iSound

A classically trained pianist who remains one of the youngest vocal soloists ever to perform with the Russian Philharmonic, New York-based singer-songwriter Katia has a pop music style as unique as her background. Songs like her debut single "Girl Like Me" reveal her classical melodicism within a pure pop context, in which her lyrics-about the "day-to-day stuff that girls go through," she says in typically engaging perfect English-are nailed by her beautiful but insistent singing voice. Ten years old at the time of her highly publicized performance with the Russian Philharmonic, the St. Petersburg native, who is now sponsored by the Baldwin piano company, came to America shortly thereafter. She has studied music on her own ever since, absorbing along the way influences ranging from Madonna to Norah Jones-both of whom, incidentally, have been mentioned among artists whom Katia evokes. Indeed, renowned producer David Kahne was so impressed by Katia's talent tha...