Beloved pop music legend Connie Francis has died at the age of 87. Her longtime friend and label president, Ron Roberts, confirmed in a Facebook post shared early Thursday, July 17.
“It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night,” Roberts wrote. “I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news. More details will follow later.”
Two weeks before her death, the singer revealed on Facebook that doctors had hospitalized her due to “extreme pain” and were running tests to determine the cause.
Connie Francis’ Final Update: “Feeling Much Better”
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty ImagesOn July 2, Francis posted that she had been readmitted to the hospital. In a video, she explained to fans: “I’ve been undergoing tests and checks to determine the cause(s) of the extreme pain I have been experiencing.”
Despite the worrying update, she reassured fans on July 4 with a hopeful note, writing that she was “feeling much better after a good night’s rest.”
Francis’ Final TikTok: A Heartfelt Thank You That Brought Her Music Back to the Spotlight
In her final weeks, Francis experienced an unexpected resurgence of fame when her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” became a viral sensation on TikTok.
TikTok users featured the B-side track in over 17 million videos, generating more than 27 billion views worldwide.
To celebrate the moment, Francis joined TikTok and shared a sweet thank-you video to her new generation of fans. “I’m flabbergasted and excited about the huge buzz my 1962 recording of ‘Pretty Little Baby’ is making all over the world,” she said in the clip.
“To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations of audiences is truly overwhelming for me.”
She ended the video by saying, “Thank you, TikTok.”
She Filled Her Final Message to Fans With Gratitude
In the caption of what would become her final video, Francis wrote: “My thanks to you all for the huge reception you have given to ‘Pretty Little Baby’. I am delighted to join the TikTok Community and share this moment with you.”
She captioned the video as: “Hi Everyone – I’m still astounded by the popularity of ‘Pretty Little Baby’. My thanks to Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, Kim Kardashian, North West Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Agnetha Fältskog, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Gracie Lawrence, Shaq O’Neal & Jimmy Fallon and others for their inclusions in the videos that contributed to the 17 billion-plus plays featuring the song!”
Her fans welcomed her with open arms, flooding the comments with messages of love and admiration.
‘Pretty Little Baby’: A Viral Hit 63 Years in the Making
Originally featured on her 1962 album “Connie Francis Sings ‘Second Hand Love’ & Other Hits,” “Pretty Little Baby” had only modest success at the time, with the album peaking at No. 111 on the Billboard Top LPs chart.
However, in May 2025, the song entered Spotify’s U.S. & Global charts for the first time, fueled by its popularity on TikTok. As per ABC News, Tracy Gardner, TikTok’s global head of music business development, called the phenomenon “an example of the power of music discovery on TikTok.”
Comments
[WATCH] Connie Francis’ Final TikTok Was a Thank You to Her Loyal Fans