Connie Francis, one of the best-selling female artists in history and a defining voice of 1950s and 60s pop, has died at the age of 87 following a brief illness.

Francis passed away on Wednesday night after being hospitalised for pelvic pain caused by a fracture. During her stay, she was diagnosed with pneumonia, according to Ron Roberts, the president of her record label, who confirmed her death to BBC News.

Roberts had earlier announced the news on Facebook, saying he did so "with a heavy heart and extreme sadness," adding, "I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news."

Her death comes only months after her 1962 song Pretty Little Baby experienced an unexpected resurgence on TikTok, where it became a trending soundtrack for videos featuring children, pets, and romantic gestures.

Celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner were among those who used the song, and one video by influencers Brooke Monk and Sam Dezz was viewed over 158 million times.

The song's popularity also reached ABBA singer Agnetha Fältskog, who declared Francis her longtime favourite singer. Actress Gracie Lawrence, currently portraying Francis in the Broadway musical Just in Time, also paid tribute by sharing a video of herself performing the song in costume.

Reacting to the song’s viral success in a recent interview, Francis admitted, "To tell you the truth, I didn't even remember the song! I had to listen to it to remember. To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is touching the hearts of millions of people is truly awesome. It is an amazing feeling."

Born Concetta Rosemarie Franconero in Brooklyn, New York, Francis grew up in a working-class Italian American family.

Her father, who was deeply involved in her career, introduced her to music at an early age, buying her an accordion when she was three.

As a teenager, she began appearing on the variety show Startime Kids and adopted the name Connie Francis.

Her early attempts to break into music were met with rejection until she secured a contract with MGM Records, largely because a demo track she recorded was named Freddy—the same name as the label president’s son.

Even then, her first releases failed commercially, and she briefly considered studying medicine.

Her breakthrough came with a cover of the 1923 ballad Who’s Sorry Now?, which she recorded only at her father’s insistence.

Though reluctant at first, Francis changed her mind when the song was featured on the influential show American Bandstand, with host Dick Clark predicting it would be a hit.

He was right. The song’s success marked the beginning of a career filled with chart-topping singles including Stupid Cupid, Lipstick On Your Collar, and Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool—the first song by a female artist to top the Billboard Hot 100.

Francis was also known for her multilingual performances. Her 1961 hit Where the Boys Are, from the film of the same name, was released in seven different languages.

She recorded one of the first charity singles in 1963—In The Summer Of His Years—in honour of President John F. Kennedy after his assassination.

Despite her fame, Francis’s life was marked by tragedy and personal struggle. After a 1974 performance, she was raped at knifepoint in her motel room.

The trauma led her to withdraw from public life and spend years in psychiatric hospitals, where she later claimed she was admitted against her will. At her lowest point, she attempted suicide, but was stopped by her adopted son.

"I was looking at this bottle of sleeping pills... and my son knocked at the door of the bathroom and he said, 'Mommy, you're the best mommy I ever had'. And that was it. I took the pills and threw them right down the toilet."

She later won a $1.5 million lawsuit against the motel chain for negligence, and became an advocate for victims of sexual assault and mental health awareness.

Her return to the spotlight in 1981 was cut short when her younger brother, George Franconero, was murdered outside his home after testifying against the mafia—an event that plunged her back into depression.

She was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder but continued to advocate through organisations such as Women Against Rape and Mental Health America.

In 1989, Francis resumed performing and recording. She continued entertaining sold-out audiences into her 70s.

Earlier this month, Francis told fans she was being treated for hip pain but remained optimistic.

Reflecting on her life in 2010, she said, "With the exception of my brother's murder, I would do it all over again. Because although there were some terrible lows, there were also exhilarating highs that I would have never felt in any other profession."