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French singer Francoise Hardy, muse to Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan, dies aged 80

The news was announced by her son.

Laura Harding
Wednesday 12 June 2024 04:06 EDT
French singer-songwriter Francoise Hardy has died at the age of 80 (PA)
French singer-songwriter Francoise Hardy has died at the age of 80 (PA) (PA Archive)

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French singer-songwriter Francoise Hardy has died at the age of 80, her son has said.

The musician was a fixture of pop culture in the 1960s and a muse to stars such as Bob Dylan and Sir Mick Jagger.

She was also a model for designers including Yves Saint Laurent and Paco Rabanne.

Thomas Dutronc, Hardy’s son with ex-husband and French music star Jacques Dutronc, announced her death in a post on Instagram.

Alongside a photo of himself as a baby being held by his mother, he wrote in French: “Maman est partie…” which translates as “Mum is gone”.

Hardy was one of the most familiar faces of the 1960s and women around the world imitated her androgynous style, while Sir Mick famously described her as his “ideal woman”.

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.

Other hits included the ballad Mon Amie La Rose and Comment Te Dire Adieu, which featured lyrics by Serge Gainsbourg.

Over the course of her career she released almost 30 albums.

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