Stevie Nicks Reveals the One Female Singer She Felt Truly Matched Janis Joplin

Learning From Heroes

Most performers can only dream of reaching the level of the icons they admire. Anyone trying to imitate Stevie Nicks on stage usually ends up in her shadow, yet Nicks has always been able to recognize when another artist was doing something unique.

She has admitted that her own career was shaped by studying the work of those who came before her. From harmonizing with her grandfather to singing along with Joni Mitchell records, Nicks grew up learning from her heroes. Even so, there were few outlets for women in rock when she was young, making her path far from simple.

 

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The Power of Janis Joplin

During the 1960s, female rock stars were rare. Some, like Tina Turner, blended rock and R&B, but Janis Joplin stood in a category of her own. With a voice that was raw and forceful, she sang with such honesty that no one questioned whether she belonged in rock and roll.

Joplin’s performances made her almost untouchable. Much like watching Jimi Hendrix, seeing her live was an experience few could forget. For Nicks, the way forward wasn’t to try to outdo Joplin but to lean into her own mystical voice. When she performed “Rhiannon,” it felt as if she was casting a spell, opening the door for a new kind of female presence in rock.

Opening Doors for Future Artists

By the 1990s, a new wave of women in music emerged, with many of them finding community in the Lilith Fair festival. Artists like Patti Smith and Nicks had already helped lay the groundwork, but the event gave female performers their own platform.

It was during this time that Nicks discovered Sarah McLachlan. Known for her emotional ballads and later her work in charity campaigns, McLachlan struck Nicks as someone who carried the same emotional weight as Joplin.

Stevie Nicks on Sarah McLachlan

Nicks recalled her reaction after hearing McLachlan perform:

“You remind me so much of the first time that I went to the Fillmore in San Francisco. I was in a band that was the opening act on a show that had about seven acts in it.

“And there were red velvet drapes and you knew that Janis Joplin had sat in this dressing room, and there was something about your music that reminded me of how I felt about Janis. When I heard your music, I thought, ‘Somehow this woman reminds me of the incredible music that came out of San Francisco when all of us were so knocked out to be alive.’”

For Nicks, McLachlan’s ability to connect with her audience was reminiscent of Joplin’s intensity.

 

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A Different Kind of Power

While McLachlan doesn’t belt out whiskey-soaked notes like Joplin did on “Me and Bobby McGee,” she still channels deep emotion in her music. The strength of Joplin’s ballads came from her vulnerability, and McLachlan captures a similar feeling in songs like “Possession.”

Even outside of rock, McLachlan’s voice has left a mark. Her rendition of Randy Newman’s “When She Loved Me” for Toy Story 2 remains one of her most moving performances, showing how her delivery can reduce listeners to tears with its sincerity.

Shared Emotional Depth

When Nicks compared McLachlan to Joplin, she wasn’t saying they sounded the same. Instead, she recognized that both artists had a rare ability to cut through to the listener’s heart.

Plenty of singers aim to overwhelm their audience with power, but Nicks believed that the real strength comes from honesty. In both Joplin and McLachlan, she saw artists who could move people not just with volume, but with emotion.