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Utente:David~itwiki/Regina Spektor

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Regina Spektor (in russo Регина Спектор?) (nata il 18 Febbraio, 1980) è una cantautrice e pianista Americana nata in Russia. La sua musica è associata alla scena anti-folk dell'East Village di New York.


Infanzia

Regina Spektor è nata a Mosca, in Russia, da una famiglia di musicisti. Suo padre, un fotografo, fu un violinista amatore, e sua madre una professoressa di musica in un college Russo; sua madre ora insegna in una scuola pubblica elementare a Mount Vernon, New York. [1]


Spektor studied classical piano from the age of six, practicing on a Petrof piano given to her mother by her grandfather.[2] 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.[1] The family left the Soviet Union in 1989, when Regina was nine, during the period of Perestroika when Jewish citizens were permitted to emigrate. Unfortunately, Regina had to leave her piano behind.[3] 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.[4]


Travelling first to Austria and then Italy, the family settled in the Bronx, New York, where Spektor graduated from the SAR Academy, a middle school yeshiva in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. She then attended high school for two years on a scholarship at the Frisch School, a yeshiva in Paramus, New Jersey, 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.[5][6]

Spektor has stated that she was originally interested only in classical music, but that she later became interested in hip hop, rock, and punk, as well.[1]


Beginnings as a songwriter

In New York, Spektor gained a firm grounding in classical music from her piano teacher, Sonia Vargas, a professor at the Manhattan School of Music. Spektor studied with Vargas—whom Spektor's father had met through violinist Samuel Marder, Vargas's husband—until she was 17.[7] Although the family had been unable to bring their piano with them from Russia, Spektor found a piano on which to practice in the basement of her synagogue, also utilizing tabletops and other hard surfaces for this purpose.[2]

Although she had always made up songs around the house, Spektor first became interested in songwriting during a visit to Israel with the Nesiya Institute in her teenage years. Attracting attention from the other children on the trip for the songs she made up while hiking, she realized she had an aptitude for songwriting.[4] Following this trip, she was first exposed to the work of Joni Mitchell, Ani DiFranco, and other singer-songwriters, which gave her the idea that she could create her own songs.[4] She began writing her first a cappella songs around age 16, and wrote her first songs for voice and piano when she was nearly 18.[1]

Spektor completed the four-year studio composition program of the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College in Purchase, New York within three years, graduating with honors in 2001. Around this time, she also worked briefly at a butterfly farm in Luck, Wisconsin, and studied in Tottenham, England for one semester.

She gradually achieved recognition through performances in the anti-folk scene in downtown New York City, most importantly at the East Village's Sidewalk Cafe, but also at the Living Room, Tonic, Fez, the Knitting Factory, and CB's Gallery.[2] During this period, she sold her self-produced CDs 11:11 (2001) and Songs (2002) at such performances.

Style

 
Regina Spektor in concert, June 2006.

Spektor's songs rely on a mixture of styles and techniques, often starting with a piano riff and integrating moans, nonsense words, groans, gurglings, or warblings. Spektor has said that she has created 700 songs,[8] but that she rarely writes any of them down.[senza fonte] Spektor's songs are not usually autobiographical, but rather are based on scenarios and characters drawn from her imagination.[9][4] Her songs show influences from folk,[10][11] Jewish,[9][12] Russian,[9] hip hop,[10][13][14] jazz,[10][13] and classical music.[9][13] Spektor's musical style has drawn many comparisons to fellow singer-pianists Fiona Apple and Tori Amos.[15][14] Spektor has said that she works hard to ensure that each of her songs has its own musical style, rather than trying to develop a distinctive style for her music as a whole.[senza fonte]

Spektor possesses a broad vocal range and uses the full extent of it.[senza fonte] She also explores a variety of different and somewhat unorthodox vocal techniques, such as verses composed entirely of buzzing noises made with the lips, beatbox-style flourishes in the middle of ballads, or the use of a drum stick to tap rhythms on the body of the piano or chair.[16][4] Part of her style also results from the exaggeration of certain aspects of vocalization, most notably the glottal stop, which is prominent in the single "Fidelity." She also uses a strong New York accent on some words, which she has said is due to her love of New York and its culture.[1]

