Legendary French singer, actress, and vocalist Guesch Patti, whose birth name is Patricia Porrasse, has died at the age of 80.
Reports confirming her passing in Paris, France, surfaced in the early hours of Monday, June 22, following a prolonged battle with illness.
Her representative, Sébastien d’Assigny, confirmed the sad news in an official statement.
“Guesch Patti, dancer, singer, actress, left us in the night of June 21-22, 2026, in Paris, following a long illness. She leaves behind, to all the audiences who were able to see her on stage, the memory of a woman full of life in her artistic expression,” he wrote in a statement to AFP.
Patti rose to international prominence after the release of her 1987 hit Étienne, which went on to sell approximately one and a half million copies worldwide.
In related reports, Grammy-winning Nigerian singer and songwriter Mark Yinka Orabiyi, better known as Talay Riley, has also died. The artist reportedly lost his life following a violent stabbing incident in East London.
He was 35 years old. According to local publication Newham Recorder, the attack took place at about 9 am on Friday, June 5, along Pankhurst Avenue in Silvertown.
Below are some of the reactions following the news of Guesch Patti’s passing:
Martina Ruinat commented: “1987 already? I was there 15 and thought the song was soooo cool. There was something different back then. Not soft washed and the video was on MTV. Oh yes, back in the day…. RIP Guesch Patti.”
Stefan Schuster said: “Etienne is one of the greatest hits of all time. Great voice, great rhythm, great singer. Too bad the world has become poorer again.”
Thomas Pichler wrote: “Unfortunately, to my shame, I only knew Patties “Étienne”. However, that remained the case in every respect: Whether the sensational 12″ Extend version, the blessed video in the beautiful sw-Look or simply the song as a trendsetter wave for a lot of French songs and interpreters here. A sensational song.”
