Stevie Nicks' 'SNL' set was quintessentially her. How the legend used her spotlight

Stevie Nicks returned to "Saturday Night Live" for the first time in just shy of 41 years on Oct. 12 with Ariana Grande hosting.

The last time the Phoenix-born Fleetwood Mac singer appeared as the musical guest on “SNL” was in December 1983, singing "Stand Back" and "Nightbird," the first and third singles from "The Wild Heart .” At the time, she was living in Paradise Valley .

It was clear that Nicks' voice has aged a bit since that last "SNL" appearance, but she wore it well, allowing it to underscore the gravity of her performance.

Nicks sang 'Edge of Seventeen' with guitarist Waddy Wachtel

In the days leading up to the broadcast, “SNL” released a video of Bowen Yang and Grande trying to coax a vocal out of Nicks, who didn’t take the bait when they referenced the lyrics to Fleetwood Mac’s “Gypsy” but did oblige them with a bit of “Landslide” when they referenced the lyrics to that one.

As it turned out, Nicks did not revisit any Fleetwood Mac songs Saturday on “SNL.” She did, however, dust off “Edge of Seventeen,” perhaps the most beloved of her solo hits (which finished third on our ranking of her best songs ) at the helm of a band that featured Waddy Wachtel on the signature guitar riff he played on the record.

That was Nicks’ second song.

Stevie Nicks debuted pro-choice anthem 'The Lighthouse'

First, she treated viewers to the live premiere of the pro-choice anthem she released two weeks before she hit the stage, looking suitably angry as she leaned into the righteous indignation of the lyrics to “The Lighthouse,” on which she sets the tone with, “I have my scars, you have yours/ Don't let them take your power/ Don't leave it alone in the final hours/ They'll take your soul, they'll take your power.”

As Nicks explained the inspiration for the song on social media, “I wrote this song a few months after Roe v. Wade was overturned. It seemed like overnight, people were saying ‘What can we, as a collective force, do about this…’ For me, it was to write a song.”

She wrote an early version of “The Lighthouse” in September 2022.

'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around': How Stevie Nicks fueled her solo career with Tom Petty

'The most important thing I ever do'

“I have been working on it ever since,” her post continued. “I have often said to myself, ‘This may be the most important thing I ever do. To stand up for the women of the United States and their daughters and granddaughters ~ and the men that love them.’ This is an anthem.”

It’s a heavy message that couldn’t help but feel a little out of place amidst the goofiness of “SNL."

But the steely conviction and intensity of her performance made it clear that Nicks was not about to waste the opportunity to take her message to the masses on playing nice for those who tuned in for the laughs (not to mention the "shut up and play your guitar" crowd on the right, where that message was destined to be greeted with derision).

In its way, it was a quintessential Stevie moment, a defiant act of being true to who she is regardless of what may have been the safer path to take from a career perspective. That's part of why her fans adore her like they do. You always know you're getting the real Stevie.

Ed has covered pop music for The Republic since 2007, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same in Pittsburgh for more than a decade. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Stevie Nicks' 'SNL' set was quintessentially her. How the legend used her spotlight