My relationship with music is constantly evolving as I grow older. I’ve admired Stevie Nicks since I was a teenager; her music and fearless attitude has helped me understand who I was then and who I am now. Four years ago, I wrote a piece about her first solo album, Bella Donna. Reading it now, a little older and hopefully a bit wiser, I feel very much in tune with the character of my younger self even though I’m in a much different place. At 27 years old, I feel that I’ve now elevated to The Wild Heart stage — represented in Stevie Nicks’ second studio album as a solo artist.

When I was listening to Bella Donna on repeat, I remember feeling eager and worried about my future. I felt insecure and lost at times, and that album helped me dissect those feelings and turn them into a power source. I think I’ll always be emotional, but I don’t see it as a weakness as much as I did when I was younger. The first side of The Wild Heart, especially the songs Wild Heart and If Anyone Falls, helped me regain my sense of pride in myself. By listening to Stevie Nicks sing out her feelings so intently, I’ve been able to feel good about my own emotions and understand their validity.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Stevie Nicks is seeing her live in concert. This coming October will be the fifth time I’ve seen her perform live — three times with Fleetwood Mac and twice her own. My best friend Alicia has been there right beside me through it all, and has been an incredible influence on my adoration of the music of Stevie Nicks. I think I can speak on both of our behalves when I say that hearing her sing our favorite songs to us live in concert was the best moment of our lives.

Today is Stevie Nicks’ birthday, and it’s pretty amazing that she’s still rockin’ as much as she is. Her music career is jam packed with achievements. The Wild Heart was one of those great milestones that I hope she’s proud of. To me, the songs off the album represent confidence, independence and experience. By the time she started writing the songs on The Wild Heart, Stevie Nicks had already endured many heartaches and loss, and when she talks about it in this album, she seems sure of herself and what she went through.

Stevie Nicks speaks often of her own feelings, but this album contains many selfless songs dedicated to the people closest to her. One of my favorite songs is Nightbird. She sings about losing her great friend and back-up singer to cancer. The song Beauty and the Beast was dedicated to Mick Fleetwood, whose mother was also dying from cancer at the time the song was recorded. I Will Run to You features Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and is quite possibly the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard. The lyrics seem true of her and Petty’s relationship. Stand Back is one of the first Stevie Nicks songs Alicia and I fell in love with. It’s especially fun to listen to the song with her because it makes us sing and dance like crazy. We are definitely bonded for life with our love for the same music.

Music has helped me get through each and every stage of my life. It has encouraged me to feel more confident in myself and my decisions. As someone who is not afraid to speak up nor shy away from her feelings, Stevie Nicks has been an incredible influence on me, and I’m grateful I’ve been able to share that connection with my soul sister Alicia. Thank you Stevie Nicks for helping us get through life without fear. Thank you for helping us stay true to ourselves and our dreams. We wish you the happiest of birthdays today.