Monique Andrée Serf, known by her stage name Barbara, was born on June 9, 1930, in Paris, France, and passed away on November 24, 1997, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. She was a celebrated French singer-songwriter and actress, renowned for her contributions to the chanson and French pop genres. Barbara adopted her stage name from her grandmother, Varvara Brodsky, a native of Odesa, Ukraine.

Barbara's early life was marked by the hardships of World War II, during which her Jewish family went into hiding to escape the German occupation of France. After the war, she returned to Paris and pursued her passion for music, initially aspiring to be a pianist. However, due to a hand problem, she shifted her focus to singing and received vocal training. She began her career performing in cabarets in Paris and Brussels, gradually gaining recognition for her emotive performances and poignant songwriting.

Barbara became known as "La Chanteuse de minuit" ('the midnight singer') in the late 1950s in Paris. She achieved fame with her own compositions, including notable songs like "Dis, quand reviendras-tu ?" (1962), "Ma plus belle histoire d'amour" (1966), and "L'Aigle noir" (1970), the latter of which reportedly sold over 1 million copies in just twelve hours. Her music often reflected the emotional scars of her childhood and her family's wartime experiences, with songs like "Mon Enfance" delving into her personal history.

Throughout her career, Barbara was celebrated for her unique voice and deeply personal lyrics, which resonated with audiences and solidified her place in French musical history.