Connie Francis, once the world's best selling female artist and the voice behind timeless hits like Stupid Cupid and Who's Sorry Now, has died at the age of 87.

Her passing was confirmed by Ron Roberts, president of her record label, who said the star had recently been hospitalized with a pelvic fracture and was later diagnosed with pneumonia. She died on Wednesday night. "I know Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news,” Roberts said in a Facebook tribute.

Francis had recently experienced a surprising revival in popularity when her 1962 song Pretty Little Baby went viral on TikTok. Millions of users, including Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, lip synced to the song while sharing affectionate moments with loved ones or pets. One video alone, by influencers Brooke Monk and Sam Dezz, garnered over 158 million views.

The renewed attention even reached Broadway, where actress Gracie Lawrence, who plays Francis in the musical Just in Time, performed the song in character. ABBA’s Agnetha Faltskog also declared Francis her longtime favorite singer.

Speaking to People magazine last month, Francis expressed disbelief at the resurgence: “To tell you the truth, I didn’t even remember the song! To think that a track I recorded 63 years ago is touching hearts again,it’s truly awesome.”

Born Concetta Rosemarie Franconero in Brooklyn to a working-class Italian-American family, Francis began playing accordion at age three. Her father was her earliest champion, pushing her toward music from childhood. She changed her name and gained exposure on the variety show Startime Kids, but early record deals failed to take off.

She was on the verge of quitting music and studying medicine when her father insisted she record a 1923 tune, Who's Sorry Now? a move that changed her life. Though skeptical at first, Francis agreed. The song aired unexpectedly on American Bandstand, and host Dick Clark predicted she’d reach number one. He was right.

Over the next few years, Francis soared. With hits like Lipstick On Your Collar and Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool the first Billboard #1 by a woman she became a pop powerhouse. She was also a multilingual pioneer, recording in German, French, Japanese, and more. Her theme for the film Where the Boys Are was released in seven languages.

In 1963, she recorded In the Summer of His Years, one of the earliest charity singles, in tribute to President John F. Kennedy.

As the music landscape shifted in the mid-60s, Francis's popularity declined. A failed nasal surgery temporarily robbed her of her voice. Then, in 1974, while attempting a comeback, she was raped at knifepoint in a motel. The trauma led to years of depression, hospitalization, and a suicide attempt.

She later revealed that it was her adopted son Joey who unknowingly saved her. Just as she considered taking her life, he knocked on the bathroom door and said, “Mommy, you’re the best mommy I ever had.” That moment gave her strength to go on.

Francis sued the motel for inadequate security and won $1.5 million. But tragedy struck again in 1981 when her younger brother, George, was murdered outside his home after testifying against the mafia. The grief pushed her deeper into despair, and she was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Despite these hardships, Francis emerged as a powerful advocate for mental health and victims' rights. She worked with Women Against Rape and Mental Health America, using her voice for more than just music.

Francis returned to the stage in 1989 and continued performing into her 70s. She never lost her connection with fans, and earlier this month she shared from her hospital bed that she was being treated for hip pain, but remained in good spirits.

Looking back on her extraordinary life, she once said, “With the exception of my brother’s murder, I would do it all over again. Because although there were some terrible lows, there were also exhilarating highs that I would have never felt in any other profession.”