Marie Claire

WELLNESS ETÉREO, AUBERGE RESORTS, Riviera Maya, Mexico Steeped in ancient Mayan healing traditions, the spa at Etéreo is called Sana and its services honour earth, sea and the heavens through indigenous self-care rituals that encourage spa goers to discover their inner healer. Surrounded by lush jungle and architecture that is inspired by subterranean cenotes in the region, the facilities include a detoxifying Mayan clay room and a sound bath, and the menu is rich in fresh local produce and teas. Try the Kypris Skin Alchemy Facial, with movements reminiscent of rolling ocean waves to revitalise spirit and skin, or the Moonlight Massage, which takes place on a mesh platform suspended over a mangrove forest and ends with a mood-boosting adaptogenic drink. Depending on where your stay falls in the lunar cycle, be sure to take part in the full-moon ceremony, guided by an in-house shaman. aubergeresorts.com/etereo Mayan traditions meet modern life at Etéreo’s Sana spa. marieclaire.com.au | 151

CRYSTALBROOK BYRON IS LEADING THE WAY WITH ITS FOCUS ON RESPONSIBLE LUXURY C RY S TA L B R O O K , Inside the Eléme Day PHOTOGRAPHY BY C. MCCONVILLE. WORDS BY Y GRACE GOLD; ALLEY PASCOE; ANNA MCCOOE. Byron Bay, Spa at Crystalbrook New South Wales Byron; and (above) the resort’s tranquil They keep their own bees at infinity pool. Crystalbrook Byron. And it’s exclusively within the confines of their hives that busyness exists. Elsewhere at this barefoot-luxe resort, life lolls about at a relaxed pace. Crystalbrook Collection, one of Australia’s most sustainable hotel and resort brands, has taken over the Byron at Byron to deliver a nature-infused retreat on almost 20 hectares of rainforest. Crystalbrook Byron is leading the way with its focus on responsible luxury, saving more than 3 million plastic bottles from landfill in the past two years alone. With an infinity pool lined with daybeds (and poolside service), tennis courts and a spa, the 92-room resort hits the low-key luxury sweet spot. The suites are so private and self- contained you don’t ever need to leave, however we do recommend a stroll along the lush boardwalk to Forest, the on-site restaurant headed by executive chef Jordan Staniford. And, of course, you need to experience the resort’s Eléme Day Spa. Start off in the steam room then be swept away with a Bejewelled by the Sea lava-shell massage to knead out those knots. You won’t regret a moment. crystalbrookcollection.com 152 | marieclaire.com.au

WELLNESS Blissful couples’ treatments are on offer at Acqua Spa. O2 BEACH CLUB & SPA, Barbados Take in panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea from all across this resort, one designed in grey and white marble to allow the vibrant water to engage the eye and soothe the senses. The healing power of water inspires treatments, such as the Sea of Life facial, which employs cranial-facial therapy to soothe nerves, and seaweed-infused Osea skincare for an island glow. Acqua Spa’s Turkish-style Hammam Steam Room can be booked alone, with a special someone or a group of friends, and includes little pots of body scrub, a mineralising body mask and Osea’s Undaria Algae Body Oil. o2beachclubbarbados.com The sea becomes part of the spa experience at The Seabird Resort in California. THE SEABIRD R E S O RT, O c eans ide, California, USA This resort sits among a new wave of boutiques and restaurants. Cheery yellow doors open to an inclusive, all-gender space with a warm, welcoming energy. Surf culture permeates here, with treatments given in rooms perched over a shimmering sea. At Sunny’s Spa, try the Vagus Nerve Massage, targeting the cranial nerve that regulates stress, rest and digestion, or The Soul Ritual, a body scrub, healing wrap, full-body massage, aromatherapy sound bath and breath-work journey. And don’t miss the sanarium, offering the benefits of a sauna and steam room at a gentler heat and humidity level. sunnysspa.com

Wellness Wellness no longer pertains just to what we eat and how we exercise, it’s now a state of being, a prescription for living and an impossible health goal with sometimes dangerous results, writes Lucy E. Cousins

