Stevie Nicks Uses Platform to Advocate for Abortion Rights with New Song "The Lighthouse"

 

Legendary singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks has stepped into the ongoing fight for abortion access in the United States, driven by her own personal experiences. In an interview with CBS News Sunday Morning, Nicks discussed her motivation, stating, “I was also there,” referencing her decision decades ago to seek an abortion and her dedication to supporting reproductive rights.

Nicks’s new single, The Lighthouse, released in September, was inspired by the efforts to restore federal abortion protections following the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. This landmark decision granted Americans the constitutional right to an abortion until it was effectively overturned by three justices appointed during Donald Trump’s presidency.

Reflecting on her own past in a recent Rolling Stone interview, Nicks shared that, had she not made the decision to terminate a pregnancy in the late 1970s, it might have signaled the end of Fleetwood Mac. Nicks became pregnant following a relationship with Don Henley after a breakup with her Fleetwood Mac bandmate Lindsey Buckingham. Faced with Fleetwood Mac's soaring success and the rigorous demands of the Rumours tour, she chose to prioritize her career, acknowledging that “dragging a baby around the world on tour” was not a life she could imagine for herself or her child.

In her new single, The Lighthouse, Nicks positions herself as a guiding force, urging women to fight for their rights and seize the opportunity to take action in the upcoming election, which sees Vice President Kamala Harris running against Trump. Lyrics like “They’ll take your soul, take your power, unless you stand up, take it back,” capture her message of empowerment and the urgency of defending rights that are under threat.

Now 76, Nicks remains steadfast in her decision, telling Rolling Stone, “My life was my life, and my plan was my plan.” Her new release The Lighthouse is a rare entry to her discography, her first since 2011, and serves as a rallying call for women to mobilize and advocate for reproductive freedom as the political climate intensifies ahead of next year’s election.