Edith Piaf - Carnegie Hall - La vie en rose 1956 - LIVE Édith Piaf ( UK : / ˈpiːæf / , US : / piːˈɑːf / , French : [ edit pjaf ] ( listen ) ; _ _ _ _ December 1915 – 10 October 1963) was a French singer, lyricist and actress. Noted as France's national singer , she was one of the country's most widely known international stars. Piaf's music was often autobiographical, and she specialized in realistic songs and torch ballads about love, loss, and sorrow. Her most widely known songs include " La V