Regina Spektor was born in Russia and relocated several times with her family before settling in New York City. Travelling through Europe and the Soviet Union, she was exposed to rock and roll music of the sort preferred by her father, and this helped to round out her training in classical music. She was very serious about her piano lessons while a youth in Russia, and this dedication actually made her parents reconsider leaving the country. In the end, they did make the move across the ocean, and this gave Regina the opportunity to learn several other kinds of music and eventually incorporate them into her own song writing. Spektor's songs reflect not only her classical training, but also Jewish, Russian, folk, hip hop, rock and even a little punk music. She claims that originally she was only interested in classical music, but over the years she expanded her tastes and enjoys bringing those elements together in her own songs. She always says that her intention was never to become a songwriter, but that this was something that just happened to work for her. Spektor's music incorporates piano, nonsense syllables and relies heavily on her clear and melodic voice. With the release of the single "Fidelity," Regina Spektor gained significant popularity as millions of people logged onto YouTube to watch the video. The song has helped her rise to stardom and has brought much attention to what is called her "anti-folk" approach to music. She has developed a very unique style of performing and recording, and it is this quality that the artist hopes will carry her over the pitfalls of success and offer her career some longevity. Her songs are certainly as unique as the woman herself, and for an artist such as Regina to break into the mainstream is something not many would have expected.