Regina Spektor reflects on her early musical influences and how her upbringing in Soviet Russia instilled a deep respect for classical music and the arts. She contrasts this with her experience in the United States, where classical arts are often seen as less cool. Regina shares how her classical piano training continued due to the generosity of a kind couple who offered her free lessons when her family couldn't afford them. She also discusses her songwriting process, which she describes as mysterious and often driven by subconscious inspiration. Additionally, she reminisces about her early days performing in New York's East Village and the support from her fans, who helped preserve recordings of her early shows.