Play Regina Spektor Radio
Regina Spektor
On Tour
31,351,944 plays (725,786 listeners)
Listening now: xxLauraaxx, never-never
Moscow, Soviet Union (2001 – present)
Regina Spektor was born on February 18th, 1980, in Moscow, Soviet Union, to a musical family. Her father, a photographer, was also an amateur violinist. Her mother was a music professor in a Russian conservatory and now teaches at a public elementary school in Mount Vernon, New York.
Spektor studied classical piano from the age of six, practicing on a Petrof piano given to her mother by her grandfather. She was also exposed to the music of rock and roll bands such as The Beatles, Queen, and The Moody Blues by her father, who obtained such recordings in Eastern Europe and traded cassettes with friends in the Soviet Union. The family left the Soviet Union in 1989, when Regina was nine, during the period of Perestroika when Jewish citizens were permitted to emigrate. The seriousness of her piano studies led her parents to consider not leaving Russia, but they finally decided to emigrate, for religious and political reasons.
Traveling first to Austria and then Italy, the family settled in the Bronx, New York, where Spektor graduated from a middle school yeshiva. She then attended the Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus, New Jersey on a scholarship for two years, but, feeling out of place, eventually transferred to a secular public school, Fair Lawn High School, in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where she finished the last two years of her high school career.
Spektor has stated that she was originally interested only in classical music, but that she later became interested in pop, rock, and punk as well.
Beginnings as a songwriter
Spektor studied classical piano from the age of six, practicing on a Petrof piano given to her mother by her grandfather. She was also exposed to the music of rock and roll bands such as The Beatles, Queen, and The Moody Blues by her father, who obtained such recordings in Eastern Europe and traded cassettes with friends in the Soviet Union. The family left the Soviet Union in 1989, when Regina was nine, during the period of Perestroika when Jewish citizens were permitted to emigrate. The seriousness of her piano studies led her parents to consider not leaving Russia, but they finally decided to emigrate, for religious and political reasons.
Traveling first to Austria and then Italy, the family settled in the Bronx, New York, where Spektor graduated from a middle school yeshiva. She then attended the Frisch Yeshiva High School in Paramus, New Jersey on a scholarship for two years, but, feeling out of place, eventually transferred to a secular public school, Fair Lawn High School, in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where she finished the last two years of her high school career.
Spektor has stated that she was originally interested only in classical music, but that she later became interested in pop, rock, and punk as well.
Beginnings as a songwriter
Top Albums
Shoutbox
-
m0nkiii wrote:
Far far far!
-
luminousheather wrote:
i love far and i love regina
-
YotamD wrote:
'Far' is a beautiful album. Regina brings some new elements to her music (which frightens some of her old fans for some reason) and she mixes them with her old self (the strong piano element is clearly the ruler of this album) . the result is refreshing and pleasant. I completely disagree with anyone who thinks she's gotten bad since she became over famous after 'Begin to Hope'.
-
lovelyradish wrote:
Far is great.
-
amaryliss wrote:
i think, that ''old Regina'' (soviet kitsch, 11:11, songs) is so much better, than sound of the new album
-
NoirCafe wrote:
Begin To Hope remains my fav album, Far is not that good... but Dance Anthem of the 80s really got me
-
Molxoz wrote:
i change my mind. "far" is not dumb, it just another
-
TMVRadio wrote:
new album is really good, Regina never fails.
-
demiwi wrote:
new cd = dumb
-
Le-Varol wrote:
New album? Wich one?
-
indiewou wrote:
@lionbird i think the same, she said thinks that maybe the only one who understand is her, regina sings from her heart :)
-
patrick_rocha wrote:
far is great, get a life you all
-
lionbird wrote:
Anyone saying the new album isn't good .. have you ever thought that maybe she doesn't do this for us, the fans? To me, making music is something you do because you love to do just that. Fans are a bonus, support is nice. When an artist or band wants to try something new, every song they write and each piece of music used.. that's inspiration that none of us will ever understand from their point of view. I'm sure a lot of what she does is for her - she loves music. As a fan, you should support every move she makes, even if it means she's changed the sound you like. Running around saying how awful the new album is isn't beneficial for anyone.
