'Pretty Little Baby' singer Connie Francis passes away at 87

Los Angeles [US], July 17 : Veteran singer Connie Francis, best known for her tracks 'Pretty Little Baby' and 'Stupid Cupid', has passed away. She was 87.

The news of her demise was confirmed by her publicist and friend, Ron Roberts, as per CNN.

"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," Roberts wrote in a post on a verified Facebook page for Francis.

Francis was recently hospitalized for pain issues and had to cancel some appearances earlier this month, according to posts she shared on social media.

Francis recently experienced a resurgence when her song 'Pretty Little Baby', thanks to a TikTok trend.

Francis also shared a video to thank other artists, including Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift, for "paying tribute" to her and her song.

Born Concetta Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, a young Francis won first prize on Arthur Godfrey's popular television series "Startime Talent Scouts," which led to her singing on his show for several years as a teen.

Godfrey convinced her to adopt the stage name "Connie Francis" as he told her it was easier to pronounce than her birth name.

Success didn't come easy at first for the singer, who was rejected by multiple labels before signing with MGM in 1955. That company released her first single, "Freddy."

As per CNN, Disappointed in her career, Francis almost quit to go to college before her father convinced her to record a song that had been around before, "Who's Sorry Now?"

Other popular tunes followed, including "Lipstick on Your Collar," "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" and "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You."

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