Vienna Teng on Songwriting, Climate Action & Few of a Kind’s New Album

It was so inspiring to have this conversation with the multi-talented singer-songwriter and pianist Vienna Teng .

In this episode we’re featuring the band Few of a Kind’s new album, a beautiful collaboration with Vienna, Brandon Ridenour, Ben Russell, Yousif Sheronick, and Andrew Gutauskas. Vienna takes us inside their creative process with excerpts from each track. She also reflects on what truly makes a great song, how her identity evolved with parenthood, and how she has connected with audiences through her climate action workshops. Vienna also shared insights into two other brilliant recent projects, her unique album We’ve Got You and “The Riversitter” after Dave Eggers’ “The Museum of Rain”.

You’ll hear the charming story of how she actually found her stage name, some highlights including opening for Joan Baez, performing on the Late Show with David Letterman and especially what it felt like to return to touring and recording after a ten-year hiatus after working in environmental sustainability.

Full Show Notes for all the links: Vienna Teng's albums, website, Songwriter podcast, linked episodes with Gabriel Kahane, Jean Rohe, Ida Gillner, Fern Lindzon and Diane Nalini and my Newsletter, Merch store and how you can buy me a coffee to support this series!

photo: Sherwin Lainez

(00:00) Intro

(02:21) Stage name story, David Letterman and early fame, working at Cisco

(07:09) Few of a Kind band, with clip track 1 “Transcontinental 1:30 AM”

(11:49) life of a singer, Ben Russel with clip of track 4 Two Steps From the Blues

(18:31) creative process Few of a Kind, Octavian studios

(20:52) environmental sustainability, decision to go back to university

(28:07) Few of a Kind, clip of track 2 Alone, Brandon Ridenour

(31:32) crafting a life in music with social impact

(34:12) other linked episodes and ways to support this series

(35:02) what makes a great song, Asian American identity Alex Wong

(42:31) climate action workshops connected to concerts

(47:20) We’ve Got You with clips, how Comfort and Spark fit together

(54:33) writing “The River Sitter” after David Eggers “The Museum of Rain”

(01:00:36) Few of a Kind, with clip of track 3 Five’s Alive, Andrew Gutauskis, Yousif Sheronick

(01:07:40) touring, opening for Joan Baez

(01:12:03) coming back after 10 year hiatus