Musicians & Composers · Head-to-head
Édith Piaf vs Ella Fitzgerald
Yes — based on their recorded years, Édith Piaf (1915–1963) and Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf was a French singer regarded as France's most celebrated popular vocalist, known for emotionally powerful songs including 'La Vie en Rose' and 'Non, je ne regrette rien.'
Key achievements
- Rose from performing on the streets of Paris to becoming France's most celebrated singer.
- Wrote and performed the iconic song 'La Vie en Rose' in 1946.
- Supported and mentored other performers, including Charles Aznavour, early in their careers.
- Became a national cultural icon whose funeral drew massive crowds in Paris in 1963.
Fast fact
Piaf's 1946 song 'La Vie en Rose,' which she co-wrote, became one of the most enduring symbols of French popular music and has been covered by artists across the world.
Full profile of Édith Piaf →Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald was an American jazz vocalist known as the 'First Lady of Song,' celebrated for her purity of tone and virtuosic scat singing over a career spanning six decades.
Key achievements
- Rose to fame after winning an amateur talent contest at Harlem's Apollo Theater in 1934.
- Became renowned for her innovative and virtuosic scat singing technique.
- Won 13 Grammy Awards throughout her recording career.
- Recorded influential 'songbook' albums interpreting the work of major American composers.
Fast fact
Fitzgerald won 13 Grammy Awards over her career and was one of the first African American women to win a Grammy, at the very first Grammy Awards ceremony in 1959.
Full profile of Ella Fitzgerald →Who lived first, Édith Piaf or Ella Fitzgerald?
Édith Piaf (1915–1963) lived first, before Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996), based on their recorded years.
Were Édith Piaf and Ella Fitzgerald contemporaries?
Yes — based on their recorded years, Édith Piaf (1915–1963) and Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) were alive at the same time for at least part of their lives.
What do Édith Piaf and Ella Fitzgerald have in common?
Both Édith Piaf and Ella Fitzgerald are grouped among our Musicians & Composers figures and lived during the Modern Era.