Her lyrics are equally eclectic, often taking the form of abstract narratives or first-person character studies, similar to short stories or vignettes put to song.[16][1] Spektor usually sings in English, though she sometimes includes a few words or verses of Latin, Russian, French, and other languages in her songs. Some of Spektor's lyrics include literary allusions,[4] such as to F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway in "Poor Little Rich Boy", The Little Prince in "Baobabs", Virginia Woolf and Margaret Atwood in "Paris", Ezra Pound and William Shakespeare in "Pound of Flesh", Boris Pasternak in "Après Moi", and Oedipus the King in "Oedipus". Recurring themes and topics in Spektor's lyrics include love, death, religion (particularly Biblical and Christian references), city life (particularly New York references), and certain key phrases have been known to recur in different songs by Spektor, such as references to gravediggers, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the name "Mary Ann."

In Spektor's early albums, many of her tracks had a very dry vocal production, with very little reverb or delay added. However, Spektor's more recent albums, particularly Begin to Hope, have put more emphasis into song production and have relied more on traditional pop and rock instruments.[3]

Spektor names The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, and Frédéric Chopin as a few of her primary influences.[17]

Performances

Spektor's first nationwide tour was accompanying The Strokes as the opening act on their 2003–2004 Room on Fire tour, during which she and the band performed and recorded "Modern Girls & Old Fashion Men." Subsequently, she has appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien (twice), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (twice), Jimmy Kimmel Live, Last Call with Carson Daly (three times), CBS News Sunday Morning, and Good Morning America.[18] Since roughly January 2005, Spektor has performed on a bright red Baldwin baby grand piano.[19]

Although she generally only performs original material, Spektor performed her first covers in 2005, of songs by Leonard Cohen and Madonna, for the 2nd Annual Jewish Music & Heritage Festival at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.[4] She also covered The Beatles' "Real Love" at her alma mater SUNY Purchase's Performance Arts Center on March 28, 2007, a benefit concert for the Conservatory of Music.[20]

In 2006, Spektor embarked on a headlining tour of the United States and Europe, selling out numerous clubs and theaters.

Media coverage

 
Regina Spektor performing in the West London Synagogue, February 2007.

Beginning in 2005, Spektor's music has been used in various television programs and commercials. In late 2005 "Us" (from Soviet Kitsch) was used in a commercial as part of the What Do You Want To Watch? series for the United Kingdom's Sky Television. The advert features a clip from a documentary on skateboarder Danny Way. In the summer of 2006, a clip from "Us" was used for the teaser website for Microsoft's Zune project at ComingZune.com, as well as for a promotional campaign for MtvU. The same track is used by Dutch telecom company KPN in a commercial. "Somedays" was used in a 2005 episode of CSI: NY and "Samson" was used in a 2006 episode of the same series. "On the Radio" was used in an episode of ABC's popular Grey's Anatomy. "Field Below" was used in a 2006 episode titled "The Last Word" of CBS's Criminal Minds. "Fidelity" was also used in a recent episode of "Grey's Anatomy" titled "Six Days, Part 2", in an episode of Veronica Mars titled "Witchita Linebacker", and in an episode of "Brothers & Sisters" titled "Sexual Politics". "Better" is currently being used in a commercial for XM Satellite Radio. Spektor also sang the title song "Little Boxes" of Showtime's television series Weeds in the 2006 episode "Mile Deep and a Foot Wide" and her "Ghost of Corporate Future" was used both at the beginning and end of the episode. On January 21, 2007, she was featured on CBS News Sunday Morning[1].

Regina Spektor gained much media attention in 2006 when her video for "Fidelity" was viewed over 200,000 times in two days on the YouTube website. On SIRIUS Radio's Left of Center channel, her single "Fidelity" was voted by listeners as the #1 song of 2006. Towards the end of 2006, VH1 showcased her as part of their "You Oughta Know: Artists on the Rise" featurettes: they played clips from the "Fidelity" music video and showed parts of an interview with Spektor during commercial breaks on the channel [2]. Just recently Regina was named #3 on Vh1's Top Artists Charts.

In Australia, Spektor's music has rapidly gained popularity in mainstream culture primarily due to Begin To Hope being played on the nation-wide radio station Triple J, where it eventually became a feature album. Prior to Begin To Hope, Regina Spektor had only a small following in Australia in comparison to the US and Europe.

Spektor reached #33 on Blender magazine's top 100 of 2006 and was also listed as one of the "Hottest Women of...Rock.".[21]

On 8th March 2007, Spektor appeared on ITV's Loose Women, promoting and performing "Fidelity" live.

