Iconic singer Guesch Patti, real name Patricia Porrasse, died in Paris at the age of 80 in the early hours of Monday June 22. She had been struggling with illness for some time. Her agent Sébastien d'Assigny confirmed the sad news. "Guesch Patti, dancer, singer, actress, left us in the night of June 21-22, 2026 in Paris, following a long illness. She leaves behind, to all the audiences who were able to see her on stage, the memory of a woman full of life in her artistic expression," he penned in a statement to AFP.

The star was most famous for her colossal 1987 hit Étienne, which sold about one and a half million copies worldwide. The provocative video, which saw the star perform a striptease down to a fishnet body stocking with just two strips of tape covering her nipples, sparked controversy at the time and the track became a massive hit in France and across several European countries.

Although she continued to remain hugely popular and defined herself as a "chameleon" who liked to "work quietly with all the arts" she would never again match that song's success.

In a 2001 interview with AFP given while she was performing a run in a contemporary dance show in Paris she confided the song had consumed her career even though it had allowed her to win a Victoire de la musique award.

"I don't want to relive what I experienced with Etienne. I want to protect myself from further media hype. I'm done playing games," she said.

She made similar remarks in 2002, speaking to France 3. She described fame Etienne had brought her as a "burden". "I think there was a kind of pressure that fell on me, which didn't suit my character at all," she said admitting she was hurt the music industry could consider her "as a product."

Despite this, she continued to release music recording albums such as Nomades, Gobe, Blonde and Dernières nouvelles. She also turned her hand to acting on stage and screen including a notable appearance in Claude Lelouch's 199 film Une pour toutes.

Tributes flooded in for the star as news of her death became public. Writing on Facebook, one fan reflected: "She's gone, accompanied by the celebration of music, as if by magic, her greatest hit will live forever!! Hold on tight!! ... Étienne!!!" Another added: "Oh no. I adored her. I have all her albums and, contrary to what you read in the comments, her talent wasn't limited to Étienne."

A third chimed in: "Thinking of Guesch Patti. A free and influential artist, she left a unique mark on French music with her unforgettable song Étienne. Thank you for the music, for the audacity, and for the artistic energy."

Meanwhile a fourth penned: "Guesch Patti, an incredible, free-spirited artist who defined the 80s with her unique style and iconic voice, RIP Mademoiselle."