The Grammy-award winning musician began to learn classical piano when she was seven, and shortly enrolled at the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan where she began to study jazz. By 14, she was writing her own songs, and at 16, she graduated with all A's.

Four weeks after starting classes at Columbia University, where she had accepted a scholarship, she had to drop out due to her budding music career. She had been signed to Columbia Records when she was 15.