Regina Spektor American singer, songwriter and pianist Date of Birth: 17.02.1980 Country: USA

Biography of Regina Spektor

Regina Ilyinichna Spektor, an American singer-songwriter and pianist, was born on February 17, 1980, in Moscow, USSR. Coming from a musical Jewish family, Regina's father, Ilya Spektor, was a photographer and violinist, while her mother, Bella, taught music in a Russian music school.

From an early age, Spektor learned to play the piano, mastering compositions by Petrov. In 1989, during the period of Perestroika in the Soviet Union when citizens were allowed to emigrate freely, the Spektor family left the USSR, first moving to Austria, then Italy, and finally settling in the Bronx, New York when Regina was 9 and a half years old.

In New York, Spektor began studying classical piano with Sonya Vargas, a professor at a music school in Manhattan. Despite not having her own piano, Spektor found ways to practice, playing at her synagogue and training on tabletops and other hard surfaces. Initially, Spektor was interested solely in classical music, but later she became drawn to other genres such as hip-hop, rock and roll, and punk.

During her teenage years, after a trip to Israel with the Nesiya Institute, Spektor started writing songs more seriously. She had always been composing and humming songs on the go, but now she dedicated herself to songwriting. In 2001, Spektor graduated from a music conservatory, having already spent a semester in Tottenham, England, and worked on a butterfly farm in Lake, Wisconsin.

Spektor began performing in clubs and cafes in New York, mainly at venues like 'East Village's Sidewalk Cafe', 'Living Room', 'Tonic', 'Fez', 'Knitting Factory', and 'CB's Gallery'. She also performed at local colleges with other musicians. Gradually gaining recognition, Spektor started recording and distributing her own albums among friends. Her first albums, '11:11' (2001) and 'Songs' (2002), were self-produced.

In 2004, Spektor signed a contract with Sire Records (a subsidiary of Warner Brothers) to record and release her third album, 'Soviet Kitsch', which she independently recorded in 2003. Spektor's powerful vocals and range are fully demonstrated in her music. She also employs various unconventional vocal techniques, such as humming or buzzing sounds, beatboxing, and tapping drumsticks on the piano lid or chair. Spektor often incorporates a strong New York accent in some words, reflecting her deep love for the city and its culture.

Spektor's song lyrics are equally eclectic, often taking the form of abstract storytelling or character studies. Her compositions resemble short stories or vignettes set to music. Spektor usually sings in English but occasionally includes a few lines or verses in Latin, Russian, French, and other languages.

In 2009, Spektor released her fifth album, 'Far', followed by a series of concerts at the Serpentine Sessions in London's Hyde Park in June of the same year. She also participated in various music events across Europe, including festivals like 'Glastonbury', 'Hultsfred', 'Oxegen 2009', 'T in the Park', 'Paradiso' in Amsterdam, 'Latitude', and 'Rock Werchter'.

Spektor gained mainstream attention in 2006 with the music video for her song 'Fidelity', which garnered over 200,000 views on YouTube in just two days. The song also reached the top spot in listener voting on SIRIUS Radio's Left of Center. In the same year, Blender magazine ranked Spektor 33rd on their list of the "Hottest Women in Rock."

Spektor's songs have been featured in films, with her single 'Fidelity' appearing in the trailer for the movie '27 Dresses' and her song 'The Call' written specifically for 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian'.

In 2009, Spektor won the Studio8's Female Voice singing competition, further cementing her success in the music industry.