NEW York singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega will play York for the first time since March 1997 when she performs at the Grand Opera House in June.

Her last appearance was at the York Barbican Centre, promoting her Nine Objects Of Desire album, and previously the graceful, cool Vega had sung at the Barbican in 1993.

Brought up in artistic Manhattan by a Puerto Rican stepfather and a Swedish-German mother, Vega became a Buddhist at 16. The eldest of four children, she studied dance and songwriting at the High School of Performing Arts in New York and released her self-titled, folk-infused debut album in 1985.

Best known for the hits Marlene On The Wall, Luka, Left Of Center and the DNA-remixed Tom’s Diner, Vega has released such albums as 1987’s Solitude Standing, 1990’s Days Of Open Hand, 1992’s 99.9F, 2001’s Songs In Red Gray and 2007’s Beauty & Crime, each featuring sharply-etched songs of love and danger, dreams and longing, politics and perception.

In 2010, she embarked on an on-going project to re-imagine her own songbook in a stripped-down and intimate manner, re-recording songs for four thematic albums on the Cooking Vinyl label under the collective title of Close-Up.

Love Songs, People & Places and States Of Being have been released so far and the 52-year-old Vega will issue Vol 4, Songs Of Family, as her 11th studio album in May.

Tickets for her June 20 debut at the Grand Opera House are on sale at £28.50 on 0844 871 3024 or atgtickets.com/york

Suzanne Vega, Grand Opera House, York, Wednesday, June 20, 8pm