It’s the Stevie Nicks Renaissance, and we’re all lucky to be living in it

Stevie Nicks has been around since the early 1970s with the release of her album with Lindsey Buckingham, “Buckingham Nicks.”

Not long after, Nicks and Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac, collaborating with the band on its self-titled album and making Nicks a household name. Now, in 2024, Nicks has made it clear that she’s not going anywhere any time soon.

On Sept. 27, Nicks released a solo single called “The Lighthouse.” Nicks said she wrote the song a few months after Roe v. Wade was overturned, and her way of responding was to write a song.

“This may be the most important thing I ever do,” Nicks said in her Instagram post for the song’s release. “... This is an anthem.”

According to Billboard, fans voted in a poll, selecting “The Lighthouse” as the week’s favorite new music, with Nicks getting more than 72% of the vote.

The song is a charged, powerful anthem where Nicks opens up about issues she believes in. The music video, which was released along with the song, features a mix of videos of Nicks as well as people protesting against the overturning of Roe v. Wade and fighting for reproductive rights. It’s heartfelt and it’s powerful — and undoubtedly Stevie Nicks.

However, as spectacular as the new song may be, it’s certainly not the only thing she has been up to recently. At the age of 76, Nicks is still touring, both as a solo act and in collaboration with Billy Joel. I was fortunate enough to get to see her back in June when she performed in Indianapolis, and it was genuinely the most magical night of my life.

She still sounds incredible. Nicks is known for her iconic, unique and powerful voice — it, mixed with her many other admirable qualities — is a big part of why she is so beloved. The evening was filled with stories and anecdotes from her time with the band, going solo and meeting Tom Petty.

It was more than just a concert — the audience was given a glimpse into her entire life, it was something I had never seen before.

At the concert, they were selling her otherwise sold-out Barbie doll. Barbie collaborated with Nicks back in November 2023, creating a doll based on the musician’s likeness. The doll had her signature hair and boots, and even came with her famous moon-shaped tambourine, one of the musical elements that sets Nicks apart from many others in her industry.

The doll sold out almost immediately when it initially launched, leading Mattel to re-release it in July. Similar to the first time, this release sold out almost right away, too.

Not just anyone can get a Barbie doll made of them, so it’s pretty iconic that Mattel made one for Nicks. It just goes to show how influential she is not only in her genre, but also in the industry as a whole.

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In 2019, Nicks became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice. She was first inducted as a part of Fleetwood Mac in 1998, but was later recognized for her work as a solo artist. This was a major milestone for Nicks’ solo career.

A few years earlier, back in 2014, Nicks made a cameo on the hit television series “American Horror Story.” Her appearance came in the third season titled “Coven,” where she played a version of herself that was a witch in that universe. This was interesting, as Nicks had been accused of witchcraft earlier on in her career due to the style of both her music and the way she dressed.

On Oct. 12, Nicks will be making her first appearance on “Saturday Night Live” since 1983. More than 40 years later, Nicks is returning as musical guest during the show's monumental 5oth season along with host Ariana Grande.

Nicks has been around for a while, first becoming popular in the 70s. However, she is back and better than ever, and we’re lucky to be alive to experience this time in her career.

powers40@miamioh.edu