Who's France Gall? The French music icon in today's Google Doodle

Google Doodle is often used to commemorate events, holidays and historical figures and for today (October 6), the search engine is celebrating French singer France Gall.

The illustration by Paris-based guest artist Mathilde Loubes depicts the performer's iconic blonde fringe as she performed onstage.

Gall - whose real name is Isabelle - was born on this day in Paris back in 1947 and grew up in a musical household, learning to play the guitar and piano in her youth.

At the age of just 15, she recorded her debut single 'Ne Sois Pas Si Bête (Don’t Be so Silly)' under the pseudonym France Gall and on her 16th birthday, the track was played on the radio for the very first time.

Google

She then became more well-known around Europe after representing Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1965 where she won with her performance of 'Poupée De Cire, Poupée De Son' (Wax Doll, Sound Doll).

This is considered the first pop song to win the contest, and so paved the way for future artists who would enter such as ABBA.

Due to her success, Gall was prominent in the Yé-yé movement - a style of pop music that emerged in Western-Southern Europe in the early 1960s, with the name meaning "yeah! yeah!" inspired by music coming from the British and American rock and roll scene such as The Beatles.

As such she was voted France’s number one female pop star. Among the different composers and songwriters she collaborated with during her career, Michel Berger was the most notable as the two married in 1976 and had two children together.

French singer France Gall at a Paris restaurant, 25th March 1965, for a reception in her honour after she won the Eurovision Song Contest with Serge Gainsbourg's song 'Poupee de Cire, Poupee de Son'Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

'Évidemment (Evidently)', 'La Déclaration D'amour (Declaration of Love)', and 'Mon Fils Rira du Rock 'n' Roll (My Son Will Laugh At Rock'N'Roll)' along with the rock opera Starmania are some of the projects they worked together on.

During her career spanning more than 50 years, Gall released over 15 albums and had chart-topping hits such as 'Ella, elle l'a (Ella's She’s Got It)' and 'Il Jouait Du Piano Debout' (He Played Piano Standing) - the latter song is featured in the Google Doodle.

She also collaborated with Sir Elton John on two duets in the 80s after sharing his desire to work with her and also toured where she sold out venues over three continents.

Alongside her successful music career, Gall also did a lot of philanthropic work too, where she donated money made from some of her songs to different causes.

In 2001, a documentary called 'France Gall par France Gall' was made to celebrate the pop singer's life and career.

Gall died of cancer on January 7 2018 at age 70, among the tributes included French president Emmanuel Macron who described how the singe had "lasted through time thanks to her sincerity and generosity” leaving “songs known to all French".

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.