Born Eunice Waymon in 1933, singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist Nina Simone’s legacy is lasting. More than 20 years after her death in April of 2003, she remains such an important artist for the way that she was unapologetically herself.
My interest in Nina Simone was sparked after watching the Netflix documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone?. The 2015 film explores her life, beginning in rural North Carolina as a classical pianist, to her emergence as a star in New York City.
Simone’s career began when she took a job playing the piano, then eventually singing, in a bar in New York City. She changed her name for fear that her mother would not approve of the type of music she was singing. She quickly became one of the most popular musicians of the time, performing at venues like the Newport Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, and many places across Europe later in her career. Her personal life unfortunately consisted of mental health and relationship issues.
Artists such as Aretha Franklin and Roberta Flack found inspiration in Simone’s music. Her music style blended jazz, classical, blues, and gospel. Her background in classical music combined with her roots from the south contributed to her unique style. By incorporating storytelling elements Simone became an entertaining performer.
Simone, at her time, was a new kind of star. She was more outspoken than most female singers. She was unapologetically herself.
Simone played a role in the Civil Rights Movement, and used her platform as a voice for the Black Power Movement. Through her songs such as Mississippi Goddam and Young, Gifted, and Black, Simone expresed the black experience and inspired other Civil Rights activists. Although initially hesitant to associate herself with the movement, Simone became an advocate for racial equality and social justice. To assist and inspire them, she used her music as a form of protest and activism.
Today it is as important as ever that artists use their voice and their platform to speak up against the crimes against not only black people, but against any and all injustices in America. The current time of turmoil demonstrates the continued need for these types of stars.
Decades ago, Simone set an example of how a person under the public eye should use their attention to advocate for a cause they believe in. In addition to being an excellent musician and performer, her legacy includes the type of person she was and what she fought for.
