DIVA TALK ‘One Way or Another,’ Blondie Is Back

By Louie Ranieri Staff Writer

The iconic blonde of “Blondie,” Debbie Harry, is releasing the group’s first album in nine years! The band got back together in 2022 in New York City to start recording “High Noon” with producer John Congleton, who had worked with the band on their 2017 album, “Pollinator.” This is the group’s 12th studio album and last album with their drummer, Clem Burke, who died in April 2025 after a cancer diagnosis. He played drums on the group’s most iconic hits such as “Heart of Glass,” “One Way or Another,” and my personal favorite, “Call Me.” Debbie Harry spoke out about this album, stating, “This album is classic Blondie - an amalgamation of all our different influences and eras into something new. This music feels grounded in the present, shaped by who we are and how we’re living now.” It is truly beyond amazing that the group is making an album with different elements that they are known for. Their first single “Spectral Eyes” is a classic punk song. I am not the biggest fan of punk, but I personally like their rock ’n roll songs that have a little punk infused into them more. My favorite part of the song is Harry’s vocals. She still maintains a very clear yet gritty attitude in her voice - I can definitely hear her signature sound. I love when an artist doesn’t change with time but rather evolves with time as many other legends do by reinventing themselves while maintaining their iconic traits. Debbie Harry has truly held on to her authentic self over the years. She has had a life with many stories worth telling and I feel are important to be told. She was adopted at 3 months old, always fantasizing that her biological mother was Marilyn Monroe, which became the reason she dyed her hair blonde, to later being in the band “Blondie” named after her appearance. Growing up, she always knew she was adopted, but knowing this left her with trauma. Every day, this caused her massive fears of being abandoned. Even if a group of friends went their separate ways for the day, she’d fear that they’d never come back. This next story’s content may trigger some readers. Later on in the mid-1970s, Debbie Harry and Chris Stein (her boyfriend from 1973-1989 and the group’s guitarist) were ambushed at the door of their New York apartment by an armed robber. The attacker forced his way inside, held them at knifepoint, and tied Stein to a bedpost using a pair of pantyhose. After tying Harry’s hands behind her back and ransacking the home for guitars and cameras, the robber untied her hands, forced her onto a mattress, and raped her. She shocked the public with her uniquely detached perspective on this outrageous event, writing in her autobiography “Face It” - “I can’t say that I felt a lot of fear. ... In the end, the stolen guitars hurt me more than the rape.” She explained that the guitars were their actual livelihood, and she refused to let the attacker strip away her dignity or leave her feeling mentally battered. This occurrence just shows how strong of a woman she is. The fact that she went on wanting to protect the music more than herself displays her strength and passion for music. Before meeting Stein, Harry was trapped in a deeply abusive relationship with a violent man. After she finally built up the courage to leave him, he began stalking her. One night, he tracked her down, shattered her bedroom window, burst into her room, and held a pistol directly to her cheek, threatening her life. I typically wouldn’t write about this subject, but I feel that it is important that people hear her story. Debbie Harry deserves so much more. She doesn’t get the flowers she deserves in the music world and for being an amazing woman who has survived and overcome horrendous situations. Debbie Harry is now 81 years old and still a powerhouse of a woman, still performing and now releasing new music! I am looking forward to this album being released on Feb. 26, 2027. Until then, I’ll be listening to the iconic sounds of “Blondie” and taking notes on how to have the longevity that Debbie Harry continues to carry herself with.