She was one of the most extraordinary artists of the 20th century, an icon of American music who used her remarkable talent to create a legacy of liberation, empowerment, passion, and love through a magnificent body of works. She earned the moniker ‘High Priestess of Soul,’ for she could weave such a seductive and hypnotic spell that the listener lost track of time and space as they became absorbed in the moment. 

Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina, on February 21st, 1933, her prodigious talent as a musician was evident when she started playing piano by ear at the age of three. After graduating valedictorian of her high school class, Eunice received a scholarship to study classical music at Julliard before applying to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia to continue her classical studies. The school denied Eunice admission—a rejection, she claimed, was based solely on her race and which had a profound impact on her for years to come. Determined to continue her concert training, Eunice took on a stage name, Nina Simone, and performed jazz, blues, and folk music in nightclubs to support herself. Although she never intended to be a singer, she was expected to sing to keep her job. 

The rest is history.

Simone released her first album in 1957, scoring a Top 20 hit with the track “I Loves You Porgy.” In the 1960s she befriended artists and intellectuals like James Baldwin and Langston Hughes and others looking to connect with their African heritage. This prompted her involvement with the Civil Rights Movement, culminating with the release of the iconic protest song “Mississippi Goddam” in 1964, a reaction to the 1963 assassination of Medgar Evers and the Birmingham church bombing that killed four young African American girls.

Simone continued to speak out forcefully about the African American freedom struggle. She won wide acclaim both for her politically motivated songs and covers of popular songs. As attention to the Civil Rights movement declined in the 1970s, Simone left the U.S., attributing her move abroad to what she saw as the worsening racial situation in the U.S. She settled in France where she experienced mental health and financial issues, though she enjoyed a career resurgence in the 1980s. Simone died on April 21, 2003.

In 2008, Rolling Stone named Simone to its list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, and, in 2018, Simone was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.