Suzanne Vega

US singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega makes a long-awaited return to New Zealand this August, with concerts in Auckland and Wellington:

Tuesday 7 August at Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Auckland
Wednesday 8 August at the Opera House, Wellington

Suzanne Vega will perform songs from throughout her career. Her songs have connected strongly with New Zealanders over the years, earning her major chart success here with the likes of Luka, Solitude Standing, Tom’s Diner (with DNA), and Blood Make Noise.

Two of New Zealand's best songwriters, Melbourne-based Lisa Crawley, and worldwide-travelling troubadour Mel Parsons, will open for Suzanne Vega next month. Mel is in the middle of her two-month North American stint—touring extensively, and recording a new album with LA producer Mitchell Froom. Lisa Crawley—with a back catalogue that boasts two albums and three EPs, coupled with countless collaborations, tours, television appearances and acclaimed music-based projects—has well and truly earned her reputation as one of Australasia's most well-respected musicians.

New Yorker Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival in the early 1980s. From her self-titled 1985 to today, she has sold over seven million albums and has been nominated for seven Grammy awards.

Her Solitude Standing album was No. 1 in New Zealand and features the hits—Tom's Diner (a beautiful acapella track, subsequently re-released with DNA), and Luka—a haunting folk-pop classic written from the perspective of an abused child.

Vega has continued to musically evolve and explore. She has now released nine studio albums, her most recent being 2016's Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers.

"Hushed, restrained folk-pop and highly literate lyrics… (her success) helped convince record companies that folk-styled singer/songwriters were not a thing of the past after all, paving the way for breakthroughs by Tracy Chapman, Michelle Shocked, Shawn Colvin, Edie Brickell and many others." - Steve Huey @ AllMusic.com