Francis Bean Cobain shall grace the cover of the upcoming issue of Rolling Stone. The cover hasn’t been revealed yet, but this gorgeous shot from David LaChapelle reminds us that Frances is a breathtaking young woman. She has Kurt’s blazingly blue eyes and has grown up to be so lovely. Frances is promoting the Montage of Heck documentary of Kurt’s life. The film will air on HBO next month. I can’t believe she’s 22 years old! It truly seems like yesterday when I heard first heard Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” (A hint: I was involved in the youthful pursuit of trouble at the time.)

This interview reveals Frances to be an intelligent, thoughtful person. I’m always amazed to see how well adjusted Frances is, especially when one considers her father’s death and her mother’s eternal crazy. Frances has seen some sh*t in her day. Although she and Courtney Love are on speaking terms, she holds her mother at arm’s length for several good reasons. Speaking with Rolling Stone, Frances demonstrates some perspective regarding her father. The best part is when she reveals that Nirvana really isn’t that cool:

Her father’s death: “Kurt got to the point where he eventually had to sacrifice every bit of who he was to his art, because the world demanded it of him. I think that was one of the main triggers as to why he felt he didn’t want to be here and everyone would be happier without him. In reality, if he had lived. I would have had a dad. And that would have been an incredible experience.”

She’s not into Nirvana: “I don’t really like Nirvana that much. Sorry, promotional people, Universal. I’m more into Mercury Rev, Oasis, Brian Jonestown Massacre. The grunge scene is not what I’m interested in. But ‘Territorial P***ings’ is a f***ing great song. And ‘Dumb’ — I cry every time I hear that song. It’s a stripped-down version of Kurt’s perception of himself — of himself on drugs, off drugs, feeling inadequate to be titled the voice of a generation.”

On Kurt’s everpresence: “I was around 15 when I realized he was inescapable. Even if I was in a car and had the radio on, there’s my dad. He’s larger than life. and our culture is obsessed with dead musicians. If Kurt had just been another guy who abandoned his family in the most awful way possible … But he wasn’t. He inspired people to put him on a pedestal, to become St. Kurt. He became even bigger after he died than he was when he was alive.”

Similarities between Frances & Kurt: “It’s very weird how genes are. Dave [Grohl], Krist [Novoselic] and Pat [Smear] came over to a house where I was living. And they had what I call the “K. C. Jeebies,” which is when they see me, they see Kurt. They look at me, and you can see they’re looking at a ghost. Dave said, ‘She is so much like Kurt.’ They were all talking amongst themselves, rehashing old stories I’d heard a million times. I was sitting in a chair, chain-smoking, looking down like this [affects total boredom]. And they went, ‘You are doing exactly what your father would have done.’”

[From Rolling Stone]

What I find most striking here is how Frances refers to her father as “Kurt.” That makes sense. Frances never knew her father, she only knew his legend. She knows other people’s memories and perceptions of him. She respects him, and she also refers to him as “my dad,” but she can’t quite call him “Dad.” Frances seems like a very strong young woman. A wealthy and privileged young woman, sure. But we don’t ever see her stumbling out of clubs or calling the paparazzi. She mostly hangs out at home and paints every day. She’s compelled to create, which is a nice change from the legions of 22-year-olds who simply selfie all day long.

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Photos courtesy of David LaChapelle/Rolling Stone, Pacific Coast News, Fame/Flynet & Getty