Generational connections: The musician Stevie Nicks considers her “younger sister”
The moment Stevie Nicks realised she was an idolised rock legend likely came as quite a surprise. In the beginning, Nicks believed in the power of emulation to get to where she needed to be, and taking on the aura of artists like Grace Slick and Janis Joplin was one sure way to gain success. As the years passed, however, Nicks’ artistry became its own entity, inspiring generations of musicians who longed to follow suit.
Nicks’ path to stardom wasn’t an easy one, and there were times when she felt like the whole thing was crumbling before her very eyes. While such a feeling resulted in some of her best songs, like ‘Landslide’, it’s no wonder that when she became a part of Fleetwood Mac, she often fought to be heard, believing her craft to be an integral part of the group’s sound, and that it was.
It is remarkable that Nicks went from being one-half of a musical duo with Lindsey Buckingham to arguably being the entire reason Fleetwood Mac transitioned from a folk rock outfit with potential to a force with longevity. Even more remarkable is the fact that the singer remains humble, a mysteriously silent figure whose existence has become more mythologised with time.
And yet, during interviews, she still displays an element of surprise whenever the idea that other musicians admire her is floated. “That makes me happy because I didn’t ever have children, but I feel like I have a lot of daughters,” the singer once said, responding to the notion that other stars idolise her. Funnily enough, when Harry Styles came to her with an idea to collaborate, it ignited that same maternal instinct that’s always been there.
“He’s Mick [Fleetwood]’s and my love child,” she amusingly said. “When Harry came into our lives, I said, “Oh my God, this is the son I never had.” So I adopted him. I love Harry, and I’m so happy Harry made a rock & roll record — he could have made a pop record and that would have been the easy way for him. But I guess he decided he wanted to be born in 1948, too — he made a record that was more like 1975.”
Clearly, Nicks isn’t so concerned with actual age as much as the connection to the music itself, which also explains her love for Vanessa Carlton, who Nicks once described as her “younger sister”.
She said: “I love Vanessa Carlton. She’s like my younger, younger, younger sister — like if my dad had divorced my mother and married a really younger woman, then had Vanessa.”
Despite the generational gap, she resonated with Carlton because of the music, which, in her view, transcends eras so long as it’s good enough. Fortunately, it’s something she feels often. “There’s such a little silken thread between the two of us when it comes to music,” the singer explained. “I have that with Natalie Maines, LeAnn Rimes, Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum.”
