Real name Marie-France Gaîté, the singer known under the pseudonym Gribouille was born in Lyon on July 17, 1941. She performed in the city's cabarets before moving to Paris, where she began drawing with chalk on the sidewalks. This is how she came to the attention of Jean Cocteau, who introduced her to the Boeuf sur le Toit and drew her portrait. Her short haircut, which made her look like a boy, attracted attention in the clubs of Paris's Left Bank. After a confidential first record, Gribouille was soon offered a recording contract by Columbia, who surrounded her with composers such as Charles Dumont, Jacques Debronckart, Gérard Bourgeois, Georges Chelon, Jean-Max Rivière and Jean-Claude Annoux for her emblematic songs with dark lyrics, "Si j'ai le cœur en berne", "On n'a pas le droit", "Mourir de joie" (1964), "Gueule de bois", "Mathias" and "Les Corbeaux " (1965), sung in her deep voice. In 1966, the singer opened for François Deguelt at Bobino (Paris), and continued to record new songs, including "Dieu Julie " (1966), "Elle t'attend" (1967) and "Ostende " (1968). The best-known songs were recorded on a single album, released in 1968, after his death. On January 18, 1968, Gribouille was discovered lifeless in her apartment in the 12th arrondissement. The 26-year-old singer had succumbed to an excess of barbiturates and alcohol. Posthumous compilations include Mourir de Joie (1990) and Mathias (1997).