WELLNESS Have you exercised today, Now, the eaten a protein-rich rise in digital breakfast (while writing in resources, your gratitude diary) and along with the meditated for 20 minutes amplification of in your dedicated wellness space? individual voices via Have you switched to crystal-infused social media, mean it’s water bottles, organic shampoo, silk easier to obtain wellness sheets, menstrual cups, and alcohol- information than ever before. Not free perfume? only is this a great way to learn about our bodies but it also allows us to feel If you’re feeling a tad overwhelmed the weight of responsibility for our reading that, you should. The pressure health. As individuals, we can now we face, especially as women, to live up feel empowered to care for our own to the goop-level of wellness is growing mind and body. daily. What started as a left-of-centre hippie health movement in the 1970s And on the whole that’s a good is now a $US4.4 trillion ($6.6 trillion) thing, says nutritionist and exercise global wellness industry, and it is scientist Brooke Turner, depending predicted to reach $US7 trillion by on how your internal thoughts are 2025. Wellness is big business. programmed and the mindset you’re operating from. “When people On the face of it, that’s a good are sitting there scrolling on their thing, right? The idea of wellness phones and they’re seeing all these should be an ostensibly positive topic. wonderful things that people are After all, the Oxford Dictionary doing [for their health],” explains describes it as achieving “a level of Turner, “there’s a small percentage health that minimises the chances of that might go, ‘That’s so motivating,’ becoming ill”. Who doesn’t want that? and then there’s the others who think, ‘I’m never going to look like that. I’m However, in the past few decades, just going to have another chocolate the wellness ideation has pervaded bar and start tomorrow!’” every aspect of life. From the hypoallergenic mattresses we sleep Yet when you consider that there on to the collagen-boosted creams we are more than 60.8 million hashtags cover our skin in, it has infiltrated not for “wellness” on Instagram, and more only our physical state but also how than eight billion views of #wellness we think and make decisions. content on TikTok, the question of credibility becomes pretty important. But when does an obsession with being healthy become unhealthy? A 2019 study stated that the wellness industry as a whole is a Traditionally, health has been the “highly unregulated space that relies realm of doctors and nurses, a trust in heavily on personal testimonials, higher education and scientific research. anecdotal evidence, intuition and Without the ease of a Google search positive thinking”. Another study and a TikTok deep dive, our suggested that social media grandparents followed doctors’ influencers have been a damaging orders both when they were ill and force online, as they imply that “only when they weren’t. Self-diagnosis those who create a body shaped and self-determinism were virtually through control and discipline are unheard of. healthy and beautiful – and can be happy”.

