Pauline Julien was a talented artist who expressed her passion for her ideals and beliefs - and her dreams for an independent Quebec - through her songs. The celebrated singer and actress performed across Canada and in many parts of the world.

The youngest of eleven children, Pauline Julien was born in Trois-Rivières, Quebec and headed to Quebec at nineteen to pursue a career in the arts. After gaining some experience in the theatre she married actor Jacques Galipeau in 1950, and the pair headed to Paris thanks to a grant from the Quebec government. Pauline studied drama and began singing in cafes along the Left Bank. After returning to Montreal in 1961 the singer performed material from notable Quebec singers like Gilles Vigneault and began recording her music. Pauline Julien recorded twenty solo albums in a period of thirty years, as well as composing many well-loved songs. She also took university courses and acted in some films.

Pauline Julien was a vocal supporter of the independence movement in Quebec, and refused to perform for Queen Elizabeth II. She was involved in many political activities related to sovereignty and was jailed for several days in 1970 during the October Crisis.

• Pauline Julien: Encyclopedia of Music in Canada