Debbie Harry explains how she knew she was an icon
It would be hard to argue that Debbie Harry is not a true icon of the 20th Century, regardless of whether you like Blondie or her solo output. Harry’s work in the band, her unique trademark appearance, her efforts in the world of film, and the fact she has been captured by artists such as Andy Warhol, have made her an icon in every sense of the word.
When Harry was asked the moment at which she knew she was a rockstar in an interview with The Talks, she modestly replied: “Wow! You know, the fickle finger of fate, you’re only as big as your last hit!” However, she then admitted, “Actually, I think it was when Blondie stopped working for a long period, and I’d started the band Dirty Harry and doing some solo things.”
She continued: “I came back in the nineties with Blondie, and in an interview, I was asked, ‘How does it feel to be an icon?’ I had never really thought of using that particular word. It was kind of shocking, and I wasn’t so sure about it. But I guess with the passage of time and looking back at some of the things I did and some of the things we did musically, it really was iconic.”
It’s undeniable that Harry is indeed one of the biggest icons in the music world. However, she also notes that the reason she achieved her status was through the hard work of both herself, her fellow band members and a number of executives within the industry. “I think anybody who joins a rock band or starts a rock band works very hard to build an audience,” she said.
“We worked very hard for many years and had the help of the record label Chrysalis,” Harry added. “In combination with that hard work, I’ve done a lot of press and photography over the years. It works! What can I say? We’re very happy and very, very, very proud that people like the music. That’s why we do it in the first place.”
Interestingly, Harry is so iconic that she has often been referred to merely as “Blondie”, which is, of course, the name of her band rather than a stage name. “I mean, I am recognisably known as Blondie, and it was my idea for the band’s name,” she said but admitted that she sees the band as bigger than herself: “We are partners, and we all have shares in the band. Blondie is definitely a group identity.”
Discussing the fact that she managed both a solo career and Blondie’s career at the same time, Harry noted: “I didn’t have a strong push behind me as a solo artist, so there was a limited engagement, as it were. But I had fun doing both. I think some of the best songs I’ve written or made lyrics for are on some of those solo albums. And I was always hopeful that my work, my lyrics, would be used in a film.”