WELLNESS It certainly helps that the topic RIGHT Gwyneth several young women in the US. of wellness is highly visual – easily Paltrow’s goop has One of the more enduring effects promotable on social media, of the wellness industry’s constant billboards, magazine ads and been accused of barrage of “clean eating” images and product packaging with overfilled spreading “myths”; advice is the rise in disordered eating. acai bowls, yoga poses on clifftops and overwhelmingly young, attractive and (above) According to Szász, eating cleanly Caucasian protagonists. (In Australia, Dr Rose Marie and “being healthy” (a lifestyle touted as in the US and UK, white influencers Leslie challenges by numerous influencers) carries a systematically get paid more than misinformation. range of side effects. “When it comes influencers from other ethnic to what we eat, how we eat and what backgrounds.) Mughal also takes aim at the supplements we take, if we don’t find number of unregulated qualifications a moderate way to use information “In my opinion, I think the wellness in the wellness space by pointing out: and implement it in our lives, it can industry is getting out of control,” says “You won’t find a two-week online tip us into dangerous territory,” she Dr Andrea Szász, a psychotherapist engineering course to build your explains. and program director at South Pacific own house, but you will find that for Private. “It can be dangerous to follow nutrition, wellness and gut health.” And by that she means an people, let’s say, on social media who unhealthy relationship with food and are not actually educated or registered This kind of misinformation was exercise, which is known as orthorexia with a peak body or qualified to give highly prevalent during the pandemic – a proposed mental-health condition professional advice.” years, when the rise in usage of social characterised by an obsession with media platforms (especially TikTok) “clean eating” coupled with cutting out And the research backs her up, enabled anti-vaccine influencers to whole food groups. It’s estimated that with a recent survey finding that a gain traction. The US-based Center for about 6.5 per cent of the Australian whopping 90 per cent of social media Countering Digital Hate even found population could be suffering from it. influencers are sharing inaccurate that 65 per cent of the anti-vaccine health information. Of course, this content on Facebook and Twitter was Sophie Smith, now 24, used to be isn’t just contained to social media. shared by just 12 influencers. Twelve! one of those statistics. She has battled Gwyneth Paltrow’s goop (which is orthorexia since she was 15 and it’s valued at $US250 million) has While the effect of misinformation only now, though recovered, she can repeatedly been called out for and unqualified health advice is hard see the true extent of her obsession misinformation and false labelling to measure (especially for anti-vaccine with healthy eating. “I guess my eating of wellness products – even being content), it’s impossible to ignore the evolved into orthorexia where I was described as “exploiting the placebo repercussions of an industry that focusing on maintaining a thin body, effect” – and celebs such as Kourtney promotes the themes of clean eating, but it wasn’t really for aesthetic Kardashian have been called out for diet culture and wellness faddism. reasons,” she says. “It was more for pushing unqualified wellness advice. health reasons because I thought Studies have shown that Instagram I would be ‘unhealthy’ if I wasn’t Luckily there’s a band of fearless is contributing to people’s struggles doing what I was doing.” health professionals who are trying with body image and self-esteem, to curb the trend of misinformation, as well as depression and anxiety. Smith says that although her family including Dr Rose Marie Leslie TikTok-fuelled “health” challenges wasn’t particularly health-oriented, (@drleslie, 903k TikTok followers), a have also resulted in the deaths of she grew up with the typical messages doctor who shares advice on common symptoms, and Dr Mike Varshavski “IT CAN BE (@doctormike, 1.9m followers), who DANGEROUS TO fact-checks wellness memes and FOLLOW PEOPLE medical TV shows. One of the most WHO ARE NOT controversial, however, is Dr Idrees QUALIFIED TO GIVE Mughal (@dr_idz, 1.6m followers), PROFESSIONAL ADVICE” who tackles wellness influencers head on by naming and shaming their – Dr Andrea Szász health advice and backing it up with meta studies and health lessons. (His sign-off phrase is “class dismissed.”) “This [misinformation] is only applicable to the wellness industry, and that is because you won’t find it in any other subject matter,” he has said. “You’re not going to see someone who isn’t an engineer make a video about [how] ‘this is the best way to build a skyscraper.’”