Fidelity was also used in a 2007 television commercial in New Zealand advertising a new partnership between Yahoo! and Telecom's Xtra ISP.

Discography

Spektor's first two albums were released exclusively in the United States; Soviet Kitsch and Begin to Hope were released worldwide. The compilation Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories, containing songs from Spektor's first three albums, was put together for the UK market.

Albums

Year Album Billboard 200 Top Heatseekers Top Digital Albums Label
2001 11:11 - - - self-released/iTunes
2002 Songs - - - self-released/CDBaby.com
2004 Soviet Kitsch - - - Sire (US)/Shoplifter (UK)
2007 Soviet Kitsch (reissue) - - - WEA (UK)
2006 Begin to Hope 20 #1 4 Sire (US)/WEA (UK)

Compilations

Year Album Billboard 200 Top Heatseekers Top Digital Albums Label
2006 Mary Ann Meets the Gravediggers and Other Short Stories - - - Transgressive (UK)

Singles and EPs

Year Single U.S. Hot 100 U.S. Pop 100 UK VSpot Top 20 Countdown Source album Label
2004 "Your Honor"/"The Flowers" - - - - Soviet Kitsch Shoplifter (UK)
2005 "Live at Bull Moose EP" - - - - N/A Sire (US)
2005 "Carbon Monoxide" - - - - Soviet Kitsch Transgressive (UK)
2006 "Us" - - - - Soviet Kitsch Transgressive (UK)
2006 "On the Radio" - - 60 - Begin to Hope Sire (US)/WEA (UK)
2006 "Summer in the City" - - - - Begin to Hope WEA (UK)
2007 "Fidelity" 51 46 45 3 Begin to Hope WEA (UK)
2007 "Live in California 2006 EP" - - - - N/A Sire (US)
2007 "Better" - - - - Begin to Hope WEA (UK)
2007 "Samson" - - - - Begin to Hope WEA (UK)

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f http://www.wnyc.org/shows/soundcheck/episodes/10182004
  2. ^ a b c http://www.soundgenerator.com/artists/artists_biography.cfm?artistid=9148
  3. ^ a b John Aizlewood, Regina Spektor: A Triumph That Began With Hope, su thisislondon.co.uk, thislondon.co.uk, 2006-08-24.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Soundcheck interview (2005). "From Russia with Love". New York Public Radio.
  5. ^ http://www.emimusicpub.com/worldwide/artist_profile/regina-spektor_profile.html
  6. ^ http://forums.morrissey-solo.com/showthread.php?goto=lastpost&t=44096
  7. ^ Shane Roeschlein, Regina Spektor: The Red Princess, su themusicedge.com.
  8. ^ Brian Orloff, Regina Spektor's Got New "Hope", su rollingstone.com, Rolling Stone.
  9. ^ a b c d Rod Alonzo, Making Stuff Up: An Interview With Regina Spektor, su womanrock.com.
  10. ^ a b c http://www.musicomh.com/albums/regina-spektor_0106.htm
  11. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/music/2004/07/paolo_nutini_peaches_regina_spektor.shtml
  12. ^ http://www.tucsonweekly.com/gbase/Music/Content?oid=88732
  13. ^ a b c http://www.myspace.com/reginaspektor
  14. ^ a b National Public Radio, Regina Spektor in Concert, su npr.org.
  15. ^ Tim Karan, Making Fiona Apple seem normal., su altpress.com, Alternative Press Magazine.
  16. ^ a b Melissa Block, Stories in Song: Regina Spektor's 'Begin to Hope', su npr.org, National Public Radio, All Things Considered.
  17. ^ http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/magazine/music/e3ib45af50decbdb4496f1d9fd83a0ee0b5
  18. ^ http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/WinterConcert/popup?id=3011274
  19. ^ http://www.wnyc.org/shows/tnbt/episodes/2005/01/28
  20. ^ http://www.nynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070329/ENTERTAINMENT/703290453
  21. ^ "http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?ID=2295&src=blender_ed

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Articles

Listening

Interviews

Video

Template:Regina Spektor

  1. ^ Errore nelle note: Errore nell'uso del marcatore <ref>: non è stato indicato alcun testo per il marcatore block
  2. ^ Errore nelle note: Errore nell'uso del marcatore <ref>: non è stato indicato alcun testo per il marcatore soundcheck
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