Singer Monique Serf – born in Paris, France on June 9, 1930 – was an acclaimed Chanson singer best known by her stage name Barbara. Growing up in a Jewish family, she moved several times during World War II and had to go into hiding during the German occupation. Once the war ended, her family moved back to Paris in 1945. Initially studying to be a pianist and vocalist, she eventually focused on singing, moving to Belgium and performing under the name Barbara Brodi before shortening it to Barbara. In 1951, she was back in Paris and performing in clubs and cabarets. She began to attract a following, which lead to her first album, Barbara À L’écluse, in 1959. The following year, she released Chante Brassens, a tribute to singer / songwriter Georges Brassens, which was followed by Chante Jacques Brel (1961). By 1964, she had become a popular live performer and earned acclaim for her unique vocal approach and songwriting style. Her most popular songs include “Ma plus belle histoire d'amour c'est vous,” "L'aigle noir,” "Nantes,” "La solitude,” "Göttingen," and "Une petite cantate." Switching gears, in 1970, she cut back her live performances and pursued acting for several years. She then returned to performing in the early 1970s and toured Europe, Japan, Canada, and Israel, releasing her last album of the decade, La Louve, in 1973. After a long break, she returned to perform in France in 1978 and released the album Seule in 1981. Barbara co-wrote the stage musical Lily Passion and co-starred alongside Gérard Depardieu in the show, which also included a soundtrack recording. In the latter half of the 1980s, she performed high-profile shows at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and had a three month residency at the Théâtre Mogador in 1988. Barbara was awarded the Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1988 and received two Victoires de la Musique: one in 1994 for the album Châtelet 93, and one for her last studio recording, Barbara (1996), which sold over a million copies in twelve hours. Barbara died on November 24, 1997, at the age of 67. Since her death, there have been many compilations devoted to her musical legacy including Les 50 plus belles chansons - 25ème Anniversaire (2022).
