Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
Suzanne Vega
July 11, 1959
Santa Monica, California, US
67 Years Old
Cancer
Who Is Suzanne Vega?
Suzanne Vega is an American singer-songwriter, renowned for her understated vocals and poetically observational lyrics. Her distinct folk-inspired music often captures the nuances of urban life.
She rose to prominence with her 1987 album Solitude Standing, which featured the global hit single “Luka.” The song, addressing child abuse, garnered multiple Grammy nominations and became a significant cultural touchstone.
Early Life and Education
Suzanne Vega was born in Santa Monica, California, moving to New York City at two years old. She grew up in Spanish Harlem, influenced by her computer analyst mother, Pat Vega, and Puerto Rican novelist stepfather, Edgardo Vega Yunqué.
She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, studying modern dance before her 1977 graduation. Vega later majored in English literature at Barnard College, where her songwriting career began in Greenwich Village clubs.
Notable Relationships
Suzanne Vega’s personal life includes two notable marriages. She married producer Mitchell Froom on March 17, 1995, after their musical collaboration on her album 99.9F°, an on-set romance.
The couple divorced in 1998, with whom she shares daughter Ruby Froom. Vega then married lawyer and poet Paul Mills on February 11, 2006, more than two decades after his initial proposal.
Career Highlights
Suzanne Vega broke through with her 1985 self-titled debut, featuring the UK hit "Marlene on the Wall." Her second album, Solitude Standing, yielded the global sensation “Luka,” a Grammy-nominated single bringing awareness to child abuse.
Vega earned a unique place in music history when her a cappella track “Tom’s Diner” was remixed into a 1990 dance hit. This song also became crucial for testing the MP3 format, leading to her title as "the Mother of the MP3."
She collected a Grammy Award in 2008 for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, for Beauty & Crime, underscoring her lasting impact on both music creation and technical production.
Signature Quote
“It's taken me a while to say, ‘You are what you are, it's fine.’”