Jane Birkin

It’s impossible to describe Jane Birkin as just one “thing.” Born in England, she spent the swinging ‘60s in London as a model and actress – appearing in the seminal movie Blow Up. By the end of that fab decade, she was in France recording with Serge Gainsbourg, the scandalous sex romp song “"Je t’aime… moi non plus." She would marry the legendary French pop musician, have a child named Charlotte, and their collaborations would continue for the next decade including her appearance on the cover (as a model) and on the record (as a vocalist) on his 1971 masterwork Histoire de Melody Nelson. In 1973, she appeared as an actress in the movie; Don Juan (Or If Don Juan Were a Woman), playing the part of Brigitte Bardot’s lover!

The movies and recordings have continued on to the present day – and the list of contemporary musicians who added Jane to their recordings is beyond impressive; Feist, Beth Gibbons from Portishead, Franz Ferdinand, Beck, Keren Ann, Johnny Marr from The Smiths, and many others.

In 2001, she was awarded the British Empire’s lifetime achievement OBE award. She has also been awarded the French Ordre National du Mérite.