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WELLNESS “I ASSUMED WHAT I WAS DOING WAS NORMAL. I THOUGHT EVERYONE HAD TO DO THIS TO BE HEALTHY” – Sophie Smith, recovered orthorexic LEFT Dr Idrees Mughal exposes false health claims through his TikToks. of “obesity is bad and you’ve gotta “I had it [orthorexia] for about she adds, you are never going to GETTY IMAGES; COURTESY OF TIKTOK. burn off calories”. What she did have, four-and-a-half years until I was 19, “tick all the boxes”. however, were some underlying and during that time I didn’t actually personality traits common in people know or think I had an eating disorder “We all need to realise that we vulnerable to eating disorders. “I because ‘being healthy’ is so socially come in different sizes and shapes,” am very driven and achievement acceptable in our society,” Smith she says, “and there isn’t a one-size- orientated, hardworking and I want to explains. “But sometimes people are fits-all approach to our health.” do everything right. I like to follow the doing something healthy because they rules,” she explains. “And perfectionism feel compelled to do it, or [because} As the wellness industry continues was definitely there. These personality they just can’t not do it.” to grow, there are calls for more traits put me at risk.” regulation. Instagram has committed Smith really thought she was just to blocking harmful hashtags, and So she began exercising … a lot. doing what everyone else was doing TikTok recently expanded on its As well as doing dance three times to stay well. And what was wrong evolving mental-health support tools. a week, Smith took up running and with that? “I assumed what I was In Australia, influencers are no longer added YouTube workouts in her room doing was normal,” she says. “I didn’t permitted to share their experiences at night. “Then I did a pretty strenuous see any issue in my behaviours or my of therapeutic-listed products and HIIT-style workout sometimes that lifestyle or my eating habits. I thought need to label branded content. I didn’t really want to do,” she says. everyone had to do this to be healthy.” “But I remember I would make sure But is that enough? Should there I had a target for how many calories And that is often where the be more regulation on what products my workouts were meant to burn.” wellness industry fails us, says are marketed under the wellness Szász, by promoting the idea that banner? Brooke Turner says maybe, Alongside this, Smith began everything labelled “wellness”, but more importantly we need to restricting her diet, removing food “healthy”, “non-toxic” is a good choice change our own mindsets. “It comes groups and saying no to anything for everybody – a blanket solution. down to how we react to these external sweet, even her own birthday cake. “Instead,” she says, “it’s actually inputs,” she says. “If something is She obsessively followed “guidelines” more important to learn what feels triggering you, or it’s not promoting for how to be healthy. Along with right for you and to learn to actually or getting you closer to achieving her eating disorder, Smith developed connect with your body. Understanding your goals, or you find yourself feeling a chronic bowel condition, which she your health ... starts with self-acceptance inadequate or comparing yourself puts down to her orthorexia. To avoid and knowing that you are valuable.” to others, you need to start limiting questions from concerned family and those sources [of information] to friends she also started lying. If you give in to the external stop draining your energy. It’s pressures of the wellness industry, simply not worth it.” 158 | marieclaire.com.au

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PL ANT POWERVegiequeenHetty Lui McKinnon elevates greens to lead characterstatus

LIFESTYLE NOTE Broccoli can also be cooked on the barbecue, which gives it an extra smoky favour. S A LT E D T O M AT O E S TUR MERIC-YOGHURT ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH TOMATO A ND WHITE BEAN DIP SERVES 4 SERVES 4 375g plain or vegan coconut yoghurt Cut each broccoli in half vertically 1½ tsp ground coriander through the centre of the flower head 450g cherry or other small tomatoes, 1 tsp ground turmeric and stalk. halved or quartered ½ tsp chilli powder 4 Place broccoli halves in yoghurt 2 garlic cloves, grated marinade and coat them all over. 1 garlic clove, grated Extra-virgin olive oil (It’s easiest to do this with your Extra virgin olive oil 4 small heads of broccoli (about hands.) Drizzle olive oil onto Handful of basil leaves, torn a baking tray and add broccoli, Toasted sourdough or flatbread, 1kg), preferably with stalks cut-side down, reserving any attached yoghurt marinade left behind to serve Handful coriander leaves in the baking dish or bowl. ½ cup toasted almonds, roughly Place in oven and roast for FOR THE DIP (MAKES 2 CUPS) chopped 20-25 minutes, until broccoli Green salad, white or brown rice, is browned and just tender (test 150g cherry or other quinoa or lentils, to serve by inserting a fork into the stalks, small tomatoes if it goes in and comes out easily, 1 Preheat oven to 220°C. the broccoli is ready). Remove 2 garlic cloves, peeled 2 Add yoghurt, ground coriander, broccoli from oven and brush 1-2 thyme or oregano sprigs, leaves turmeric, chilli, garlic, ½ teaspoon with reserved yoghurt marinade. sea salt, a few turns of black pepper 5 Top with coriander leaves picked (or ½ tsp dried oregano) and the olive oil to a baking dish and toasted almonds and serve 400g can cannellini beans, drained) or large bowl and stir to combine. roasted broccoli alongside 60g tahini Taste and add more salt, if needed. a green salad, rice, quinoa 2-3 tbsp lemon juice 3 Using a vegetable peeler, remove or lentils. 1 tsp harissa powder or paprika woody exterior from broccoli stalks. 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. 2 To make dip, place tomatoes on a small baking tray. Add garlic, thyme (or oregano) leaves, and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 10-15 minutes, until tomatoes are blistered and bursting. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, place tomatoes for the salad in a bowl, along with garlic. Add 2 teaspoons sea salt and black pepper and toss to coat. Set aside. 4 To make dip, place roasted tomatoes, garlic, herbs and pan juices in a food processor or blender. Add beans, tahini, lemon juice, harissa and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Puree till smooth. 5 Finish tomato salad by drizzling over 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and scatter with torn basil. 6 To serve, smear dip onto a large plate (or several smaller plates) and top with salted tomatoes. Serve with toasted sourdough or flatbread on the side, and drizzle everything with one final glug of olive oil. marieclaire.com.au | 161

