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American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist known for her distinctive contralto voice, eclectic repertoire blending jazz, blues, classical, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop, and her passionate performances.Born Eunice Waymon in Tryon, North Carolina, Simone demonstrated prodigious piano talent from an early age. Trained classically at Juilliard, her early career playing piano in Atlantic City bars led to singing. Her powerful voice and unique style brought fame with hits like "I Loves You, Porgy" and "My Baby Just Cares for Me.Deeply affected by racism and the Civil Rights Movement, her music became fiercely political with anthems like "Mississippi Goddam," "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," and "Four Women.Facing personal struggles and disillusionment with America, she lived abroad for many years (Liberia, Switzerland, France) before settling in France, where she died.

• Simone's classical piano aspirations were crushed when she was denied entry to the Curtis Institute of Music, widely believed due to racial discrimination, a pivotal moment that redirected her career towards popular music.
• Her stage name "Nina Simone" was adopted during her early club years in Atlantic City to hide her activities from her strict, religious mother; "Nina" (from "niña," Spanish for little girl, a nickname from a boyfriend) and "Simone" (after actress Simone Signoret).
• She became a prominent voice in the Civil Rights Movement after the 1963 Birmingham church bombing and the murder of Medgar Evers. Her song "Mississippi Goddam" was banned in several Southern states.
• Facing severe financial difficulties, tax troubles, and disillusionment with the US, Simone abruptly left America in 1973, living in Barbados, Liberia, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and finally France.
• Simone was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the late 1980s, though she reportedly refused to accept the diagnosis. Her mental health and temper contributed to professional difficulties.
• She died in her sleep at her home in Carry-le-Rouet, France, on April 21, 2003, at age 70, after battling breast cancer for several years.