Marianne Faithfull, born in Hampstead on December 29, 1946, was a convent-educated teenager who left school upon meeting the Rolling Stones. Renowned for her delicate features and charm, she enjoyed chart success before battling alcohol and drug addiction.
Post her split with Mick Jagger, Faithfull endured years as a heroin addict in Soho before reviving her singing career, producing over 20 albums. Her whiskey-soaked voice, now husky and emotive, reflected the turmoil of her life experiences.
Faithfull's mother, Baroness Eva Sacher-Masoch, a Hungarian former dancer who fled the Nazis, and her father, Major Glyn Faithfull, an eccentric ex-MI6 agent turned professor, shaped her unusual childhood. Raised in an Oxfordshire commune, she later faced struggles in Roman Catholic boarding school.
Her entry into the music scene in 1960s London, marked by hits like As Tears Go By" and "Come and Stay with Me, led to a marriage, collaborations with the Rolling Stones, and acting roles. Despite personal crises, including addiction, failed relationships, and health issues, she continued to release albums and even ventured into writing and gardening.
Faithfull's resilience in overcoming hardships, as captured in her music and life story, epitomizes a journey from turbulent times to artistic renaissance.