LIFESTYLE CHARRED consistency of thickened cream; This is an edited extract PHOTOGRAPHY BY HETTY LUI MCKINNON. CAULIFLOWER if sauce is still too thick, add another from Tenderheart by AND CRISPY TOFU 3 tablespoons of water and keep Hetty Lui McKinnon whisking until smooth. Remove (Plum, $59.99). SERVES 4 from heat. The sauce will thicken over time, so if you aren’t using it Extra-virgin olive oil straight away, add a tablespoon 1 head of cauliflower (about 900g), or so of water to loosen it up again. 5 To serve, place cauliflower, tofu, stalk trimmed cucumber, eggs, bean sprouts, 75g chickpea flour crispy fried shallots/onions ½ tsp garlic powder or 1 small and lime quarters on a plate. Serve with the peanut sauce garlic clove, grated on the side or drizzle over 400g extra-firm tofu, cut into the top. 5-6mm thick slices 2 Lebanese cucumbers, cut into 2cm chunks 4 jammy or medium-boiled eggs, halved Handful of bean sprouts Handful of crispy fried shallots/onion 1 lime, quartered SWEET PEANUT SAUCE 135g smooth peanut butter 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped ½ tsp red chilli flakes 2 tbsp kecap manis 1 Heat a large saucepan over medium- high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat for 15 seconds. Working in batches, add cauliflower florets, making sure not to overcrowd the pan, and fry for 8-10 minutes, turning every few minutes, until charred and tender. Remove from the pan and season with sea salt and black pepper. 2 Scatter chickpea flour onto a large plate and add garlic powder or garlic, ½ teaspoon of sea salt and season with black pepper. Stir to combine. Place each tofu slice in the chickpea flour mixture and toss to coat on both sides. 3 Wipe out pan and place again over medium-high heat. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and, working in batches, add tofu slices and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden and crispy. Remove from pan and set aside. When cool, cut each tofu slice into triangles. 4 To make the sweet peanut sauce, place a small saucepan over medium heat and add all ingredients plus ½ teaspoon of sea salt . Add 180ml of water and whisk until smooth and combined. The sauce should be the

HIJIKI BAKED RICE WRAPPED IN NORI SERVES 4 6g dried hijiki, soaked in 750ml 1 Preheat oven to 230°C. 1-2 teaspoons should do it) to of hot water 2 Drain hijiki in a fine sieve and make it more pourable. Spoon or rinse with cold water. Drain again, drizzle mayonnaise (I like Kewpie 900g cooked white or brown rice then transfer to a large bowl. Add brand the best) over the rice in (from 400g uncooked) rice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sea a zig-zag pattern and then do the salt and sugar and mix to combine. same with the sriracha chilli sauce 2 tbsp rice vinegar Add edamame beans and or hot sauce. Scatter furikake 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil fold through. all over the surface. 1 tsp sea salt 3 Drizzle a deep baking tray (about 4 Serve with seaweed snacks 1 tsp white sugar 43cm x 31cm) with oil and add and avocado on the side. To eat, 140g podded edamame beans rice mixture, pressing it down place a scoop of rice on a sheet Extra-virgin olive oil or neutral oil so it spreads right to the corners of seaweed, add a slice of avocado Kewpie, regular or vegan and edges. Place in oven and and roll it up. bake for 20-25 minutes, until mayonnaise there are a few golden spots on marieclaire.com.au | 163 Sriracha chilli sauce or your favourite top of the rice. Remove from oven. If you’re using regular mayonnaise, hot sauce add a splash of water (just Vegan furikake (store-bought) 4 packs roasted seasoned seaweed snacks 1 avocado, sliced

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Christine McVie (sitting), Stevie Nicks and (from top left) Mick Fleetwood, John McVie and Lindsey Buckingham, in 1975.

