Following the induction of Soundgarden into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame over the weekend, Chris Cornell’s youngest daughter, Toni, has shared an emotional, reflective post to Instagram. 

The surviving members - Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Ben Shepherd, and original bassist Hiro Yamamoto - hit the stage for ‘Rusty Cage’ and ‘Black Hole Sun’, joined by Jerry Cantrell, Mike McCready, Taylor Momsen, and Brandi Carlile. 

But it was Toni who delivered the real gut punch, closing the induction with a stripped-back acoustic version of ‘Fell on Black Days’ alongside Heart’s Nancy Wilson.

Yesterday, Toni shared a long, emotional post on Instagram reflecting on Soundgarden, her dad, and the night’s significance. Warning: someone may be cutting onions nearby. 

“I was six years old when Soundgarden reunited,” she began. “My brother and I were lucky to see small pieces of that moment unfold, not realizing we were witnessing something historic.

I’ll never forget walking into Soundgarden’s reunion show with my brother, my American Girl doll in tow, and seeing my dad step onstage again with Soundgarden after more than a decade.” 

Toni acknowledges that while she was possibly too young to understand the gravity of what she was amongst, “I still knew I was witnessing something extraordinary”. 

I will forever be grateful for those years. 

She spoke about how those years shaped her - not just as Chris Cornell’s daughter, but as an artist in her own right. “I would hear people tell my dad his music saved them, and seeing that legacy honored, I understand just how true that was.” 

Toni gave flowers to Soundgarden, saying they “belonged in the Rock Hall from the day they started making their revolutionary music.” She congratulated Thayil, Cameron, Shepherd, Yamamoto, and her dad, “who should have been here to share this moment with his bandmates… I know how proud he is.” 

She went on to thank Nancy Wilson for “honouring him beside me”, and Brandi and Taylor for “continuously sharing his music and keeping his spirit alive”. And of course, she thanked the fans for being “the reason this music still breathes.” 

“Performing ‘Fell on Black Days’ was one of the greatest honors of my life and one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” Toni wrote. “My dad’s absence is always felt, but singing his songs always makes me feel closer to him. I’m so grateful I got to share this moment for him and with him, in some way.

“Daddy, you are beloved, and your music will forever change people’s lives. Long live Soundgarden.” 

It’s the kind of moment that cuts through the noise - a daughter singing for her dad, a band finally recognised, and a reminder that some voices never really fade.