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Top 10 French Female Singers

Many an icon has emerged from France, some of them still with us, and others long gone. There is a rich legacy of French female singers within the European music industry. 

This may have something to do with France being one of the most progressive regions in the EU, having offered women equal rights (to work, to vote etc) long before other countries. They’ve been in business a while, and these are the names that top my music playlists. 

1. Christine & the Queens (Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier)

If this is your first introduction to Miss Christine — you’re welcome! 

Christine and the Queens is the stage name for Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier, a French-born singer, songwriter and producer. She’s won album of the year, and makes headlines every time she releases a new record. 

She was born in Nantes, France, but now resides closer to the capital city (when she’s not touring, that is). 

Christine and the Queens are one to watch. It’s very much only the beginning for this artist; start following the journey as soon as possible!

2. Edith Piaf

This French singer needs no introduction; the name speaks for itself. Edith Piaf shaped French music in a way that was unprecedented. Her name lives on throughout the country, and in Paris, one can still attend regular tribute events, and even bars dedicated to preserving her honor. 

Edith Paif was born in the Parisian suburb of Belleville in 1915. She lived her entire life in the capital, and remains buried here in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in the east of the city. 

Here’s what you need to know about Edith Piaf

3. Zaz (Isabelle Geffroy)

Zaz is a new age French artist known for mixing genres into French flair. Her real name is Isabelle Geffroy, and she was born in 1980 in Chambray-lès-Tours, France. 

Similarly to Christine and the Queens, Zaz is a lesser known artist who has a strong following of fans that have been with her since the beginning. Now in her 40s, Zaz is still active within the French music scene, and it’s relatively easy to attend a live performance by her while in France or surrounding countries. 

4. Carla Bruni

Technically speaking, Carla Bruni was born in Italy, but her family relocated to France when she was 7 years old, and she was raised on French culture. 

In 2008, Carla Bruni actually married the president of France; Nicolas Sarkozy. She started out her entertainment career as a model, but decided to switch to music in 1997. The rest is history, and some of the most notable French classics were performed by this singer. 

Click here for some famous songs about Paris!

5. Vanessa Paradis

Vanessa Paradis is a French singer, model and actress. She has a lookalike daughter with American actor, Johnny Depp, named Lily-Rose. 

Paradis is known for having become a child star at the age of 14, when a single she perfumed was extremely successful worldwide. She now has a series of work behind her, and continues to star in international films and modeling campaigns. 

6. Françoise Hardy 

In the early 1960s, Françoise Hardy made her music debut in Paris, and saw tremendous success thereafter. 

Hardy has been battling with her health since learning she had lymphatic cancer in 2004. In 2016, she fell into a coma from which doctors stated she would never wake. Against all odds, she woke from the coma and made a full recovery, going on to record a range of new material. 

7. France Gall

France Gall is the stage name for Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall, a successful French yé-yé singer born in Paris in 1947. 

In 1965, France Gall won the Eurovision contest, which kicked off her singing career in the major way.  She spent much of her career in collaboration with Michel Berger, only breaking away from him in 1992; they worked over 30 years together. 

8. Josephine Baker

Interestingly, Josephine Baker is considered to be a French-entertainer, despite having been born and raised in Missouri, United States. 

Baker was a French resistance agent, and spent most of her life living and working in Paris. She was an advocate for civil rights, and much of her music was responsible for introducing Black American culture to the regions of Europe. 

9. Dalida

If you take a stroll through Montmartre today, you’ll be able to visit both the tomb of Dalida, and a statue of her breasts. 

Dalida was an important singer to the French people. She was actually born in Egypt to Italian parents, who later lived in Paris where her career really kicked off. 

She saw immense fame over a period of 30 odd years, selling 170 million albums and singles worldwide. She passed away in 1987, and was laid to rest in her favorite part of the city of lights. 

Click here for 5 interesting facts about Dalida

10. Ana Tijoux

Ana Tojoux is a name that should be household in France, however this artist has seen most of her fame in the South American market. 

Ana was born in Lille, France. She is half Chilean, which explains her popularity in the far west. In the 90s, she was part of the hip hop group Makiza. Now in her 40s, Ana is dedicating her time to personal projects and new work.