Trilled / Rolled "R"s?

Question

I've been listening to a couple CDs that include Edith Piaf. Sometimes she rolls or trills her "R"s like in Spanish. Is this customary, local usage, artistic license or?

Answer 1

"R"s are often rolled in French songs (when sung by French singers), even though the singers, for example Edith Piaf, use a standard "r" sound when speaking.

(We don't have anything comparable in English to this phenomenon, that's why it sounds odd to us.:-) )