Hardy, an icon of the French “Yé-yé” pop sound, represented Monaco at Eurovision 1963 with the song “L’amour s’en va”. The BBC and several other major news outlets announced her passing on June 12, with her son Thomas Dutronc confirming it on social media.
Hardy: a French pop icon
Françoise Hardy was born in 1944 in Nazi-occupied France and signed her first record deal at the age of 17. Her breakout song “Tous les garçons et les filles” was released in 1962, and she represented Monaco at Eurovision a year later, placing fifth. Her career spanned decades; she released her final album, “Personne d’autre”, in 2018.
The yé-yé pop movement was inspired by British music; Hardy was influenced by Cliff Richard, as well as the American star Elvis Presley, and she influenced Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan in turn. Dylan in particular was enamored with her and went so far as to write her a poem. She also modeled for Yves St. Laurent, acted in several movies, and wrote both fiction and nonfiction.
She had her son Thomas with Jacques Dutronc, from whom she separated in the late 1980s, although she continued to refer to him as the love of her life.
Monaco’s Eurovision Journey
Monaco was one of the first participants in the Eurovision Song Contest, making their debut in 1959. The first Monégasque song to take part was Jacques Pills’ “Mon ami Pierrot”. Despite finishing in last place, with one point, Monaco took part in every edition until 1979. Monaco won the Contest once in 1971, with Severine’s “Un banc, un arbre, une rue”. However, due to the country’s small size, Monaco did not have the capacity to host the show, with Eurovision 1972 instead held in Edinburgh.
Following their withdrawal in 1980, Monaco returned to the Contest in 2004, where they failed to qualify for the final in three consecutive occasions. Their most recent entry was in 2006, with Sevérine Ferrer’s “La Coco-Dance”. At the close of voting, Monaco finished in 21st place in a field of 23 with 14 points.
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News Source: BBC
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Thomas James