[MUSIC - "How"] Unknown Speaker: You're going back to Russia to your roots? Regina Spektor: Yeah, it's my first time going back in 23 years since I was 9. So I'm really really excited. When we first left you couldn't return because it was still Soviet Union and it was closed. And then when it opened, we never had money to go. US: Okay. RS: And then by the time that I had some chance to go, at that point it had been so long that I was really nervous to kind of displace all my memories from childhood and replace them with this new thing. Until recently when I just decided that that was stupid... US: [laughs] RS: ...and that I didn't want to just you know hold on to memories and not go Anytime I tried to write anything in Russian it felt like I was just kind of copy Like I never transitioned into having my own voice in it, you know? So, then I sort of, but I really wanted to sing in it So I had one of my songs on Begin to Hope called "Après Moi". It had a, I put a little bit of a poet that I love, Pasternak, and I just sang his lyrics and it felt really amazing to sing these words not written by me but that I love, and in my language. US: So you get your inspiration from poems but from brails because your music is so beautiful. RS: Oh thanks. I get a lot of inspiration from other art you know just whether it's you know paintings or films. I think a lot of inspiration comes from New York, New York City and just living there. US: It's such a... RS: Yeah, it's such a giving city like there's so many stories happening everywhere and it's really like, you step outside your door and then you just, you're really affected very quickly by lots and lots of different things. And different cultures and moods and you'll see like the best of humanity and the worst of humanity. It's inspiring in every way to me so I think a lot definitely just being there. US: I think your show is going to be amazing so I wish you a lot of luck RS: I hope so. As we get closer to it, I get more and more nervous. Then once I step on stage I get just happy all the nerves go away. [MUSIC - "Ballad of a Politician"] Unknown Speaker: Welcome back, Regina. Regina Spektor: Hi. Thanks. US: How are you? RS: I'm really good. [laughs] US: Yeah. And is it good to be back because you've been here before? RS: Oh, yeah. Yeah. It's wonderful to be back. I definitely feel, kind of like outside of time and space a little bit because today's my 3rd day, in Europe and it's my 3rd country. US: Okay. RS: And it's my 3rd show in Europe. US: So So where were you the day before this one and the other one? RS: Yeah. Well, it's been Scandinavia. It's been, before here was Finland. That's where I woke up this morning. And then and then the morning before that was Sweden. US: Okay. Festivals also? RS: Yes. US: Okay. So that was that was fun? RS: Yeah. Really fun. Really fun. US: And you're gonna have a lot of fun here today, I promise, because this is the perfect festival day for everybody. Everybody seems so happy today that it's finally summer and that they can see so many artists. Do you have a busy summer? RS: Yeah. I have a really busy summer. I'm, I'm I've I have been, playing in the US, and I, all the way since, April I've been touring. I did a tour opening for Tom Petty in America and then I did some of my own shows in in my hometown, New York and then kind of around the East Coast area. And, and now I'm gonna tour Europe. I'm gonna go to Russia. I'm gonna then in August, I'm gonna do the West Coast. So it's just a lot, a lot of stuff. US: Okay. You just said it. You're going to Russia. You have Russian roots. So I guess for you, that must be something really special. RS: Yeah. It's really exciting. It's actually going to be my first time there in, 23 years because I came as a little kid to... US: Yeah. RS: ...to New York. So it's very exciting. I mean, when I left it with Soviet Union, so I'm I'm returning to a very different atmosphere and different country. But, I'm very excited to experience it as an adult and to kind of check it out. US: Yeah. So what do you expect? I mean, it has changed a lot. RS: Yeah. I'm I'm trying actually not to expect too much because I I tend to overthink things. So I just I just want to go and experience it for what it is, you know, and not sort of do the whole what if, what what is going on, is it like this, and, you know, I think that I the thing that's really exciting to me is that I get to go as a musician. US: Mhmm. RS: And not just, you know, as a tourist. Yeah. Because it's just so amazing to get to play music for people, like, who were there when, you know, when I was little. US: Yeah. That would be very, very special, I think. I think for you, it's always, about music, of course, but also about a lot of emotion on stage as well. So it's kind of emotional shows. That's what you do, and and people love it. So I wonder how do you get ready for such a show? I mean, do you have, like, special tricks to get in the exact right mood for a festival show? RS: No. I, you know, I think that I think that, you know, it, the songs themselves, they sort of have they have, to me, their their their own worlds. And I, I really respect them, and and I try to, like, whenever I record a record, I always try to just find the right thing for each song. So, so I think in that way, they're just kind of a vehicle. So it doesn't really matter actually how I feel that day. It's just, they are what they are. And then some of the things that I feel are channeled through them, but it's always different to me. So in that way, I guess the songs are always new to me. US: Okay. That's beautiful. RS: Yeah. US: That's a that's a good that's a good thing to do. I think that's a perfect trick. And you have a new album, What We Saw from the Cheap Seats. RS: Yeah. US: I guess you're gonna play a lot of new music tonight for, the fans here. RS: Yeah. Definitely. US: Alright. So we look forward to your set. So, Regina, have a great time at Rock Werchter. Thank you. RS: Thank you so much. Bye bye.