-
Usmstr wrote:
I can't say that I dislikes the new album, but please! Make more albums like the first one with your VOICE!
-
seanconn wrote:
W/e I don't like this album as much as I did songs, 11:11, or soviet kitsch... but I didn't like Fidelity as much as any of them, but it was still a great album. Regina was a bit crazier before, and a lot more lo-fi, but she likes the produced sound.. and that's what she wants, and she has gotten a lot more popular because of it. Listen to Genius Next Door from Far... abbbbsoolutely amazing.
-
fekko wrote:
even worse than just disappointing :)
-
KGSully wrote:
The new album is BRILLIANT. I can't stop listening to it! Particularly loving "Eet" and "Dance Anthem of the 80s."
-
davidmalconyan wrote:
respect for the machine
-
ahhlehx wrote:
ha ha ha and he he he till half past 3!!!
-
wtfnick wrote:
like the new album.
Videos
See more
Events
-
Sep
15
Regina Spektor
Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, Detroit MI, United States
Add shout
| 20 attendees -
Sep
16
Regina Spektor
Sound Academy, Toronto, Canada
4 shouts
| 21 attendees
-
Sep
12
Regina Spektor
The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL, Chicago, United States
1 shout
| 24 attendees
News
"Far" debuted at #3 on Billboard Top 200 chart!
2 Jul 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/reginaspektor
Regina Spektor and Sire Records are thrilled with the overwhelming response to Spektor's new album, far. Released last Tuesday, June 23rd, far debuted at #3 on this week's Billboard Top 200 chart...
-
24 Jun 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/reginaspektor -
24 Jun 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/reginaspektor -
22 Jun 2009 | from blog.myspace.com/reginaspektor
Listeners
-
sincerelysafa
Listening now
to Blue Lips -
replikhant
Listening now
to Two Birds -
xxLauraaxx
Listening now
to Man Of A Thousand Faces -
CrustyAnus
Top Listener
-
mcn1991
Top Listener
-
LennekeZzip
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
siamesesecret, Suzanna4187, siera5 and 4 other people added Regina Spektor to their libraries. 1 minute ago
-
FanMusic2 tagged Regina Spektor with american, russian, indie and one other tag. 42 minutes ago
-
Manbetik, mariajose_, alishabanks and 2 other people added Regina Spektor to their libraries. 45 minutes ago
-
oczywisnie tagged Regina Spektor with ‘crazy singer’. 2 hours ago
-
and 1 other person added Regina Spektor to their libraries. 2 hours ago
-
Riesutux shared Regina Spektor with liuxxiux. 2 hours ago
-
Riesutux tagged Regina Spektor with female vocalists, alternative and piano. 2 hours ago
-
Riesutux, Jsu7Seward, basti123123 and 15 other people added Regina Spektor to their libraries. 2 hours ago
-
Apearce10 tagged Regina Spektor with ‘seen live’. 7 hours ago
-
magdalenea, ebbasolo, ig218 and 4 other people added Regina Spektor to their libraries. 7 hours ago
Related Journals
-
Review: 'Far' by Regina Spektor -- Production kills songs
by cogwheeldogs |
2 Jul 2009 | Add comment
-
Best of 2009 - FIRST HALF
by keport |
1 Jul 2009 | Add comment
-
~*~bandz i hav seen live~*~
by asdfkennedy |
1 Jul 2009 | 1 comment
Groups (274)
-
Music is my boyfriend.
16,527 members
-
i'm not anti-social, i just enjoy my music.
8,549 members
-
For those who don't sleep enough due to staying up late at night for no apparent…
7,554 members
-
i'd die without music
7,440 members
-
The Strokes
3,994 members
