She may have sung Die Young Stay Pretty in 1979, but Debbie Harry has reached the grand age of 70 – and she’s stayed pretty anyway.

Here are seven reasons we love Blondie’s lead singer – one for every decade. Happy birthday, Debbie!

1. She’s cool, collected and confident

Debbie doesn’t seem to have ever doubted that she’s sexy and beautiful. And why should she?

Debbie Harry (Evan Agostini/Invision)
Debbie Harry (Evan Agostini/Invision)

Some choice quotations:

“I’m not as perky as I used to be… but my bosoms are still pretty good” – 1998, The Telegraph

“I wasn’t going to be told by my record company how to look” – 2014, The Daily Mail

“The only person I really believe in is me” – 1980s interview

2. Blondie have kept going… and going
Blondie performing in 2011
Blondie performing in 2011 (Tony Marshall/EMPICS)

After forming in 1974, Blondie, split up in 1982 due to illness, drug use, and tensions within the band. But they just couldn’t stay apart.

By 1997 the band was back together and shot to the top of the charts again with Maria. Blondie have been together ever since – and they’re still going strong, bringing out a 10th album last year.

Hats off to a singer who can lead a band for over four decades, and still sing like this at the age of 68:

3. She once sang on the Muppet Show

Debbie wore a fantastic all-purple outfit with shoulder feathers to belt out Call Me with a bunch of Muppets providing back-up vocals. And she got really, really into it.

 4. That hair

Though Blondie is the band, the name became synonymous with Debbie herself and her signature blonde hair.

Debbie Harry in 1984
Debbie Harry in 1984 (PA Archive)

5. In fact, she oozes style

Debbie – or Blondie – is a rock/punk chick, a youth culture figure, and the enemy of boring clothes.

Both on-stage and off, Debbie treats getting dressed in the morning as a creative process.

Debbie Harry, 2011. What an outfit.
Debbie Harry, 2011. What an outfit. (Armando Franca/AP)

6. She’s never boring

This is a woman who has worked as a playboy bunny, a go-go dancer, and a beautician.

She’s acted on Broadway and in films, she claims to have psychic episodes, and her childhood nickname was apparently Moon. We bet she’s fun at parties.

 7. In fact, she always seems like she’s having fun

Doesn’t she look like she’s loving it? Happy 70th birthday!

Debbie Harry performing at Glastonbury in 1999
Debbie Harry performing at Glastonbury in 1999 (PA Archive)