Connie Francis, the trailblazing pop singer of the 1960s whose hit Pretty Little Baby recently found viral fame on social media, has died at the age of 87. Her death was confirmed Thursday by her close friend and copyright manager, Ron Roberts.
Roberts, who also serves as president of her label, Concetta Records, announced the news on Facebook, writing:
“It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night. I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news. More details will follow later.”
The same message was also posted to Connie Francis’ official Facebook account.
While the exact cause of death has not been disclosed, Francis had recently been hospitalized in early July due to severe pain. She shared updates with fans at the time, revealing she was undergoing tests and recovering from recent hip treatment.
A Groundbreaking Music Career
Connie Francis made history as the first solo female artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She rose to fame in the late 1950s with her breakout single Who’s Sorry Now?, followed by a string of chart-topping hits including My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own, Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You, and Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.
Her powerful voice and emotional delivery made her a beloved figure in American pop music, and she quickly became one of the most successful female vocalists of her generation.
Viral Comeback on Social Media
Decades after her peak, Francis experienced a resurgence in popularity when her 1962 track Pretty Little Baby went viral on TikTok and Instagram. The song, originally recorded over 60 years ago, became the soundtrack for countless video clips and amassed millions of streams. As of May, Billboard reported the track had been played over 2.4 million times on Spotify.