LIFE STORY After the recent death of Fleetwood Mac’s songbird and peacemaker, music writer Cameron Adams charts her tumultuous life t was an offer Christine McVie The band’s bad blood made for share the bills with another emerging could refuse. Back in 2013, good business, with more than British blues band, Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks asked her long- 120 million records sold. Of those time but semi-retired friend sales, more than 40 million are for McVie began dating Fleetwood to re-join Fleetwood Mac 1977’s Rumours alone. The album Mac’s bassist John McVie and they after a 16-year hiatus. continues to be discovered by new married in 1968. The following year Rock icon Nicks dangled a audiences – it has been one of the she left Chicken Shack to spend more $US5 million dollar carrot to the highest-selling vinyl releases globally time with her new husband – the renowned singer, songwriter and for the past five years. “Mac” in Fleetwood Mac. keyboardist, saying she’d happily pay it out of her own pocket to get the band Born Christine Perfect in England In 1970 she released her first back together. McVie’s reply: “Is that in July 1943, by 15 she had swapped solo album as Christine Perfect (one all? I’m only worth $5 million?” classical music for rock and roll. While of the few records she’d disown), then McVie would indeed re-join at university studying sculpture, her officially joined Fleetwood Mac almost Fleetwood Mac, in 2014 – reuniting the goal of becoming an art teacher went by osmosis, adding her songwriting classic line-up that created one of the awry when she immersed herself in and vocal talents to the mix. highest-selling albums of all time in England’s blues music scene. Rumours – for a 15-month world tour By 1974, facing dwindling success, that grossed close to $US200 million. She joined a band called Chicken Fleetwood Mac relocated to America. It was the happy ending fans thought Shack, writing two songs on their 1968 When a Californian couple were they’d never witness from one of the debut album that cracked the UK poised to join the line-up, McVie had world’s most dysfunctional bands. Top 20. Chicken Shack would often final say. She liked Stevie Nicks The story ended tragically eight – they bonded over Mexican food years later when, on November 30, 2022, McVie died in England after McVie performing a short illness, aged 79. in California Nicks called McVie her “best friend in the whole world since the during Fleetwood first day of 1975”; drummer Mick Mac’s Tusk Tour Fleetwood said part of his “heart had in 1979. flown away”, and singer and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham called her a “musical comrade, a friend, a soulmate, a sister”. Artists from Harry Styles to Keith Urban paid tribute by performing her songs live. McVie was both hit maker and, just as crucially, peacemaker in Fleetwood Mac – a remarkable feat considering the drugs, drama and divorce that fuelled their biggest records. marieclaire.com.au | 167

