biography

Eunice Waymon, now famously known as Nina Simone, was born in 1933 in North Carolina. Her raw, heart wrenching voice made an impact on the world through her music about protest, black empowerment, and love. Since she was a child, Nina had been playing piano, and initially started her musical career as a pianist. She hadn’t been singing professionally until 1954 when her boss threatened to let her go unless she sang and played piano. Her first hit, “I Loves You Porgy”, was released in 1959. In the 1960’s, Nina Simone took on a huge role in the Civil Right’s Movement and sang music that reflected her support and frustration. During this time, Nina befriended Martin Luther King Jr. and released one of her most impactful recordings… “Strange Fruit”. After being overwhelmed by the amount of racism and injustice in America, Nina made the decision to leave the United States and live the rest of her days in Barbados, Africa and Europe.