The moment Stevie Nicks knew she wanted to star in ‘American Horror Story’
Stevie Nicks was destined for her cameo in American Horror Story: Coven. The story of Misty Day, an outsider witch whose only friend was Nicks’ music, strikes the core experience of many who seek solace in her to feel less alone in a world of insipidity. However, Nicks didn’t initially intend to be a part of the narrative at all—a likely situation considering her previous experiences in the limelight.
Nicks’ witchy reputation wasn’t always as iconic or widely embraced as it is today. Back in the 1970s, her otherworldly appearance and aesthetic drew criticisms from the media and some facets of her audience, resulting in unwarranted backlash and even death threats in some cases. At the time, being seen wearing all black all of the time while adopting a mystical demeanour and singing about spellbinding love meant trouble, even if it was just a singular layer in Nicks’ broader artistic expression.
Still, some accused her of being corrupt, similar to the hysteria that later categorised the Satanic panic, branding her a negative influence on impressionable music consumers. Of course, it was all complete rubbish, but it impacted Nicks’ self-esteem in subtle ways, even urging her to ditch the dark clothing for years before she felt comfortable being the artist she was always destined to be.
Following the release of In Your Dreams in 2011, Nicks was approached by American Horror Story creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk about using her music in Coven, a story that followed a group of witches from Salem in their fight for survival. Among them was Misty Day, a sensitive witch in the coven who was thought to be dead, pushing her to hide in the shadows and seek comfort in Nicks, who she believed was just like her—a white witch with strong morals about right and wrong.
It’s easy to see the parallels between Day’s experience and Nicks’ in the ’70s. This similarity likely made the singer unsure about whether to approve her association with the story. This trepidation wouldn’t unsurprisingly be acknowledged by Murphy and Falchuk when they made it their mission to explain Day’s story and Nicks’ broader significance to her story. They told her that Day regarded Nicks as rock, her friend, her mother figure, and “her conscious”—which Nicks said was all she ever wanted to be “to anybody.”
The Fleetwood Mac star then watched some of Coven and was immediately endeared to it. She told Murphy that she was open to a “walkthrough” but still felt uncertain about acting. As we now know, what unfolded was a fully established inclusion in the story, with Nicks appearing alongside Day with two songs, notably her most popular moment when she performed ‘Seven Wonders’ before wishing the rest of the coven luck before their trial.
Despite Nicks’ initial hesitation, which stemmed from her previous experiences in the spotlight and her uncertainty about her acting ability, her inclusion enhanced the narrative and introduced a broader audience to her artistry. Many even hail her ‘Seven Wonders’ scene as the first time they established a newfound connection to Nicks, proving that her talent is the perfect fit for contemporary visual storytelling.