LIFE STORY and saw their cultural differences as a positive. Nicks’ soon to be ex-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham was the other newcomer; the duo had already released an album titled Buckingham Nicks in 1973. McVie wrote – on her own – most of the singles on the self-titled Fleetwood Mac album of 1975, including the breakthrough hit “Say You Love Me”. A new band dynamic had emerged, with Buckingham, Nicks and McVie’s vocals blending to create something truly magical. Relentless touring for that album saw the McVies’ marriage disintegrate. By the time the band started working on the follow-up album, Rumours, Nicks and Buckingham had also split, this time for good. Both breakups came with serious bitterness. To complicate things further, Nicks would date Mick Fleetwood. The pain was raw, the cocaine was flowing (McVie said there wasn’t a single “sober day” during the creation of CLOCKWISE, FROM RIGHT Rumours) but it was all channelled into the music. The class-A drugs were Fleetwood Mac circa 1977; not the only chemistry on display, with McVie and Nicks pose tensions proving good for creativity. together in 1987; McVie McVie had an affair with one of and Buckingham in 2014; the band’s road crew – the new the band holding up awards romance documented in her song for sales of their albums in 1980; and McVie performing in Minnesota in 1990 and in New York in 2018. “You Make Loving Fun”, which her ex-husband then had to play bass on each night. She initially claimed it was written about her new dog. However, it to keep the machine rolling on. reunion tour she insisted on a separate room purely for her luggage, and that was also potential payback for the men McVie dated Beach Boys drummer wouldn’t even make the top 50 oddest requests from a Fleetwood Mac in Fleetwood Mac being able to bring Dennis Wilson for three years, from member.) “I [had] just wanted to be settled,” McVie told this writer in 2014. their new partners on the road, with 1979 to 1982, writing the hit “Hold Me” “I wanted to live in a home and not be a nomad. It’d been, like, 35 or 40 years the women not granted the same about their time together. Four years of that life and I said, ‘No, I can’t do this any more’ and I quit.” privilege. later, she married Portuguese Fabulously wealthy from writing “Don’t Stop” was keyboardist and some of the most loved songs of all time, McVie restored a house in written by McVie as a “I WANTED TO songwriter Eddy Quintela, England’s picturesque Kent where she marital post-mortem, LIVE IN A HOME and they co-wrote “Little lived that quiet life she’d never had, with the trademark white AND NOT BE A Lies” (before divorcing with her dogs for company. flag lyric “I never meant NOMAD. I SAID, in 2003). any harm to you”. When McVie left Fleetwood In 1987, 10 years after Mac, classics “Songbird”, “Little Lies”, “You Make Loving Fun” and Rumours also contained ‘NO, I CAN’T DO Rumours, Fleetwood Mac “Everywhere” also left the set list. “Songbird”, a song McVie THIS ANYMORE’ would make one final During her time out of the band, she wrote in 30 minutes. AND I QUIT” album together: Tango in saw Fleetwood Mac play in the UK, the Night. It rebooted the noting it was a strange sensation. But The album made something caught her eye. “They had this empty place where my Hammond Fleetwood Mac the band for a new era and organ and piano were. They kept that space empty.” biggest band on the planet in 1977, a remains their second highest seller, precious but poisoned chalice for any with McVie penning the timeless hit group, let alone one whose members “Everywhere”. didn’t really want to spend any time A decade later, she left the band. together beyond being on stage. They’d Spending most of her adult life on the write the blueprint for bands that road – even in five-star hotels – had travelled to and from shows separately, taken its toll. She’d also developed a often staying in different hotels. When crippling fear of flying and was tired you are making that much money, the of living out of a suitcase. (Although people around you will do anything it must be noted that on the 2014

Bored in retirement, the offer from reuniting those five people on stage was either completely break up the Nicks to rejoin the band in 2013 came at the right time. “I was just rotting had on millions. “You make eye contact band or make the best of it.” away, doing nothing,” she said. “The only people I’d want to play with again with people who are almost crying It was a chance for McVie and would be Fleetwood Mac. I didn’t want to form another band, I felt that was because they can’t believe they’re Nicks to rekindle their friendship, where I belonged. When I came back, they felt it’s where I belonged as well.” seeing the Rumours five back again.” their love for each other evident on With Nicks’ superstar profile It wasn’t to last, sadly. stage. “A lot of people think boosted by her striking looks and Her final release would “A LOT OF PEOPLE there’s competition between hit solo career, and Buckingham hailed THINK THERE’S us because we’re women in for his guitar wizardry, McVie was be Buckingham McVie arguably the most underrated songwriter in the band. But she had in 2017, a record she COMPETITION the same band,” McVie told another critical talent – she was made with Lindsey BETWEEN US this writer. “There isn’t at the glue that could hold the group Buckingham that was BECAUSE WE’RE all. We are fantastically together. She was there for ex-husband initially planned as a WOMEN IN THE close. Because we’re John McVie when he was diagnosed new Fleetwood Mac SAME BAND” so unalike we’re not with cancer in 2013. She was also the album once Nicks competitive in the slightest. go-between that forged some kind of truce between Nicks and Buckingham, added her own songs. She is Stevie, the brand, who had become songwriting partners. Their bad blood had been softened by However, the rift between Nicks and the whole package. I’m astronomical pay cheques but was never far from bubbling over and Buckingham was too toxic for McVie’s what you would describe as a derailing everything. UN-level negotiation skills to salvage. performer and she’s an artist.” McVie went to a psychologist to tackle her fear of flying, took up Buckingham was fired before the In 2020, Fleetwood and yoga and used Fleetwood’s dietitian and trainer to get match fit. It was a band’s 2018-2019 tour, replaced by Buckingham broke a two-year silence long way from the hedonism of the ’70s. Nicks gifted her a silver chain. Crowded House singer Neil Finn and when they reconnected after the death Both women knew it related to the Fleetwood Mac song “The Chain”, Tom Petty guitarist Mike Campbell. of the band’s founding guitarist, Peter but McVie said it went beyond a metaphor. “The chain of the band will Buckingham claimed “factions” within Green. A farewell tour, potentially never be broken, not by me anyway. Not again by me.” the band had “lost their perspective” with Buckingham to complete the McVie called that 2014 tour and that Nicks gave the band a “him or Rumours line-up, was floated as a way “utter joy” – seeing the impact that me” ultimatum. They chose her. At the to say goodbye to fans. time McVie noted, “It was the only Sadly, that was never to happen. route we could take because there was But could McVie’s passing heal the GETTY IMAGES. too much animosity between certain rift between her best friend Nicks members of the band at that point, and her musical mate Buckingham? there was just no way it could’ve gone Stranger things have happened on as a five-piece with Lindsey ... So it in the world of Fleetwood Mac. marieclaire.com.au | 169

