French singer dies on stage midway through festival performance

Reports say Weldens was singing barefoot and was electrocuted. Photo / YouTube/Barbara Weldens

An up-and-coming French singer collapsed and died during a festival concert, likely after being electrocuted.

Barbara Weldens, 35, was singing at the Festival Léo Ferré in a church in the village of Goudron in the southwest region of Lot, France, on Wednesday when she collapsed after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest, the Daily Mail reports.

While the cause of death is still unknown, it is believed that she was electrocuted while performing.

Weldens was performing barefoot and had a live recording device on stage, according to Le Depeche.

Police have launched an investigation into her death but have not speculated on the circumstances.

They are reportedly analyzing several videos taken the night of the festival as part of the investigation.

Weldens released her first studio album, Le grand H de l'homme, earlier this year and had won a young talent award in 2016.

The singer, who grew up in the circus, was in the middle of a tour when she collapsed.
Following the singer's death, the Festival Léo Ferré was canceled.

Organisers of the Pic d'Or, gave Weldens a young talent award in 2016, released a statement, speaking of her energy and talent.

The statement said: "It was with great emotion that we learned this morning of the death of Barbara Weldens, our Pic d'Or 2016 at a concert last night in Gourdon in the Lot, obviously electrocuted.

"Our team is deeply disturbed by the brutal disappearance of the artist who had appeared on the stage of the Theater des Nouveaux on May 20th, during our last edition.

"A radiant woman, full of energy and talented, and of course we think of all her family and her loved ones."