British music icon and ‘uniquely special soul’ Marianne Faithfull dies, age 78

Jan 30, 2025
As news of Faithfull's passing broke, fans and prominent entertainment figures alike paid tribute to the "uniquely special soul". Source: EPA PHOTO.

Iconic British pop star Marianne Faithfull, known for her 1964 hit As Tears Go By, has sadly passed away at the age of 78.

A spokesperson for Faithfull announced her passing on Thursday, January 30 in a statement issued to the BBC, revealing she died surrounded by her “loving family”.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull,” the statement read.

“Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.”

Born December 29, 1946, Faithfull’s music career began in 1964 when she was discovered by record producer Andrew Loog Oldham while attending a party for the Rolling Stones.

Following that chance meeting she achieved commercial success in 1965 with her debut studio album Marianne Faithfull, which was followed closely by the release of her second album, Come My Way.

From 1966 to 1970, Faithfull’s life and career were further shaped by her highly publicised romantic relationship with Mick Jagger.

Her growing popularity was also fuelled by film roles such as those in I’ll Never Forget What’s’isname (1967), The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968) and Hamlet (1969). However, her popularity became overshadowed in the 1970s by personal problems such as homelessness and heroin addiction.

Following a prolonged absence from the spotlight, Faithfull made a triumphant return with the release of her critically acclaimed seventh studio album Broken English in 1979.

The album earned Faithfull a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance and is often regarded as her “definitive recording”.

She continued to release a series of influential studio albums, including Dangerous Acquaintances (1981), A Child’s Adventure (1983) and Strange Weather (1987).

In addition to her music career, Faithfull also wrote three books about her life: Faithfull: An Autobiography (1994), Memories, Dreams & Reflections (2007), and Marianne Faithfull: A Life on Record (2014).

In recognition of her stellar career, Faithfull received the World Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 Women’s World Awards, and she was made a Commandeur of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the government of France.

As news of Faithfull’s passing broke, fans and prominent entertainment figures alike paid tribute to the “uniquely special soul”, with Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger among the first to offer his condolences.

Faithfull is survived by her son, Nicholas Dunbar.

-with Reuters.

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