Barbara

French singer-songwriter, 1930-1997

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About

Monique Andrée Serf, known as Barbara, was born in Paris in 1930. From a Jewish family, she went into hiding during World War II. Adopting the stage name Barbara in homage to her Russian grandmother, she rose to fame in 1964 opening for Georges Brassens. Nicknamed 'the lady in black,' she left her mark on French song with her melancholic style and poetic lyrics. She received the Grand Prix du Disque in 1965 and the Grand Prix national de la chanson in 1982. Committed to causes, she supported prisoners and fought against AIDS. She died in 1997, leaving a significant musical legacy.

* 1930-06-09 — † 1997-11-24

Major works

L'Aigle noir (1970)song
Nantes (1964)song
Göttingen (1967)song
Dis, quand reviendras-tu ? (1964)song
Ma plus belle histoire d'amour (1966)song

Key milestones

1964Became known to the public as the opening act for Georges Brassens at Bobino.
1965Received the Grand Prix du disque from the Académie Charles-Cros for the album 'Barbara chante Barbara'.
1988Appointed Knight of the Legion of Honour.

Themes

melancholyloveexilesocial commitmentmemory

Sources: cms-www-adm.bnf.fr · larousse.fr · id.loc.gov