Her Name Is Vega: Singer-songwriter Returns with Sparkling New Album

In her four decades as a recording artist, singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega has displayed a remarkable knack for creating songs that sound at once deeply personal and utterly universal, a true gift given that almost all of them are written from the first-person point of view. The observational pieces date to her early days with such enduring fan favorites as “Tom’s Diner,” “Luka,” and “Marlena on the Wall,” songs that largely steer clear of metaphors to find meaning in the prosaic moments Vega chooses to bring to our attention. Somehow, even though inspiration can arrive from almost any place at any time, every word rings true. 

“I think it’s just the way I see the world,” Vega said over the phone last week. “I see things, notice details that a lot of people miss, and things interest me that other people don’t see. I must have been born with it because ever since I was a child, I remember having to explain myself constantly to everybody, to my parents, to other people. It helps that I’ve got a long, long attention span.” 

Never has that breadth of curiosity over such a wide variety of topics been as evident as on her new album, Flying with Angels, which was released last year to strong critical praise. “Speakers’ Corner” addresses both the pandemic and threats to freedom of speech. “Last Train from Mariupol” was sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On the other end of the spectrum, “Rats” addresses, yes, the rodents that rampage all over her hometown of New York City. In between, there’s “Love Thief,” a familiar topic made remarkable by its ‘70s soul sound, plus two songs inspired by her relationships with two of rock’s great poets: Bob Dylan in “Chambermaid” – which barely disguises his classic “I Want You” while relaying a brief encounter with Dylan on tour – and “Lucinda,” a tribute to Lucinda Williams, even borrowing words from Williams’ memoir for some of the lyrics.

“That song was one of the leftovers I always have when I start writing a new album, which was during the pandemic,” Vega explained. “Lucinda” took longer than any other song I’ve written. I scribbled some things in my notebook that rhymed after seeing her in the early 2000s; just verses about her hair, her makeup, how she dressed, what she looked like. Then I read her biography, and it made me want to go back now that we know how she really feels, what it’s like for her inside. So it was almost 25 years.”

Which stands in sharp contrast to “Tom’s Diner,” which – one pass and done – has become her most famous song, one that’s been sampled repeatedly over the years. 

“The melody got stuck in my head and I wrote it in a half hour or so,” Vega recalled. “I never expected it to turn into what it did.”

Vega had some help putting together Flying with Angels via producer and longtime guitarist Gerry Leonard, who arranged musical settings for the songs and much more. 

“We have a very playful relationship where I can throw in pretty much any idea, whether lyrical or musical, at him and he serves it back to me like tennis. We see what bubbles up to the surface, what feels alive, which influences what songs get finished. That’s what makes for an interesting collection and different feel to the songs. We just had a lot of fun, and that’s the way it came out.”

Vega originally wanted to call the album Survival of the Fittest, she said, before giving in to advice to pick something more palatable. 

“I thought of it at first because we’re all fighting. We were fighting COVID, we’re fighting politically, we’re fighting for our identities and our survival. But Flying with Angels ultimately is where we want to be. We want to have the protection of our better selves.” 

Where we all want to be on Valentine’s Day, February 14, is at the Lobero Theatre, where Vega will be accompanied by Leonard and cellist Stephanie Winters.

“She can play melodic parts, rhythmic parts, sweet sounds or distorted and funky. We are very creative as a trio, so it’s really lovely.” 

The audience can expect a career-spanning set that covers the favorites over the years, and a generous selection of songs from Flying, Vega said.

“It’s more fun now to put together a set than it used to be because we have a wealth to choose from and I’m not scraping things together,” she said. “It’s about keeping ourselves interested and the audience amused.”

That former part isn’t as challenging as it might seem – despite having to play those early songs every night for the better part of four decades. 

“I love singing them,” Vega said. “I’m a Buddhist and so I do my prayers twice a day, so I’m able to have a present moment relationship with the songs. I do them wholeheartedly. I love the response I get from the audience. It’s fantastic.”

Visit www.lobero.org