Serge Gainsbourg was one of the most daring, controversial, and influential figures in 20th-century French music. A songwriter, singer, composer, actor, and filmmaker, he spent his career blurring boundaries - between poetry and pop, art and provocation, intimacy and scandal. To some, he was a genius, to others, a provocateur. To all, he was unforgettable. Serge Gainsbourg was born Lucien Ginsburg on April 2, 1928, in Paris, to Jewish-Russian immigrant parents who had fled the Russian Revolution. His father was a classically trained pianist who passed on his love of music, though Lucien’s childhood was overshadowed by the Nazi occupation of France. As a Jewish boy in occupied Paris, he lived under persecution, an experience that deeply marked his worldview. After World War II, Gainsbourg pursued painting at art school, inspired by modernist artists, but soon turned to music as a more immediate outlet. He played piano in cabarets, gradually developing his own style of songwriting, one that drew on chanson, jazz, and wordplay. In the late 1950s, Gainsbourg began releasing albums, such as “du Chant à la une!...” (1958), showcasing sharp, literate lyrics that set him apart from the romantic chanson tradition. Initially, he found only modest success, but his wit and daring soon made him a favorite among the Parisian intelligentsia. By the 1960s, Gainsbourg was experimenting with new styles: jazz, pop, and yé-yé (a French take on rock & roll). He wrote songs for artists like France Gall, Juliette Gréco, and Brigitte Bardot. His collaborations with Bardot, whom he also briefly romanced, produced classics such as “Bonnie & Clyde” and “Harley Davidson”. In 1969, Gainsbourg achieved international notoriety with “Je t’aime moi non plus”, a duet with British actress and singer Jane Birkin, his partner at the time. The song, with its breathy vocals and erotic overtones, was banned in several countries but became a worldwide hit. Gainsbourg had originally written it for Bardot, but she asked him not to release their version to avoid scandal. The Birkin duet cemented Gainsbourg’s reputation as France’s enfant terrible - a man unafraid to shock in the service of art. In 1971 he released the album “Histoire de Melody Nelson”, recognized today as one of the greatest releases of all time, and highly influential to many other artists. It included the songs “Ballade de Melody Nelson”, “Melody” and “Ah! Melody”. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Gainsbourg constantly reinvented himself. He explored reggae on “Aux armes et cætera” (1979), recorded in Kingston, Jamaica with members of Bob Marley’s band. The title track, a reggae version of the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise”, outraged traditionalists but was a commercial success. He also delved into funk, disco, and rock, all while maintaining his trademark lyrical sophistication and provocation. His songs often played with taboo themes: sex, death, politics, and identity. Onstage and in the media, Gainsbourg cultivated his image as a provocateur. He burned a 500 franc note on live TV to protest taxes. Famously, in a 1986 television interview, Gainsbourg told Whitney Houston in broken English, “I want to f**k you”, sparking outrage. These antics made him both reviled and adored. Beyond music, Gainsbourg directed films, including “Je t’aime moi non plus” (1976), starring Jane Birkin, which mirrored his fascination with sexuality and transgression. He also acted in numerous movies and published novels and essays, proving himself a true polymath. Gainsbourg’s personal life was as colourful as his work. His high-profile romances with Brigitte Bardot, Jane Birkin, and later Bambou (Caroline Paulus) made headlines. With Birkin, he had a daughter, Charlotte Gainsbourg, who became a successful actress and singer in her own right. Notorious for his drinking and smoking, Gainsbourg cultivated a disheveled, devil-may-care persona. Yet behind the mask was a man deeply sensitive to criticism and haunted by insecurities. Serge Gainsbourg died of a heart attack on March 2, 1991, at the age of 62. His funeral in Paris drew massive crowds, with fans mourning the loss of a national icon. Today, Gainsbourg is regarded as one of France’s greatest and most daring songwriters. His ability to merge sophisticated wordplay with modern pop forms paved the way for countless artists. He remains celebrated not only in France but internationally, influencing musicians across genres - from Beck to Jarvis Cocker. Gainsbourg once said, “Ugliness is in a way superior to beauty, because it lasts.” That aphorism reflects his whole approach to art: choosing provocation over polish, honesty over comfort, irony over sentimentality. His music, often shocking in its time, continues to resonate as witty, bold, and unapologetically human.