🇫🇷 Reacting To ÉDITH PIAF - "Hymne à l'amour"

Édith Piaf was born Édith Giovanna Gassion on December 19, 1915, in Belleville, Paris, France. Her birthplace is often romanticized, with some claiming she was born on the streets of Paris.
Her father, Louis Alphonse Gassion, was a street performer and acrobat, and her mother, Annetta Giovanna Maillard (known as Line Marsa), was a café singer of Italian and Berber descent.
Piaf's mother abandoned her at birth, leaving her in the care of her maternal grandmother, who was not equipped to raise her. Her father took her back and left her with his own mother, who ran a brothel in Normandy. The prostitutes there helped care for Piaf, providing her with a rough but affectionate upbringing. Piaf's father re-entered her life and took her on the road as a street performer when she was just a child. She started singing in the streets of Paris to support herself. Between the ages of 3 and 7, Piaf suffered from keratitis, causing temporary blindness. Legend has it that her blindness was miraculously cured after her grandmother's prostitutes pooled money to send her on a pilgrimage to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
At the age of 15, Piaf struck out on her own, singing on the streets and in Parisian nightclubs. In 1935, she was discovered by nightclub owner Louis Leplée, who gave her the stage name "La Môme Piaf" (The Little Sparrow). Leplée's mentorship led to her first recordings and performances in upscale clubs. Unfortunately, his murder in 1936 cast suspicion on Piaf, but she was later cleared of any involvement. With the help of songwriter Raymond Asso and vocal coach Marguerite Monnot, Piaf honed her craft and began writing her own songs. Her popularity soared, and she starred in several films. During the war, Piaf performed extensively, both for French soldiers and German officers. Although controversial, she used her position to help the French Resistance, assisting in the escape of prisoners of war. Piaf's love life was tumultuous and often tragic. She had numerous high-profile relationships, including with the famous French boxer Marcel Cerdan, who died in a plane crash in 1949. His death deeply affected her and inspired several of her songs. Piaf struggled with health issues throughout her life, including arthritis, morphine addiction, and multiple car accidents, which left her in chronic pain. Despite her health problems, Piaf continued to perform and record music. She achieved international fame and is remembered for hits like "La Vie en rose," "Non, je ne regrette rien," and "Hymne à l'amour." Piaf's legacy endures as a symbol of French music and culture. Her life and music continue to inspire artists and audiences worldwide, and she is celebrated for her powerful voice and emotive performances.

Source:
1. [Biography - Édith Piaf](https://www.biography.com/musician/ed...)
2. [Édith Piaf - Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/...)
3. [Songfacts - Édith Piaf](https://www.songfacts.com/facts/edith...)
4. [National Public Radio (NPR) - Édith Piaf](https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs...)
5. [The Guardian - Édith Piaf](https://www.theguardian.com/music/201...)
6. [Time Magazine - Édith Piaf](https://time.com/4364565/edith-piaf/)
7. [Smithsonian Magazine - Édith Piaf's Legacy](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-c...)
8. [French Culture - Édith Piaf](https://frenchculture.org/music/10520...)
9. [AllMusic - Édith Piaf Biography](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/%C3di...)