Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation—or any other—Suzanne Vega is debuting the new song “Chambermaid” from her forthcoming record, Flying With Angels. Stream/share the track HERE.
Speaking about “Chambermaid,” Vega notes, “In my adaptation of Bob Dylan’s ‘I Want You,’ I imagine what the character of the chambermaid would say about her own aspirations and her relationship with the great man himself.”
Vega’s first full-length album of new music in over a decade, Flying With Angels, is due May 2 on Cooking Vinyl. The record is produced by Vega’s longtime collaborator and guitarist Gerry Leonard (David Bowie, Rufus Wainwright, Laurie Anderson, Duncan Sheik); see below for a complete track listing. Flying With Angels is available for pre-order HERE.
“Each song on the album takes place in an atmosphere of struggle,” notes Vega. “Struggle to survive, to speak, to dominate, to win, to escape, to help someone else—or just to live.”
Vega also recently shared the album’s second single, “Speakers’ Corner,” acknowledging the increasingly political nature of communication today, when the ability to speak one’s mind is easier than ever on social media—yet that privilege is often misused. Vega elaborates: “That’s something you don’t want in a democracy: the shutting down of the Speakers’ Corner, where people get a say. This is a moment in time when people are saying a lot, but sometimes they’re not making sense or not telling the truth. People should be accountable for what they say; they can’t just lie. One would think that would be self-evident.” The single is accompanied by an animated lyric video directed by artist/animator Michael Arthur; stream/share the single HERE and watch/share the video HERE.
In celebration of the forthcoming album, Vega will tour throughout North America and Europe, performing an evening of career-spanning songs as well as showcasing material from the new album. Newly announced shows include New York’s Town Hall with special guests Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche, as well as the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C., World Café Live in Philadelphia, and the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh. Vega and Leonard will be joined onstage by cellist Stephanie Winters. See below for a list of dates; tickets for all upcoming shows are available at suzannevega.com/tour.
Of Vega’s performances, The New York Times notes that she “is attentive to the realm of the unseen.” Finding Connecticut lauded a recent concert as “nothing short of mesmerizing, weaving tales through her soulful songs in a cozy setting that allowed for a deep connection with the audience.”
Vega emerged as a leading figure in the folk-music revival of the early 1980s. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has written and recorded numerous songs that have become part of the contemporary music vernacular, including “Luka,” “Marlene on the Wall,” and “Tom’s Diner,” an a cappella piece that was remixed by U.K. electronic dance duo DNA and became a major club hit. It remains an oft-sampled and frequently covered standard by artists across the musical spectrum. Her albums—including her self-titled debut, the follow-up Solitude Standing, and 99.9F—have sold millions of copies worldwide.
SUZANNE VEGA TOUR DATES
June 8—Pittsburgh, PA—Three Rivers Arts Festival
June 10—Washington, DC—Lincoln Theatre
June 11—Philadelphia, PA—World Café Live
June 13—Amagansett, NY—The Stephen Talkhouse
June 14—New York, NY—Town Hall*
June 15—Ridgefield, CT—Ridgefield Playhouse
September 30—Amsterdam, NL—Royal Theater Carré
October 2—Rotterdam, NL—Nieuwe Luxor
October 4—Munich, DE—Isarphilharmonie
October 6—Hamburg, DE—CCH Saal Z
October 8—Berlin, DE—Kammermusiksaal Philharmonie
October 10—Brussels, BE—Bozar
October 12—Antwerp, BE—Queen Elisabeth Hall
October 13—Esch-sur-Alzette, LU—Rockhal Club
October 15—Offenbach, DE—Capitol
October 16—Koln, DE—Theater am Tansbrunnen
October 19—Gateshead, UK—Sage Gateshead (The Glasshouse Int’l Centre for Music)
October 20—Manchester, UK—Bridgewater Hall
October 21—Glasgow, UK—Royal Concert Hall
October 23—Edinburgh, UK—Usher Hall
October 25—Liverpool, UK—Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
October 27—Cambridge, UK—Corn Exchange
October 28—Brighton, UK—Dome
October 30—Bristol, UK—Bristol Beacon
October 31—Birmingham, UK—Symphony Hall
November 1—Stoke, UK—Regent Theatre
November 3—London, UK—Royal Albert Hall
*with special guests Suzzy Roche & Lucy Wainwright Roche
