Latest news with #SolitudeStanding
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Glastonbury's first ever female headline act is 'forgotten' 80s superstar
Suzanne Vega made history as she became the first ever woman to headline Glastonbury Festival back in 1989, but just hours before her performance, a stalker had the singer fearing for her life The Glastonbury Festival is edging closer, with an influx of over 200,000 devotees set to swarm the idyllic farmland in the UK. The much-anticipated spectacle is renowned for securing stellar headliners such as Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, and Coldplay. Yet, a delve into the archives uncovers the remarkable tale of the event's first female top-biller - an occurrence that was almost thwarted. Rewind to 1989, when Suzanne Vega, the California native turned New Yorker, broke new ground by becoming the very first woman to lead the line-up on the festival's esteemed Pyramid Stage. With her innovative blend of pop and folk melodies, Vega had scored international acclaim. Her eponymous first album, followed by the successful 'Solitude Standing' in 1987, cemented her name on the music map, spawning some of her most iconic tracks like 'Luka' and 'Tom's Diner'. These hits were the perfect precursor to her spot at Worthy Farm, but, mere hours before she was to go on stage, calamity seemed imminent. A band member of Vega's entourage was dealing with a stalker, who had issued a fresh death threat prior to the concert – only this time, it extended to Suzanne as well, reports the Mirror US. Reliving the moment in an interview with the I, the artist related: "But they had included me in the threats, Scotland Yard sat me down and said, 'we advise you not to do the show.' I was like, 'are you kidding me?'". Even with a significant moment looming, she insisted on performing, under a peculiar stipulation. Suzanne revealed: "A man from Scotland Yard took him and said, 'You'll have to wear this.' He was twice my size, so I had to gaffer tape myself into this giant bulletproof vest and then put a denim jacket over it. "It felt like every song was 20 minutes long. It was not comfortable. We were all nervous. I'm proud of being the first woman to headline. There's nothing diminished about that." In the past 30 years, Vega has carried on releasing music, though she took some time off in the 2010s to focus on theatre, dabbling in three adaptations and transforming her one-woman play, Carson McCullers Talks About Love, into a film. However, she has recently come back with her latest full studio album in over a decade, Flying with Angels, despite the fresh tracks not reaching the heights of her celebrated 80s hits. The artist added: "It was exciting. I liked being successful. Whether you like my music or not, you could not deny that I was successful, I felt good about that."
NZ Herald
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Music: Suzanne Vega flies high again with reflective new album
American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega arrived in a flash in the mid-1980s with two albums and memorable singles Marlene on the Wall, Luka, Solitude Standing and her a cappella Tom's Diner – all delivered in a distinctive, emotionally flat manner.
Metro
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Legendary singer reveals police advised her not to headline Glastonbury
Suzanne Vega has shared that police 'advised' her not to play her historic headline show at Glastonbury in 1989. Vega's performance at the Worthy Farm festival marked the first time a woman had ever headlined Glastonbury. In a new interview with The i, she shared that not everyone was happy about the step forward for female musicians, revealing she had received death threats ahead of the performance. She said: 'Scotland Yard sat me down and said, 'We advise you not to do the show.' I was like, 'Are you kidding me?'' Both Vega and the bass player she performed with had received violent threats, some even on the day of the gig. The singer continued, remembering that she agreed to wear a bulletproof vest during the show. 'A man from Scotland Yard took his and said, 'You'll have to wear this.' He was twice my size, so I had to gaffer tape myself into this giant bulletproof vest, and then put a denim jacket over it.' 'It felt like every song was 20 minutes long,' she continued. 'It was not comfortable. We were all nervous.' Despite the difficulties, she said, 'I'm proud of being the first woman to headline,' she said. 'There's nothing diminished about that.' An American singer-songwriter and author, Vega is widely regarded as one of the leading figures of the folk revival movement that emerged in the 1980s. She gained international acclaim with her 1987 album Solitude Standing, which featured the hit singles Luka and the a cappella Tom's Diner, later famously remixed by the British duo DNA, becoming a global dance hit and earning her the nickname 'the mother of the MP3' due to the track's role in early digital audio experiments. More Trending Since Vega's trailblazing performance at Glastonbury, there have been plenty of female headliners, with this year's upcoming festival kicking off on June 25. The event has dropped all its headliners with Neil Young, The 1975 and Olivia Rodrigo taking the top Pyramid Stage spots and Rod Stewart in the Sunday legend slot. Elsewhere, Doechii, Charli XCX, Biffy Clyro, Alanis Morissette, Raye, The Prodigy and Noah Kahan are all billed on various stages, with legendary bands also cpeppered in the line-up like The Libertines, The Maccabees and The Scissor Sisters. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Fans giddy over prospect of A-list actor 'playing secret Glastonbury set' after Oscar nomination MORE: Missed out on Glastonbury tickets? Here's 5 'hidden gem' festivals you've probably never heard of MORE: Noughties icons accidentally announce they're playing Glastonbury 2025
