From facelifts to high-intensity training, she treated aging like a process to manage, not fear. Plastic surgery, she said, was “basically another way of looking after yourself.”

With her platinum hair, no-apologies attitude, and sharp voice, this star became a punk icon in an era dominated by men. But as the decades passed, she understood what it took to stay visible in an industry that favored the young.

Thus, whether it was cosmetic surgery, a grueling fitness routine, or simply staying honest about how hard it all was, she embraced the challenge. Take a closer look at her journey over the years, and discover how this musical legend presents herself now at 79.

Her Rise to Fame

Long before her voice came to define the sound of a New York underground movement, this star was just a girl from New Jersey trying to break away from everything expected of her.

Born in Miami in 1945 and adopted at three, she was raised in the suburbs but never planned to stay. In the mid ’60s, she left home determined to live on her own terms, revealing:

“I wasn’t going to be the kind of woman who raises a family and lives in the suburbs. I wanted to be my own person. I guess that’s about as feminist as you can be.”

She worked as a go-go dancer and a waitress at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club and released music in 1968 with a short-lived band called Wind in the Willows. That independence would define the next chapter of her life, and eventually, she became the face of one of the most influential punk bands in music history.

In 1974, the famous singer and guitarist Chris Stein, who was also her partner at the time, formed a band with two musicians from her previous group, the Stilettos. The lineup would shift, but the chemistry was immediate.

Within a year, the musical group settled into five core members that would develop a signature style — sharp, stylish, and totally unlike anything else on stage.

As for the famous singer, her icy vocals, paired with tight, pulsing rhythms and raw synth energy, launched the band into the heart of New York’s emerging punk scene.

The hits followed, including singles like “Heart of Glass,” “Call Me,” and “Atomic.” However, as the band rode its wave into the early 1980s, everything suddenly stopped.

For her, plastic surgery wasn’t a secret — it was a strategy.

Stein was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder, and the famous frontwoman stepped back from the spotlight to care for him. Eventually, the band broke up. The famous singer’s romantic relationship with Stein also ended years later, but their creative bond never did.

She returned to the music scene as a solo artist, releasing albums through the late ’80s. None reached the commercial heights of her earlier work, but she admitted there was no strong urge to put the band back together at the time.

For a while, she imagined a quieter act — maybe something more intimate, even cabaret. But performing was always the constant. Then, the musical group finally reunited in 1997, more of a continuation than a comeback. Years later, the famous singer reflected:

“I guess when there’s no longer an audience, I’ll stop. But I’ve gone this far.”

Fame, she understood, was part of the deal — not the point, but not something to resent either. “Fame is important so far as having an audience goes […],” she said. “How else would you do it?”

She never complained about fans, the cameras, or the attention her fame brought, stating, “No, I appreciate my fans. How would I exist without them?” Looking back, she admitted she didn’t always enjoy the attention, but sometimes she did. Like everything else in her life, she owned it.

Plastic Surgery to Stay Young and Relevant

As the face of one of punk’s most iconic bands, this frontwoman never kept quiet about the realities of aging in the spotlight. While others dodged the question, she leaned into it. For her, plastic surgery wasn’t a secret — it was a strategy.

She described it plainly in her memoir, “I think it’s the same as having a flu shot; basically another way of looking after yourself. If it makes you feel better and look better and work better, that’s what it’s all about.”

At times, even small pleasures, like devouring a whole pizza, came with second thoughts.

She had her first facelift in the early ’90s. The famous singer chose her doctor carefully, did her research, and avoided the kind of rushed decisions she saw others make.

“For me, it wasn’t just a madness. That does happen. Panic sets in, and people make bad decisions. But not me. I did my homework. There were places I went to that were really scary, and I ran out,” she explained.

By her own account, the results held up well. Years later, she could still run her fingers over her cheekbones with a sense of satisfaction. However, the musical star began making bold changes to her appearance long before plastic surgery entered the picture.

At 14, she was bleaching her hair to look like Marilyn Monroe and maintained that striking look well into her 70s. But it wasn’t just about vanity. “I did it for business reasons,” she said bluntly. In her world, staying young meant staying relevant — and surgery helped her do both. She revealed:

“Getting older is hard on your looks. Like everybody else, I have good days, bad days, and those ‘[…] I hope nobody sees me today’ days.”

The famous singer never pretended that aging didn’t affect her. It did. She acknowledged the anxiety and the physical toll, especially for women. “It really is radical and hormonal,” she said. “Women just have a more rigorous time physically than men. It’s a challenge.”

At times, even small pleasures, like devouring a whole pizza, came with second thoughts. “You eat the pizza, and then you go home and feel rough about yourself. You’re just going to regret it,” she admitted.

Still, with five decades of fame behind her, she admitted the attention on her appearance could be frustrating. At times, it made her question. “It’s sometimes made me wonder if I’ve ever accomplished anything beyond my image,” she said.

While dating might not have been top of her mind, her upcoming 80th birthday certainly was.

But despite the double-edged nature of beauty, this star found her footing with age. She declared, “In some ways. I feel better about myself now, more comfortable in my own skin. But it’s a tricky business. You start to think about the value of beauty as you’re growing older.”

Part of that confidence came from discipline. She stayed fit with the help of a personal trainer, who led her through intense sessions of twisting and stretching.

It was hardcore, but it helped her feel strong, focused, and in control. With no family history to show her how she might age, this musical icon was figuring it out herself. “I’m aging my own way,” she said.

Her Life Now

This musical star and actress is none other than Debbie Harry of Blondie, who, at 79, stands out as a punk legend and icon who’s learned how to live on her own terms.

While she no longer trains with the punishing intensity of her earlier years, Harry still stays in shape by walking her two Japanese Chins. “Or they walk me,” she joked. She’s also given up most vices — if she ever had many to begin with.

Her signature humor, a blend of mischief and honesty, is still fully intact. So is her curiosity. “I like the way the world spins,” she said. “I’m definitely not so adventurous as I was, but I’m still curious.”

However, that curiosity hasn’t extended to dating — at least, not yet. When asked if she was in a relationship in January, she didn’t hesitate, declaring, “No! God forbid! I’m terrified.”

Harry then laughed and backtracked, unsure if it was a matter of age or opportunity. She was ultimately encouraged to get back out there, but the idea of dating still felt uncertain. While dating might not have been top of her mind, her upcoming 80th birthday certainly was. Harry said:

“I don’t walk around thinking every minute, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to be 80.’ But that’s sort of how I feel.”

Her mother had once told her she still felt 25 in her head, and Harry had always related to that. “But thinking about it all the time could be your downfall,” the star shared. Instead, she looked back at her younger years with a sense of contentment and looked forward to the future.

“That’s the beauty of aging; you know what it’s about. You have it in your heart and soul and your memory bank…or does that sound like an excuse? Should I go out and party every night?” Harry humorously stated.

While she may have been joking about clubbing again, Harry wasn’t ruling out a proper celebration for her upcoming birthday. “Oh yeah, I’m going to have a whopping great party with everyone there,” she said.

And if the internet is any indication, she’ll have no shortage of admirers cheering her on. Online, fans continue to praise Harry’s enduring presence and style. One wrote, “She was fine in the ’70s, and she is fine in her 70s!” Another simply shared, “She is wonderful,” while a third commented, “Her beauty is ageless.”

However, not all feedback is without critique. One netizen noted, “Unfortunately the surgery changed her annunciation [sic].” But overall, the sentiment remains clear — Harry’s magnetism has never really faded, it’s just evolved.