Marianne Faithfull, the iconic British singer, songwriter, and actress, has passed away at the age of 78. Widely regarded as the crown princess of Swinging Sixties London, Faithfull’s death was announced by her spokesperson on Thursday, January 30, 2025. The statement confirmed that she passed peacefully in London, surrounded by her loving family, but did not disclose the cause of her death.
Born in London in December 1946, Faithfull’s career took off when she was discovered by Andrew Loog Oldham, the Rolling Stones’ manager, at a 1964 party. He helped launch her music career, propelling her into the spotlight. However, Faithfull was more than just a singer—she also had a successful acting career, starring in films such as Girl on a Motorcycle, Three Sisters, and the stage production of Hamlet.
At 18, Faithfull married John Dunbar in 1965, and they had a son, Nicholas, that same year. Soon after, she parted ways with Dunbar and entered a relationship with Mick Jagger. Their iconic romance ended in 1970.
Her life was marked by struggles with substance abuse, anorexia nervosa, and homelessness, with one of the most notable and tragic episodes being her six-day coma in 1969 after overdosing on sleeping pills. Despite these challenges, Faithfull made a major comeback in the 1970s, with Broken English (1979) being one of her most successful albums.
Faithfull’s personal life included several marriages and relationships. In 1979, she married Ben Brierly of the Vibrators, but they divorced in 1986. She later married Giorgio Della Terza in 1988, but their marriage ended in 1991. Her longest relationship was with French record producer François Ravard, which lasted 15 years before ending in 2009.
In her later years, Faithfull continued to create, releasing She Walks in Beauty, a spoken word album, in 2021. She was also involved in the stage production of The Seven Deadly Sins in 2012.
Marianne Faithfull leaves behind a legacy of resilience and artistry, and she will be deeply missed by her fans and loved ones.