Singer Edith Piaf was born on December 19, 1915, in Paris, France, and died on October 11, 1963. Abandoned by her mother at a young age, she was raised by her paternal grandmother, who ran a brothel. She was briefly blind, but eventually regained her sight and began performing as a street singer at age 15. In 1935, nightclub owner Louis Lepre discovered her talent, nicknamed her "La Mome Piaf" (The Little Sparrow), which became her stage name. That same year, she made her recording debut under the name Edith Piaf. With the outbreak of World War II, she released what would become her signature work, "La Vie en Rose," in German-occupied Paris. By this time, Edith was gaining popularity within the country, and she was increasingly given opportunities to sing for high-ranking German officers. French prisoners of war also wanted to have their photos taken with her, but behind the scenes, their faces were sometimes cut out and pasted into escape plans. Her involvement with the Resistance became known to many French people after the war.

She had a daughter, but she died at the age of two in 1935. In 1952, she married singer Jacques Pal, but they divorced four years later. In 1962, she remarried a hairdresser 20 years her junior.

The biographical film "La Vie en Rose" was released in 2007, with French actress Marion Cotillard playing the role of Edith Piaf.