www.ExpressGayNews.com • May 19, 2003 • Q1 CYMK Q_COVERstory Suzanne Vega: American Maverick With a New Greatest Hits CD, a Radio Show and a Documentary in the Works, this Storytelling Musician Shows She’s an Original By Mary Damiano now being filmed. She has been busy raising that she had been abused by her father, and the maverick, oddball, weirdo composers, Arts & Entertainment Editor her eight-year-old daughter, Ruby, and, of she was in the hospital and she was finally the alternatives of the classical world that you No one is more surprised by the course, writing songs. able to tell the doctor what happened to her don’t usually get to hear. Sometimes the music successful 20-year career of Suzanne Vega Suzanne Vega will perform at the Broward because she heard “Luka” on the radio back needs some explanation to understand what than Suzanne Vega herself. Center for the Performing Arts Tuesday, May when she was a teenager. it is you’re listening to. Each show is an hour, The folky, singing storyteller never 20. She recently spoke with The Express each show has a theme, so you get to hear a would have believed that a shy kid who about her career, her songs and how What’s that like for you, knowing that wide range of composers under one umbrella couldn’t sing very well would not only motherhood has influenced her music. a song you’ve written has affected someone’s for each show. It’s been great fun. become a successful performer but usher in life like that? an era of more acoustic, complex music, Mary Damiano: Why did you choose this On the one hand, it moves me deeply to It sounds like a great way to expose paving the way for Tracy Chapman, Shawn moment for a retrospective? feel that I’ve written something that connects people to music they wouldn’t normally get Colvin and just about any woman who’s Suzanne Vega: I probably would have with someone on that level. On the other to hear. played Lilith Fair. had a retrospective even if my contract were hand, the very need to write the song still Not just the music, but the thinking and From her first hit, “Luka,” about an not up with A&M Records, but the fact is, keeps me as upset as I was to write the song the personality behind it, the reasons behind abused child, it was evident that Vega was my contract is up after 19 years, which strikes to begin with. I wish it weren’t necessary to it, the anecdotes—it’s wonderful to make different from the saccharine pop that me as a good time to look back and see what have to write about it. the connection between someone’s personal permeated the record charts. When she work I’ve done. I like retrospectives, and the life and how they express themselves. followed that with the catchy, easy-going fact is that they asked me if I would do one. You strike me as the kind of person who white girl’s rap of “Tom’s Diner,” Vega I’d have done it 10 years ago if they’d asked. is a writer at heart and uses music to convey And now you’re going to be the subject solidified her position as a quirky woman with that writing. Is that a fair assessment? of a documentary, so people are going get to something to say. How has your music changed over the Yeah, I think it is. It’s where I’m most see that about you. Vega has just released her first greatest years? comfortable. I’ve learned over the years, the Yes, to some degree. I think there’s hits collection, Retrospective: The Best of It’s gotten a bit freer. It’s got more hard way, how to sing—mostly by standing always some element a bit hidden that may Suzanne Vega. In addition to her latest CD, confidence, I think. The productions have on a stage and doing it, whereas writing was not be revealed to the camera. We’ll see. Vega hosts American Mavericks, a radio changed, but basically it still comes down to something I started doing from the time I We’re in the middle of it, and we don’t really show on National Public Radio showcasing the voice and the guitar and the story I’m could read, practically. I was five or six when know how it’s going to end. It’s been an oddball American classical composers. She telling. I started writing poems and other things. interesting process so far. The cameras is also the subject of a new documentary, followed me around through the setting up of You do seem to be the consummate I like this quote from you: “If you had the retrospective, through the photo shoots, storyteller and you’ve put stories to said in high school that this kid who doing all the press. I’m part of a program music that one wouldn’t think of technically couldn’t sing and wasn’t called Principal for a Day, so I would go to a being a song, like “Luka.” I outgoing would have a 20-year career as a school and talk to children and they would read that you still get performer and pop songwriter, nobody would ask me questions, and they filmed that too. letters about that song. have believed you.” Not only letters, I gave it up for awhile after I graduated How has being a mom changed your but people come from high school because I wasn’t sure of writing? and talk to me. my ability to perform. I think people think of It’s made it a little more straightforward. Just last week, a a performer as Maria Callas or pop singers— It’s still not the easiest stuff in the world to young woman the ability to get out there and really push listen to and understand, but it’s become more came up and and sell whatever it is you’re selling. I always of a straight line than the usual world of told me had a different angle on it. metaphors and inner images. There’s something about having a child that makes Why do you think you managed to break your life very practical. You don’t have time through when music was so pop and to lie around thinking. You have to get up, performance oriented? make sure your child is dressed and fed and Some of it was sheer determination and on the school bus. It changes your years of going back to the stage, going back perspective. She’s an interesting child. When to performing in front of audiences, the I started to sing to her, I noticed that she liked determination of my first manager, and some melody a lot more than lyrics, so I was aware of it was that you get a time in your life when more of what would hold her attention. In the things line up a certain way. If you get a break beginning she didn’t really care about lyrics, and you have people who can deal with it, unless they were farm animals—songs which you just go. I have very few of. So in that way, she had her influence in what she responds to. What or who has influenced your music and writing most over the years? Is Ruby expressing an interest in Probably the image of Leonard Cohen. I music? say the image of Leonard Cohen as much as Yeah, she’s terrific at it. She plays piano. his music because he’s someone I felt I could At one time she was thinking about writing emulate. I suppose everyone who is a songs, but wanted me to show her how to do songwriter wants to be Bob Dylan, but he’s it. She was very annoyed with me that I got a sort of charisma and he appeared at a couldn’t really teach her. But she has technical time in music that no one can duplicate. abilities that I don’t even begin to have. I’m Leonard Cohen is always there, always very curious to see what she’s going to do present but writes under the radar. He never with herself. I think she really loves writing. I goes away. And I also like his humor, his think that’s where her passion is. melancholy and the way he dresses. Even though I was a teenage girl and he was What’s next for you? probably in his 30s when I discovered him, I I’m hoping to take some time off in the still identified with some aspects of his fall and write a bunch of stuff and finish a lot personality. of songs that I’ve started. I feel a real drive to do that. I feel like I’ve done the retrospective, And his “Suzanne” is such a beautiful and now I need to start looking toward the song. future. That’s where my energy will go. Yes, that’s true too. It’s time to regroup? Tell me about American Mavericks. Yeah, and rethink everything and finish, It’s about American classical composers just move forward. There are about 20 to 30 from 1770 all the way to Phillip Glass. It’s all songs that I really need to get cracking on. Suzanne Vega will perform at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts Tuesday, May 20, at 8pm.