Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry has spoken out on the death of her bandmate Chris Stein‘s daughter Akira.
Stein announced the news of his daughter’s death in a Facebook post last week, revealing that Akira died from a drug overdose in May.
“We lost our daughter and sister Akira at the end of May to an overdose. I’ve been posting as usual because it distracts from the heartbreak,” Stein told fans.
Harry took to her Instagram account to post a photo of her with Stein and his family, including Akira, with the caption: “Dear fans and friends, I had an awakening at the end of Blondie’s recent tour which came from all of you on my birthday. All the birthday wishes and generous presents are such a sweet reminder of the loyalty of our Blondie fans so thank you for that.”
She continued: “It’s hard for me to believe at my age cause I’m still playing music for you all and luckily, in spite of a few injuries and surgeries, can still put on a show and the best part, many of you are still in the audience. The flip side of this positivity is the loss of my god daughter Akira. She was just turning 20 and we lost her to Fentanyl.”
“So my joys and sorrows are all the more extreme. While on stage sometimes I felt she was there watching just like when she was a little girl, standing with her sister Vali, their faces made up like mine, and dancing around on the side of the stage,” she added. “I will grieve for the rest of my life along with Barbara Sicuranza and Chris Stein, her mom and dad, and her sister Vali, at our terrible loss. Fentanyl is too dangerous, seductive and easy to get.”
We lost our daughter and sister Akira at the end of May to an overdose. I’ve been posting as usual because it distracts…
Posted by Chris Stein on Saturday, July 22, 2023
In other news, Stein has been absent from tours with Blondie over the last year, including a slot on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 2023. During the set, and the whole tour, Blondie were joined by former Sex Pistol Glenn Matlock on bass.
In April 2022, Stein explained his absence to fans, saying: “I’m sad and frustrated to report that I’m not going out with the next bunch of Blondie touring. I’ve been dealing with a dumbass condition called Atrial Fibrillation or AFib which is irregular heart beats and combined with the meds I take for it I’m too fatigued to deal.
“I’m still all in with recording and other band projects. That’s it, I’m fine, I’m around here and I love you all.”