new york post article, october 1996
|
Rock Talk by Lisa Robinson New York Post, Tuesday, October 29, 1996, p. 40 Vega flaunts sexy, new poetic license Suzanne Vega was so determined not to be considered a "chick singer" when she broke out of New York's folkie coffeehouse scene in 1985, that she fought against thinking about her looks for a long time. Vega, a New York City native whose 1985 self-titled debut album established her as a strong songwriting presence, broke big with the 1987 album "Solitude Standing." which featured the single "Luka," an unlikely smash hit about an abused child. Her waifish presence and cerebral lyrics enhanced a dispassionate persona; Vega played her cards close to the vest. "I wanted to be taken seriously," says Vega, who brings her glamourous new image to a sold-out show at Irving Plaza tonight. "I wanted people to read my lyrics. I wanted to be perceived as a poet -- and I was -- and that was good. I didn't want people making comments about my legs; it wasn't appropriate to me. Now, with 12 yeasr in the music industry, I feel like I have a good strong history behind me. So, if I want to wear a dress now or pay more attention to my style, this is the time to do it." Since she fell in love with her producer, now her husband, Mitchell Froom, and gave birth two years ago to their daughter, Ruby, this serious singer-songwriter has bloomed. Vega is not only more glamourous, she's sexier and much more open. "When I had Ruby, I changed physically," admits Vega. "I'm 15 pounds heavier than I used to be. I also started paying attention to my styling. I cut my hair into a style similar to one I had 10 years ago. Mostly I just feel like I'm 37." Her fifth album, the brand-new "Nine Objects of Desire," also expresses a bold new sense of adventure. "In the past," says Vega, "when I was writing about things like child abuse and mentail illness, I wasn't about to reveal my sources about these things. But when writing about desires, or having a baby, or the more joyful parts of my life that I did on this album, I was happier to share this kind of information with the world than I was about 'who's Luka?' This is probably the first album I've written that doesn't have those kinds of issues on it. I still think the music is edgy." "I'm still careful about what I reveal," she adds. Submitted by Unique212@aol.com |
Up to The Suzanne Vega Home Page