Alys Robi

Performing in Quebec City theaters from age seven, Robi became a national radio sensation on CBC during World War II, performing for Allied troops in London. Her glamorous Latin rhythms and French interpretations of Bésame Mucho and Chica Chica Boom Chic made her Canada's first international pop star.

In 1948, following a severe car crash and subsequent breakdown, she was institutionalized against her will in a Quebec asylum, where doctors subjected her to a lobotomy in 1952. Defying all odds, Robi fought her way back to the stage, speaking publicly about mental health and inspiring a bestselling biopic and television series.