.png)
Prior to watching the 2015 documentary, 'What Happened, Miss Simone?', I had little knowledge of Nina Simone's material let alone her personal life. Rather ignorantly, I classed her into the same bracket as an artist like Aretha Franklin, being both pioneers of soul music who were also skilled pianists.
Nina Simone lacked the catchy, melodic hits of Aretha Franklin however, which established the former being given the label of the 'Queen of Soul'. This directed me to giving Franklin more of my time, enjoying her rich discography full of soul gems.
These artists had differing objectives when creating and releasing music however. Being heavily involved in the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, Simone created music for change, not for hits.
The documentary is both tragic, and inspiring, with director Liz Garbus exploring Simone's stubborn will to ignore the demands of her management (being her abusive husband, Andy Stroud) to stand up for her rights.
Simone released back to back protest songs, to promote the Civil Rights Movement and to inspire the revolution against racism in the US.
Following the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in Alabama and the Missisippi murder of activist Medgar Evers both in 1963, Simone released 'Mississipi Goddamn'.
The blasphemy in the title caused the release to gain increasing traction due to the fact it was banned from many radio stations.
Simone insisted she was 'not non-violent' and supported the Black Panther Party, while also working with the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Andrew Young.
Simone writes:
"To me, America's society is nothing but a cancer, and it must be exposed before it can be cured"
Nina Simone had faced discrimination with a brave face throughout the entirety of her life. Being from North Carolina, she was brought up in a black neighborhood which was segregated from the white community. Birth name being Eunice Waymon, from as young as four she was given piano lessons from the woman Enice's mother was working for, igniting Eunice's love of classical music. Eunice began to dream of becoming the first black classical pianist.
This meant that Eunice would have to cross a railroad track every Saturday into the white neighborhood to receive piano lessons.
Despite her upbringing, she felt isolated from both communities as a result of being a talented pianist.
Unfortunately, Simone's issues of detachment and depression would also follow her throughout her life.
In the later years of the 1960s, Simone began to feel an increasing sense of pressure from her peers. Nineteen people were essentially relying on her income to survive which coupled up with the fact that clubs were resisting to book Simone as she began performing political songs only.
Simone was deeply traumatized too by the abuse she had endured from her husband Andy Stroud over the course of many years. Simone was entering a downward spiral, which would reach its climax at the shock and upset of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. In Memphis, Tennessee in April 1968. Working closely with him, Nina Simone was heartbroken, and decided to leave both her husband and America to move to Liberia, Africa.
During the downward spiral of her mental health, she writes in her diary:
"I hate them, yes, but I hate myself more, I have no excuse"
"They don’t know that I'm dead and my ghost is holding on"
Despite leaving her troubles behind in America, her mental illnesses would continue. Most evidently, when she began beating her daughter, Lisa Simone, after bringing her to Liberia with her.
Simone was emitting her own self-loathing onto her daughter, who in turn became suicidal and left Liberia to live with her father Andy Stroud in New York City.
During her life in Liberia, she also fell out of love with the piano, as of the pressure she felt to release music while in America.
Simone was running out of money fast however, which prompted her to move to Switzerland to perform, continuing her hatred towards the US.
This resulted in the iconic Montreux Jazz Festival performance of 1976.
Simone's grand return was destined to flop since her state of mind at the time, as she practically controlled the Swiss audience through her hostile and intense demeanor throughout.
Simone does not try to hide her feelings in this raw and honest performance, expressing how the press considered her doomed since stepping out of the limelight.
Despite her cold presence, at one point intensely ordering a woman in the audience to sit down, she proved that she had not lost her charm. Simone is not afraid of anything in this performance as she laughs to herself in an egocentric manner. Despite her intense charisma, this performance shows how she hasn’t yet recovered from the trauma of the pressure and abuse she was dealt by her ex-husband.
After living in Paris for a few years, she settled into a condo in Holland in the late 1980s.
With the help of two of her male friends, she was examined by a doctor and diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She began taking medication to help her extreme mood swings. Despite the medication damaging Simone's piano playing and speech, she would begin to finally find peace within herself.
After perfume brand Chanel used Simone's 'My Baby Just Cares for Me' in an advert, she found new heights of fame which she effectively took advantage of.
Simone would go on to tour the world, reeling in her improved wellbeing since finding harmony in Holland. She went on to entertain audiences worldwide with the sheer brilliance of her presence on stage and musical ability.
At 70 years old, Nina Simone passed away of natural causes in 2003. During her career, she received 15 Grammy nominations and the Grammy Hall of Fame award in 2000.
Despite never fulfilling her dream of becoming the first black classical pianist, Simone's career has been one of extraordinary triumph in the face of adversity. Her charm and desire for justice will live forever.
コメント