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| Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull | Photo: AFP |
British singer and actress Marianne Faithfull, known for her 1960s hit As Tears Go By, has died at the age of 78. Her spokesperson confirmed that she passed away yesterday in London. Faithfull, a cultural icon of the swinging sixties, was also known for her role in the film The Girl on a Motorcycle.
In an official statement to AFP, her spokesperson said, “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of singer, songwriter, and actress Marianne Faithfull. She will be deeply missed by her family and fans worldwide.”
Faithfull's music career began in 1964 when she was discovered by Andrew Loog Oldham, the manager of The Rolling Stones. Her breakthrough single, As Tears Go By, was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, and became one of the defining songs of the era. Other notable hits included Come and Stay with Me The Little Bird and Summer Nights.
Beyond music, Faithfull was also widely known for her romantic relationship with Mick Jagger during the late 1960s. Following her passing, Jagger expressed his grief on Instagram, writing, “I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Marianne Faithfull. She was a great friend, an incredible singer, and a brilliant actress. She will never be forgotten.”
Born on December 29, 1946, in Hampstead, London, Faithfull released her self-titled debut album in 1965 and went on to produce 21 more albums, with her final record, She Walks in Beauty, released in 2021.
Faithfull also pursued an acting career, making her stage debut in a 1967 play based on Anton Chekhov’s work. She had earlier appeared in Jean-Luc Godard’s 1966 film Made in U.S.A. and later starred in films like Ghost Story, Hamlet, and Shopping.
Faithfull’s personal life was as turbulent as it was fascinating. She married Mexican-British artist John Dunbar in 1965, though the marriage lasted only a year. She later had two more marriages, both of which ended in divorce.
Despite receiving a Grammy nomination in 1981, Faithfull never won the award. However, her legacy as a pioneering artist of the 1960s remains unshaken.