Harry Styles joined Stevie Nicks for a heartfelt performance at Hyde Park in London, paying tribute to the late Christine McVie on what would have been her 81st birthday. The duo performed “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” and “Landslide,” with Nicks taking a moment to honor her former Fleetwood Mac bandmate, who passed away in November 2022.
Nicks, visibly emotional, addressed the crowd, saying, “Christine was Harry’s girl, she was my girl, she was your girl. She loved all of us, today was her birthday. It’s taken me all this time to try and be able to deal with this situation. One thing my mom used to say to me when I was little was when I was hurt, she’d go ‘Stevie when you’re hurt you always run to the stage.’ That’s what I’ve been doing ever since Chris passed away, is running to the stage. The only people that have been able to help me to get over this has been all of you.”
This performance marked Harry Styles’ first live appearance since concluding his Love On Tour last year. Styles, who wore an embroidered songbird pin in reference to McVie’s iconic “Songbird” performance, seemed deeply moved by the occasion.
The collaboration between Nicks and Styles is not new; they have shared the stage before. In 2019, they performed “Landslide” at the Forum in Los Angeles and “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremony, where Styles inducted Nicks into the Hall. During his induction speech, Styles praised Nicks, saying, “With Stevie, you’re not celebrating music from long ago through the mists of time. She was standing on stage headlining a place doing her best work just three nights ago. She is forever current. She is forever Stevie.”
Nicks’ tribute to McVie was deeply personal. She shared with the audience how she has been coping with the loss: “At the end of the show, since the end of last year and since Christine passed away, I would say something about her, and I asked Harry to do this with me and it’s a lot to ask someone to sing a heavy song about a best friend that died so suddenly and so sadly. What I want to say to you is that Christine was Harry’s girl, she was my girl, she was your girl, and she loved all of you, and today would’ve been her birthday.”
The emotional weight of the performance was palpable, with Nicks expressing her gratitude to the audience for their support. “All of you have helped me get over [her death] and I want you to know how much I appreciate it,” she said. She also thanked Styles for joining her on stage, adding, “Harry, I thank you – we thank you!”
The concert was part of the BST Hyde Park series, which features a lineup of notable artists including Kings of Leon, Kylie Minogue, the Corrs, Stray Kids, Shania Twain, Robbie Williams, and Andrea Bocelli. Nicks’ set included a mix of Fleetwood Mac hits like “Dreams” and “Gypsy,” as well as her solo anthems such as “Edge of Seventeen” and “Bella Donna.”
Nicks also paid tribute to her late friend Tom Petty by performing “Free Fallin'” and reminiscing about their last performance together in Hyde Park in 2017. “The last time I was here I came on stage with Tom Petty and we did the songs that we always loved to do,” she said. “And that was the last time that I saw him, so this is a special day for a lot of reasons for me to be back here, because I feel his presence and I know he’s with us.”
The concert was not just a musical event but also a moment of reflection and remembrance. Nicks shared personal anecdotes and urged the crowd to be politically active, revealing that she had never voted until she turned 70. “I was too busy,” she admitted. “Don’t be me; vote.”
Nicks’ connection with Styles goes beyond their musical collaborations. In 2019, she jokingly referred to him as the “love child” of her and her bandmate Mick Fleetwood. “When Harry came into our lives I said, ‘Oh my God, this is the son I never had.’ So I adopted him,” she told Rolling Stone. “I love Harry, and I’m so happy Harry made a rock and roll record – he could have made a pop record and that would have been the easy way for him. But I guess he decided he wanted to be born in 1948 too – he made a record that was more like 1975.”
Styles’ admiration for Nicks was evident during the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. “Stevie Nicks is the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame a second time,” he said. “First, with Fleetwood Mac, and now for her unforgettable solo work. With Stevie, you’re not celebrating music from long ago through the mists of time. She was standing on stage headlining a place doing her best work just three nights ago. She is forever current. She is forever Stevie.”
The Hyde Park performance was a poignant reminder of the enduring legacy of Fleetwood Mac and the deep bonds between its members. As Nicks and Styles sang “Landslide,” images of Christine McVie played on the screen behind them, creating a powerful tribute to a beloved musician who touched the lives of many.
Source: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/WireImage for SN, Michael Loccisano/Getty Images For The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, James Manning/PA, Ian West/PA, Yui Mok/PA
