On May 1, 2001, Stevie Nicks released Trouble in Shangri-La, a raw, triumphant record that proved the Gold Dust Woman was far from finished. After the lackluster reception of 1994’s Street Angel and a grueling recovery from Klonopin addiction, Nicks didn’t just make a comeback — she staged a masterclass in artistic resilience.
The Pep Talk That Changed Everything
The album’s soul was sparked by a 1994 dinner at the Ritz-Carlton in Phoenix. Seeking a song from good friend Tom Petty, Nicks instead received hard advice. Petty declined to write for her, telling her point-blank to pick up her own pen again. That tough love worked; it inspired “That Made Me Stronger” and “Love Is,” the creative “bookends” that gave Stevie the momentum to spend seven years crafting her masterpiece. (She recorded the related track “Hard Advice” for 24 Karat Gold: Songs from the Vault in 2014.)
A Masterclass in Collaboration
Nicks calls the album’s star-studded lineup a series of “perfect accidents.” While she briefly flirted with R&B sounds under producers Dallas Austin and Rodney Jerkins, she ultimately steered the ship back to her signature rock roots, bringing a powerhouse crew along for the ride:
- Sheryl Crow: Produced five tracks and acted as a key creative foil.
- Macy Gray: Added soulful harmonies to the “Zen” Maui-written track “Bombay Sapphires.”
- Sarah McLachlan: Lent her ethereal touch to “Love Is.”
- Natalie Maines: Recorded the country-tinged “Too Far From Texas” in a lightning-fast two-day session.
- Lindsey Buckingham: Returned to provide his signature guitar work on “I Miss You.”
Peak Performance
And the world noticed. Trouble in Shangri-La debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, Nicks’ highest chart position since her second solo album The Wild Heart, which also peaked at No. 5 in 1983. It wasn’t just commercial success; critics called it her most “grounded and passionate” work. The singles “Every Day” and “Sorcerer” (featuring Sheryl Crow)” helped fuel the album’s success to Gold status by the summer of 2001.
The haunting “Planets of the Universe” — a song decades in the making — shot to No. 1 on the Dance charts and earned Nicks a Grammy nomination. It proved that whether she was reflecting on the “jade green” serenity of Hawaii or the turbulent peaks of fame, Stevie Nicks remained a premier songwriter of her generation.
“It’s my heart and soul,” Nicks said of the album. “Everything I’ve wanted to say over the last 10 years.”
Two and a half decades later, the magic of Shangri-La still lingers. On the eve of the 25th anniversary, Stevie reflected on the album’s silver anniversary by giving a shoutout to her chief collaborator Sheryl Crow for “one of the most fun and creative times of [her] life.”
