Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Stevie Nicks shares regret over not voting until she was 70

Fleetwood Mac singer recently revealed who she’s voting for in the 2024 presidential election

Amber Raiken
New York
Thursday 31 October 2024 17:36 GMT
Comments
Related: Stevie Nicks has pitched an idea for a ‘Daisy Jones and the Six’ sequel

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Stevie Nicks has shared her regrets about waiting until she was 70 to vote for the first time.

The 76-year-old singer spoke candidly about the importance of voting in the 2024 US presidential election during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Tuesday (October 30). After urging viewers to “vote no matter what” in this year’s election, she confessed that she didn’t vote for the first time until six years ago – and she wishes she’d done it sooner.

“I never voted until I was 70, but now I regret that,” she said. “And I’ve told everybody that on stage for the last two years. I regret that, and I don’t have very many regrets.”

The Fleetwood Mac artist then criticized how Americans could come up with “so many reasons” why they didn’t vote.

“You can say, ‘Oh, I didn’t have time. I was, you know, this and that,’” she continued. “In the long run, you didn’t have an hour? You didn’t have an hour of your time that you could have gone and voted?”

MSNBC broadcaster Mika Brzezinski chimed in: “If you’re going to vote in an election, let it be this one.”

Nicks agreed: “Let it be this one.”

Stevie Nicks endorses Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election
Stevie Nicks endorses Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election (Getty Images)

The “Landslide” singer – who recently endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in an interview with Rolling Stone – then shared why she wanted to speak out about this year’s election.

“We have to find a way to bring back Roe v Wade,” she said. The vice president has backed legislation that would protect reproductive rights across the US, much like the Supreme Court ruling did before it was overturned in 2022.

Nicks also detailed how fellow musicians can use their platforms to speak out about the election.

“In the end of the Fifties and Sixties and going into the Seventies, everyone was writing protest songs. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Stephen Stills, it was lots and lots and lots. I would say to all my musical poets that write songs to write some songs about what’s happening, like I did,” she added, referring to her 2024 single “The Lighthouse,” which is about the fight for women’s reproductive rights.

Nicks opened up about the meaning of the song, and how it was inspired by women who’ve inspired her, calling them “the lighthouse.”

Amazon Music logo

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)

Sign up
Amazon Music logo

Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 4 month free trial (3 months for non-Prime members)

Sign up

“Whoever wins [the election], the lighthouse needs to keep shining its light and also keep those ships from crashing into the rocks,” she said. “And that’s my idea of the lighthouse being a protector, protecting all those boats and ships that are coming in.”

Leading up to the election, Nicks has continued to urge her fans to vote. In September, shortly after Taylor Swift endorsed Harris, the “Silver Springs” singer shared a picture on Instagram of herself hugging her dog.

“As my friend @taylorswift so eloquently stated, now is the time to research and choose the candidate that speaks to you and your beliefs. Only 54 days left until the election. Make sure you are registered to vote! Your vote in this election may be one of the most important things you ever do,” Nicks wrote, signing her message “Childless Dog Lady” – an apparent dig at Republican nominee Donald Trump’s running mate JD Vance.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, Nicks officially endorsed Harris by calling the vice president “the lighthouse.”

“I think I’m totally endorsing her by naming her as a lighthouse. I don’t like the word ‘endorsing,’ but what I like is the fact that she is our great hope to save the world,” she said in the interview published October 24.

The “Dreams” singer also said that she thought Harris was “doing great” as a candidate in the election, before mocking Trump.

“If [Trump] loses, he’s just going to get in his limo and go back to Mar-a-Lago and probably get another TV show, and have lots of great vacations and play a lot of golf,” she added. “He’s just going to have fun. Good god, he’s 78. It’s the opposite to ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun.’ Nobody has to worry about him. He’s just going to go do what he does.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in