career as an actress, which had also taken off through the films "Une balle au coeur" (1965), "What's New Pussycat?" (1966), "Masculin-Féminin" (1966), and "Grand Prix" (1967).At the end of 1966 Hardy left her boyfriend Jean-Marie, and became involved with Jacques Dutronc, a singer and teen idol of the time, who she had met from her time at Vogue. Dutronc became her lover. Their only child, Thomas, was born in 1973, and they married in 1981.

Hardy continued recording music throughout the 1970s, 80s and 90s.  In 2000, she released the hit single duet "Puisque vous partez en voyage", singing with her husband, and with her son playing the guitar.