It’s been 30 years since Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain died. The legendary rockstar died at age 27 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, after years of struggling with drug addiction and depression. Kurt left behind his wife, Hole frontwoman Courtney Love, and their daughter Frances Bean Cobain. Frances was not even 2 years old when her famous father tragically passed. She’s since grown into a talented and inspiring adult, though she’s had her fair share of troubles. In February 2018, Frances marked 2 years of sobriety on Instagram. On the 30th anniversary of her late father’s death, Frances posted a heart-wrenching tribute to Kurt.
“Thirty years ago my dad’s life ended,” she captioned an Instagram post on April 5, 2024. “I wish I could’ve known my Dad. … But there is also deep wisdom being on an expedited path to understanding how precious life is. He gifted me a lesson in death that can only come through the LIVED experience of losing someone. It’s the gift of knowing for certain, when we love ourselves & those around us with compassion, with openness, with grace, the more meaningful our time here inherently becomes.”
She then revealed that Kurt had written Frances a letter before he died.
“Kurt wrote me a letter before I was born. The last line of it reads, ‘Wherever you go or wherever I go, I will always be with you,’ she added. “He kept this promise because he is present in so many ways. Whether it’s by hearing a song or through the hands we share, in those moments I get to spend a little time with my dad & he feels transcendent.”
Below, HollywoodLife has rounded up everything there is to know about Frances Bean Cobain.
Frances was born on August 18, 1992 in Los Angeles. She was named after The Vaselines guitarist Frances McKee. Her godparents are former R.E.M frontman Michael Stipe and actress Drew Barrymore. Courtney was accused of using heroin while she was pregnant with Frances, which she denied. However, child welfare services later launched an investigation into Kurt and Courtney’s parenting, though it was eventually dismissed.
After Kurt’s death, Frances was raised by extended family members, including her grandmother, as her mother struggled with drug abuse. She inherited 37% of Kurt’s estate and was granted control of his publicity rights and image. Frances is worth over $11 million, according to reports. She attended Bard College in New York, where she studied art. She then pursued careers in both modeling and art. Her first modeling job was with Elle UK Magazine, for which she reportedly wore her father’s famous brown cardigan and pajama pants. She continued to flourish as a model and was even named the face of Marc Jacob‘s Spring/Summer campaign in 2017. She’s opened several art exhibits and shows off her art collections on her Instagram account, which has over 1.4 million followers.
It’s been 30 years since Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of Nirvana, passed away. He struggled with drug addiction and depression before taking his own life at the age of 27. Kurt left behind his wife Courtney Love and their daughter Frances Bean Cobain, who was just a toddler when her famous father died. Frances has faced challenges but celebrated 2 years of sobriety in 2018. On the 30th anniversary of Kurt’s death, she shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.
Frances mentioned that her dad had written her a letter before she was born, promising to always be with her. Despite the difficult times, she feels connected to him through music and shared memories. Frances was born in 1992 in Los Angeles and is named after a guitarist. She has famous godparents and faced controversy due to her parents’ behavior. Frances inherited part of Kurt’s estate and has pursued careers in modeling and art. She has a strong following on Instagram, where she showcases her artwork to over 1.4 million followers.
