THE MILITANT DIVA
NINA SIMONE (1933-2003) - UNITED STATES
Nina Simone is a pianist, singer, composer, and activist. Performing artist of Mississippi Goddam and several other pieces that became classics of the Civil Rights Movement, she defends a more radical line, close to Malcolm X, not hesitating to shock and denounce white supremacy with legendary frankness. Even in music, "Jazz is the white term to define Black people. My music is Black classical music," says the woman who dreamed of becoming the first Black classical pianist. From America to Europe via Africa, her life was marked by many setbacks. She settled in the south of France where she continued to record albums and perform on stage. Her musical repertoire, powerful and magnificent, and her presence worthy of an African queen, continue to inspire us today.
A creation by the artist Marie-Claire Laffaire
