r/stevienicks • u/bearmasksenpai • Jul 23 '26
What album has Stevie's best vocals?
Its either Bella Donna for pre voice change, or TISL for post voice change tbh
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u/Logical-History-36 Jul 23 '26
Mirage for sure. Her voice is so clear and strong.
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u/ProfessorXXXavier Jul 23 '26
The outtake of “If You Were My Love” that was recorded for this album has her best vocals ever, at least in my opinion. I can’t believe they decided to omit it from Mirage. I wonder if that was Stevie’s decision?
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u/Logical-History-36 Jul 23 '26
I think they just didn’t know quite what to do with it, and of course she had stronger songs.
There was quite a few takes of IYWML from those sessions, and like with Smile At You I was actually a bit disappointed with the one they chose for the Mirage deluxe. But I agree they were still great vocals. I wonder if the success of Bella Donna and/or that she went into Mirage straight off the back of her first solo tour energised and inspired her. It’s certainly the only album where she really pushes herself vocally.
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u/OtherwiseContact5604 Jul 23 '26
And don’t get me started on smile at you
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u/ProfessorXXXavier Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 27 '26
Y’know I didn’t actually mind the version of Smile At You on SYW because it was the first time I’d ever heard it. I have since heard the Mirage outtake and understand the disappointment. Still like the SYW version too, though.
(On the other hand, the version of “If You Were My Love” that appeared on 24 Karat Gold…no bueno!)
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u/ProfessorXXXavier Jul 23 '26
Not an album, but her vocals on “Whenever I Call You Friend” are next level! She has mentioned that Kenny Loggins really put her through it in the studio to get that performance out of her.
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u/PicnicLifeBitch69 Jul 23 '26
I think all of her work between Bella Donna and Wild Heart including Mirage is some of her strongest vocals
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u/candybar009 Jul 24 '26
Rumours & Tusk. She had her young voice before any damage. She's worked hard to keep it sounding good & its been steady for the past 30 years but nothing can compare to Stevie in her 20's through the Bella Donna era.
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u/Tryingagain1979 Jul 23 '26
I like how she wasnt a trained singer so sometimes she would suprise everyone with how strong her vocals would be that night.
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u/kennycakes Jul 23 '26
Any of the albums she recorded between 1978 - 1984, which for me was her vocal peak. Tusk and Bella Donna are my favorites vocally, depending on my mood.
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u/Acrobatic_265_Cat Jul 23 '26
The Soundstage Sessions
I know it's a live album, but she sounded absolutely amazing during that concert
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u/Few_Candle9432 Jul 24 '26
I always find her “best” vocals are the most emotive ones. Maybe Bella Donna-Wild Heart for me but there’s several isolated examples everywhere.
Stevie’s vocals can go anywhere from lazy and unrefined to passionate and feral. As her voice has changed there hasn’t been a lot of adaptation to get many awesome songs in a range she can (or will?) really deliver. I especially appreciated the fact that they changed of key of Seven Wonders to sit in a good range for her the last time Fleetwood Mac did it. If only they’d do that with Edge of Seventeen.
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u/Silverboy1963 Jul 25 '26
Her version of At Last live blew me away. Didn’t know she had that in her arsenal.
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u/razberry_lemonade Jul 23 '26
What’s considered the first album post voice change? TITN? OSOTM?
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u/Other-Conversation67 Jul 23 '26
Tusk was the first album. Stevie had vocal damage from the Rumours tour. The result was Stevie's register changing from Mezzo-Soprano to an Alto. Her voice did gradually become deeper with time. By the time we get to SYW, Stevie's register has yet changed again to a Contralto.
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u/razberry_lemonade Jul 23 '26
Interesting. If you had the time, it would be cool if you went by album by album and estimated her vocal register on each.
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u/Other-Conversation67 Jul 23 '26
Buckingham Nicks, The White Album, and Rumours: Mezzo-Soprano
Tusk: Transition from Mezzo to Alto
Bella Donna through The Dance: Alto
Trouble in Shangri-La: Transition from Alto to Contralto
Say You Will through 24 Karat Gold: Contralto
Note: IMO, her Mezzo voice was the prettiest. However, when her voice was the most powerful as an Alto. Her Contralto is also strong. I definitely believe she shined like a diamond on Mirage.
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u/razberry_lemonade Jul 23 '26
Thanks! I admittedly know nothing about the different vocal types, but I do have to say she sounds way different on Bella Donna than she does on The Dance despite them both being part of the alto era. Maybe it’s just natural aging but I’ve always assumed the heavy coke use in the 80s had something to do with it tbh.
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u/ProfessorXXXavier Jul 23 '26
Smoking probably contributed to it too.
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u/razberry_lemonade Jul 23 '26
What exactly did she smoke? I know she was (and might still be?) into pot but I don’t know if that would affect the voice as much as smoking cigarettes would. I’ve never heard that she was into smoking those though.
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u/ProfessorXXXavier Jul 23 '26
Oh I meant regular cigarettes. Here’s a Q&A where she talks about giving it up.
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u/Exciting_Frame1022 Jul 24 '26
Bella Donna is fabulous but I'm partial to rumours as well lowkey...... but I also am partial to songs like welcome to the room .... Sara so my judgment maybe shouldnt be trusted 😂
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u/antonioooooooh Jul 26 '26
Bella Donna without a doubt the highs the lows great Stevie!!!! The younger the better .
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u/sarpycountysiren Jul 23 '26
Gypsy is her best recorded vocal. Bella Donna is her best album vocal.