She is widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer and one of the most celebrated performers of the 20th century. Having begun her career touring with her father at age fourteen, her fame increased during the German occupation of France and in , Piaf's signature song, "La Vie en rose" ' life in pink ' was published.
She became France's most popular entertainer in the late s, also touring Europe, South America and the United States, where her popularity led to eight appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Piaf continued to perform, including several series of concerts at the Paris Olympia music hall, until a few months before her death in at age Her last song, "L'Homme de Berlin", was recorded with her husband in April Since her death, several documentaries and films have been produced about Piaf's life as a touchstone of French culture.
Despite numerous biographies, much of Piaf's life is unknown. When her father enlisted with the French Army in to fight in World War I , he took her to his mother, who ran a brothel in Bernay, Normandy. There, prostitutes helped look after Piaf. In fact, five or six were permanent while a dozen others would join the brothel during market days and other busy days. The sub-mistress of the brothel was called "Madam Gaby" and Piaf considered her almost like family; later, she became godmother of Denise Gassion, Piaf's half-sister born in From the age of three to seven, Piaf was allegedly blind as a result of keratitis.
Piaf claimed this resulted in a miraculous healing. At age 14, Piaf was taken by her father to join him in his acrobatic street performances all over France, where she first began to sing in public.
Berteaut later falsely represented herself as Piaf's half-sister in a memoir. With the additional money Piaf earned as part of an acrobatic trio, she and Berteaut were able to rent their own place. After Piaf's relationship with Dupont ended, Marcelle, who had been living with her father, contracted meningitis and died in July , aged two. Piaf was questioned and accused as an accessory, but acquitted. Piaf also performed in various nightclubs and brothels, which flourished between and Piaf paid for Emer to travel into France before German occupation, where he lived in safety until the liberation.
