Debbie Harry’s Love Life: From Chris Stein Romance to Thriving Solo at 79
See which rock legends tried to hit on her—and why she says Home Depot is the best place to flirt!
Debbie Harry, the frontwoman of Blondie, is one of the most iconic women in rock. With her sweet yet sassy voice and commanding stage presence, Harry’s musical career paved the way for countless female musicians in her wake, and her creativity in merging seemingly disparate genres, from punk to disco to hip-hop, was truly ahead of its time.
Harry’s bleached-blonde hair (which gave the band its name, though she was always careful to remind people that Blondie was a band, not a person, even if she received more attention than her male bandmates) and daring fashions made her a late ’70s and early ’80s sex symbol, and her long relationship with Blondie’s guitarist, Chris Stein, made the band’s dynamic all the more intriguing.
Now approaching her 80s (it’s hard to believe, but she was already in her 30s when Blondie hit the scene in the ’70s!), Harry remains the pinnacle of cool, and she’s always refused to follow society’s expectations, as she’s never married and remained happily child-free. Here’s a look at the “Heart of Glass” singer’s love life, from her personal and professional partnership with her bandmate to her refreshingly honest take on dating as a mature woman.
Debbie Harry and Chris Stein: Blondie’s punk power couple
Debbie Harry and Chris Stein met through New York City’s storied underground music scene in 1973, when Harry was in the short-lived punk band the Stilettos. Stein was instantly attracted to her, recalling, “When I first met Debbie I just thought she was really fantastic, musically. I think I just saw what a lot of other people saw later on. She was very charismatic and beautiful and all that stuff,” and he soon became the band’s guitarist.
In 1974, Harry and Stein left the Stilettos to form Blondie, and built up a steady following through regular performances at counter-culture clubs like Max’s Kansas City and CBGB. By 1978, Blondie had their breakthrough with “Heart of Glass,” and their mainstream success continued with catchy hit singles like “Call Me,” “Rapture” and “The Tide Is High.” Blondie broke up in 1982 (but have been reunited since 1997), and Harry and Stein’s relationship lasted for the entirety of Blondie’s original run and then some, as they broke up in 1987.
Harry and Stein’s relationship had its share of drama, as the musicians ran into financial troubles in the ’80s and battled addiction. On top of that, in 1983, Stein was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease, which led to Harry being his caretaker while both parties were still using drugs. Harry and Stein are both now sober, and they remain close friends decades after the breakup.
Reflecting on the ups and downs of her 13-year relationship, Harry said, “I’m looking back on all of this in a romanticized light. Memory being what it is. We were struggling, but we were happy for the most part. Our personalities working together—my shortcomings and Chris’ shortcomings. We actually made one great person.”
Harry ended up becoming godmother to Stein’s two daughters (one of whom tragically died from an overdose in 2023) and still has much affection for her bandmate and former boyfriend, saying, “I just love Chris very, very much. He’s got a great sense of humor, a great talent. I think we were really lucky to meet each other and have this great adventure.”
Debbie Harry’s takes on marriage, motherhood and dating
During Blondie’s prime, rock gods like David Bowie and Iggy Pop courted Harry (as Pop remembered, “We didn’t get anywhere, but she was always very smooth about that”), and she had brief relationships with magician Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller and character actor Harry Dean Stanton following her breakup with Stein.
Harry never felt compelled to get married, and in a recent interview with The Sunday Times, she said that from her early years onward, “I wanted to get out in the world. Maybe if I’d have been madly in love I would have settled down, but it wasn’t like that for me. I had ambition.”
In the interview, Harry also spoke bluntly about not having kids, admitting, “I think I would have been a terrible parent. Although, who knows? I salute anyone who raises a family, but it doesn’t bother me for some reason. I guess there’s some missing element in my chromosomes.”
Harry is currently single, and doesn’t care to try online dating. As she told The Sunday Times, “I haven’t tried. I like chemistry between people . . . I had a friend who was an avid practitioner of online dating and she met a terrific guy. But I don’t know if I’m in the right position to be dating online.” She also quipped, “Home Depot is where I do all my flirting. There are some big, strong men there.”
Harry has always been a rebel, and it’s clear that her quirky take on marriage, motherhood and dating are of a piece with her genre-blending music and punk-meets-glam style. Long after Blondie first hit the charts, Harry has the same devil-may-care vibe she did in the ’70s, and we can’t help but love her for it.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
