This 1981 Album Proves This Fleetwood Mac Member’s Solo Career Is Just as Strong as the Band

This 1981 Album Proves This Fleetwood Mac Member’s Solo Career Is Just as Strong as the Band Fleetwood MacImage via Mark C Austin By  Ryan Louis Mantilla Published 17 minutes ago

Ryan is a lifestyle and culture journalist born and raised in the Philippines. He primarily covers film, television, music, and all things pop culture. Beyond writing, you can find him buried in thriller novels or off exploring the world on occasion. He deeply romanticizes a slow, peaceful life — even though he’s almost always drowning in deadlines (insert skull emoji here).

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Stevie Nicks will forever be synonymous with the legacy of Fleetwood Mac. Not only was she one of the vocalists of the iconic rock band, but she was also responsible for some of its biggest hits, including tracks like “Landslide,” “Gypsy,” “Silver Springs,” “Sara,” “Rhiannon,” “Storms,” and arguably their greatest one, “Dreams.” And being synonymous with the band isn’t exactly a bad thing. All the songs mentioned are among the world’s most celebrated, and Fleetwood Mac remains one of the best-selling musical acts of all time, widely regarded as one of the most influential bands in history. But Nicks refused to be defined solely as a member of a successful band. In 1981, she proved she could shine on her own with only her songwriting talent and her distinctive, emotive voice as her weapons. With the release of her debut studio album, Bella Donna, it became clear she wasn’t just a voice in a legendary ensemble. She’s a force on her own, with or without her band.

Of course, much of the singer-songwriter’s success can be hugely attributed to Fleetwood Mac. However, the band was never exactly a harmonious one to begin with, marked by creative tensions, romantic entanglements (which contributed to the creation of their biggest album, Rumours, in the 1970s), and other major conflicts. By the release of Tusk in 1979, it was clear they were all moving in different creative directions, resulting in a far more experimental record compared to their previous ones. Between the making of Tusk and her debut studio album in 1979, Nicks was also working on her debut studio album. And on July 27, 1981, she ultimately released Bella Donna, marking her official emergence as a solo artist, fully embracing her independence. Evidently, her band’s fame helped shape her popularity, but it was through her own artistic vision and undeniable talent that she was able to establish a distinct identity beyond Fleetwood Mac.

'Bella Donna' Solidified Stevie Nicks’ Success Outside Fleetwood Mac

During the 1970s, Nicks conquered the music world as a member of Fleetwood Mac. In the 1980s, however, she forged a different path, establishing an identity entirely separate from her band. “I wanted to make sure that I could still exist alone without Fleetwood Mac and without the entourage and without everything that went along with being in a very big rock and roll band,” Nicks said in a 1981 interview. Nicks’ talent was already a given. But she proved she could produce hits as a solo artist, as Bella Donna spawned four hit singles, including “Stop Draggin' My Heart Around,” “Leather and Lace,” “Edge of Seventeen,” and “After the Glitter Fades.” Her debut solo album was both critically and commercially triumphant. Critics praised the album for its strong songwriting and distinctive style that showcased Nicks’ ability to shine independently of Fleetwood Mac. At that point, Nicks was more than just a member of the band; she had established a brand so strong that fans recognized her as a force beyond the band. She had truly become a solo powerhouse in her own right.

Nicks teamed up with Lori Perry-Nicks and Sharon Celani to create Bella Donna, aiming to be the “girl version” of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. She approached the album with a clear vision for her sound: “I did not want the record to sound anything like Fleetwood Mac that would have defeated the dream.” In a 2021 Instagram post celebrating the 40th anniversary of Bella Donna, Nicks shared a backstory about the title track and explained why it ultimately became the album title. She said:

“The song was written about my boyfriend's mother who was involved with a man in Chile during the coup that happened there in 1973. The man she loved was banished to France. Banished or imprisoned, that was the choice. The love story never really ended — but she never saw him again. I was so touched by this story of lost love that I wrote Bella Donna — the moment the poem and then the song was finished I knew I had the basis for my first solo record… I never doubted for a moment that this song would be the title of the record and that it would change my life in so many ways on so many levels.”

Since the release of Bella Donna in 1981, Nicks has gone on to record seven more solo studio albums, with her most recent being 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault. She truly is a musical icon, and Bella Donna was just a little glimpse of the legend that she is, solidifying Nicks' status as one of music's most celebrated voices and influential figures.

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