TikTok has been stuck on Connie Francis lately, and now Connie Francis is on TikTok. The retired pop singer has joined the video platform in celebration of her 1962 deep cut “Pretty Little Baby” going viral.
Francis released lots of hits in her heyday, including 1960’s “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” which made her the first woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. She later topped the chart with “My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own” and “Don’t Break The Heart That Loves You.” But “Pretty Little Baby” was relatively obscure until it somewhat randomly caught fire on TikTok this year, appearing in videos by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner and on millions of other accounts. The song has now racked up more than 27 billion views on TikTok.
In celebration, Francis, 87, has joined TikTok and shared a message of gratitude. On her official account, @connie_francis_official, she posted a video message. The caption reads, “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.” In the video, she says, “I’m flabbergasted and excited about the huge buzz my 1962 recording of ‘Pretty Little Baby’ is making all over the world. To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations and audiences is truly overwhelming for me. Thank you, TikTok.”
Tracy Gardner, TikTok’s Global Head of Music Business development, shared her own statement about Francis’ surprise viral sensation: “The huge viral success of ‘Pretty Little Baby’ is the perfect example of the power of music discovery on TikTok. Thanks to the TikTok community, this little-known track from the 1960s has been given a new lease of life, and has introduced Connie Francis and her incredible legacy to a whole new audience, both on and off the platform.”
Bruce Resnikoff, President & CEO of UMe, the global catalog division of Universal Music Group, visited Francis’ home in Parkland, Florida on Friday to present her with a plaque commemorating the resurgence of “Pretty Little Baby.” Resnikoff offered a statement declaring Francis “a living legend and groundbreaking trailblazer,” noting that she sold more than 200 million records worldwide and sent 53 songs to the Hot 100. “Now at the age of 87 years young we are thrilled and couldn’t be happier that she has her first ‘viral hit’ with ‘Pretty Little Baby,’” he said.
In the wake of the song’s big moment, German electronic duo LIZOT have released a new dance remix of “Pretty Little Baby.” Alternate versions of “Pretty Little Baby” in French (“La Seul Qui T’aime”), German (“Alle Jungen Leute”), Italian (“Baby”), Japanese (“Kawaī Beibi”), Spanish (“Linda Muchachita”) and Swedish (“Sjunger På Svenska”) language versions on the new digital release Pretty Little Baby – International Versions.
Listen to the international versions of the Connie Francis smash “Pretty Little Baby” now.
