Witchy Rumours

STEVIE NICKS' HISTORY WITH WITCHCRAFT Written by Jessica Katz, Online Editor Graphic by Jessica Tenenbaum, Staff Graphic Artist

Fleetwood Mac is a staple in any fall playlist, perfectly capturing the atmosphere of walking in the crisp autumn air, gazing at leaves falling to the ground as “Rumours” plays through your headphones. But Fleetwood Mac brings to mind more than just this picturesque scene, as Stevie Nicks has been associated with this chilling time of year for decades, haunted by a rumor that she, herself, is a witch.

It all started in 1975 with “Rhiannon,” a song Nicks was inspired to write after reading “Triad” by Mary Leader.

The story is about a girl who becomes possessed by a spirit named Rhiannon. Rhiannon is an important figure in Welsh mythology: the goddess of steeds, maker of birds. Her arrival would bring the end of danger, symbolized by three birds flying off to the tune of a little song.1

Nicks played into this story, introducing the song at concerts by saying,

“This is a song about a witch.” Listeners even claimed to witness her going into trances and speaking in an archaic-sounding language during shows.

This is when the questions began—is

Stevie Nicks a witch?2

People became critical of Nicks’ dark style and what they thought it meant. As Fleetwood Mac celebrated the success of their “Rumors” album, Nicks endured the worst of the witch rumors. She received troubling letters accusing her of witchcraft, forcing her to fear for her life and safety. In response, she swapped the black in her closet out for apricot-colored clothing.3

¹ DeMain, Bill. 2015. “Fleetwood Mac: the story behind Rhiannon.” Louder. ² Bergren, Joe. 2018. “Stevie Nicks’ Long History With Witchcraft, From ‘Rhiannon’ to ‘AHS: Apocalypse.’” Entertainment Tonight. ³ Ibid. In the early 1980s, Nicks worked on a solo project, exploring her creative side. As she attained comfort in her style, she began to open up about the witch rumors that had followed her for decades. In an interview, Nicks told Entertainment Tonight, “I do not believe in witchcraft as a natural philosophy at all. I just think it’s fun.” Despite the troubles these rumors caused her, Nicks continued to create musical masterpieces. She even posed on the cover of her album, “The Wild Heart,” in a black robe.4

The conversation surrounding witchcraft continued after Disney’s release of “Hocus Pocus” in the 1990s. Attention turned to Nicks’ rumor when a student in Huntsville, Alabama was prevented from singing Fleetwood Mac’s song “Landslide” at a local church. According to the student, “The minister said the leader of Fleetwood Mac is a witch and a Satan worshipper.” Nicks was outraged and openly addressed the harm of these rumors. That same year, she contributed two songs to the soundtrack of “Practical Magic.”5 Flash forward to 2013, “American Horror Story” returned for its third season, titled “Coven.” The season follows a coven of witches who descended from Salem as they fought for survival in present-day New Orleans.6 In a memorable scene, Misty Day expresses her admiration for Nicks and “Rhiannon.”

Later in the season, as well as in the eighth season, “Apocalypse,” Nicks joined the cast to play The White Witch, a version of herself involved in witchcraft. She explained,

⁴ Ibid. ⁵ Ibid. ⁶ “American Horror Story: Coven.” n.d. Wikipedia. “When great things come your way, don’t walk away from them because of something stupid. Just embrace it and have fun with it and do your best.”7 Her self-expression was thought to be so threatening that critics launched a literal witch hunt to try to take her down. After letting the rumors get to her for decades, Nicks has regained full control of her image and continues to teach us that being a witch means exuding power. It means owning your image, your femininity and your success. It gives you permission to push past the labels and to be yourself.■

⁷ Ibid.