LAST WORD “HAILEY AND I ARE BOTH MODELS TURNED BUSINESSWOMEN AND WE BOTH INSPIRE EACH OTHER” THE WOMEN WHO MADE ME KIM KARDASHIAN KENDALL I’m really fortunate and lucky to have JENNER people in my life I trust and who are really smart and have great advice. The model, mogul and media star pays tribute Kim and I had a similar trajectory to three women who always stand by her rising through the ranks of the fashion industry. Obviously she’s a queen KRIS JENNER her strength and ability to give us all the and she’s a style icon. But I also think – GETTY IMAGES. AS TOLD TO AVA GILCHRIST. attention I think we need at that time. when I think of any of my sisters – My mom, Kris, is just a really I would go crazy. I’d lose my mind if I I’ve always just been super different inspirational person. Something had that many kids who always had stylewise. I was always a tomboy as a I really admire her for is her ability to something to talk about or freak out kid and really never dressed like any of wear so many hats. She’s a mom, she’s about, so she’s really strong for that. them. Even today I’d say my style is a momager but she also has a whole And she can handle a lot, which is pretty different from all of [my sisters] bunch of kids (and grandkids) and she really cool. We worked together and honestly probably mostly different deals with all of us on a daily basis. At recently on the Uber Eats campaign from Kim’s, but I really admire her style. least one of us are always calling her for Australia and it’s not often I get I think it’s cool that she has her thing [each day] with a personal problem or the opportunity to spend a work day and I have my thing and both are great. a work problem and she’s juggling all with her, so I loved doing that. She’s influential and I will always be of us at the same time. I really admire influenced by her. HAILEY BIEBER I am very particular about the people I surround myself with. When it comes to friendships my mantra is “Small but mighty”. I love a small core crew of the friends I’ve had forever. But I also love ... meeting new people and really nurturing new relationships. I think that as we get older [things] become kind of more distant or sometimes just a little bit harder. We’re not kids anymore and [we’re] more open, I guess. So it’s really cool, I think, to form new relationships. Friendship is absolutely a valuable thing for me managing life in Hollywood. Hailey and I are both models turned businesswomen and I think we both inspire each other. Something really cool about having friendships and family members and people around you who have, in my opinion, great taste and ... great opinions is feeding off that. I love getting Hailey’s opinion on a new project or getting her [view] on how something looks because I always want that feedback. I love constructive criticism. I’m very much always a work in progress in my personal life and my work life. So I think that having people around me who I really trust and who have good taste is very important. 170 | marieclaire.com.au