Nina Simone: Her Music, Activism, and Bipolar Diagnosis

There are artists whose music feels like a conversation with history — and then there’s Nina Simone, who turned that conversation into a revolution. Born Eunice Kathleen Waymon on February 21, 1933, she grew up to become the “High Priestess of Soul,” a singer whose work blended gospel, blues, and classical styles into anthems for racial justice.

Born: February 21, 1933, Tryon, North Carolina, USA ·
Died: April 21, 2003, Carry-le-Rouet, France ·
Genres: Jazz, blues, soul, gospel, folk ·
Known as: High Priestess of Soul ·
Key hit: “Feeling Good” (1965) ·
Diagnosis: Bipolar disorder

Eight biographical facts, one pattern: Nina Simone’s identity was both intensely private and utterly public — from her birth name to her daughter, every detail tells a story of resilience.

What was Nina Simone’s biggest hit?

Which songs are considered her signature works?

• “Feeling Good” (1965) is widely cited as her biggest commercial hit (Wikipedia).
• Other major works include “I Put a Spell on You” (1965) and “Sinnerman” (1965) (Picturing Black History).
• Her first U.S. breakthrough was a rendition of “I Loves You, Porgy” in 1958 (Facebook fan group).

How did “Feeling Good” become iconic?

The cover of the Anthony Newley/Leslie Bricusse song was released on the album I Put a Spell on You. Its use in films, commercials, and TV shows — notably in Moulin Rouge! — cemented its cultural status (Wikipedia). The trade-off: while it became her signature, it often overshadows her deeply political catalog.

The implication: “Feeling Good” is the entry point, but Simone’s power lies in protest songs like “Mississippi Goddam” that refuse to be feel-good anthems.

Was Nina Simone LGBTQ?

What is known about her relationships?

• Simone had relationships with both men and women, including an affair with the playwright Lorraine Hansberry (Wikipedia).
• She was married once, to manager Andrew Stroud, with whom she had her only child (The Official Home of Nina Simone).

How did she identify?

She never publicly labeled her sexuality. Friends and biographers note that she was private about her personal life (Wikipedia). The catch: while many fans claim her as queer, the historical record lacks her own explicit identification.

What this means: the absence of a label does not diminish the relationships she had, but it does leave room for speculation — and for a nuanced understanding of identity in the 1960s.

Why did Nina Simone move to France?

What events led to her departure from the US?

• Frustration with American racism and the slow pace of civil rights progress drove her to leave in the 1970s (National Women’s History Museum).
• She also faced financial difficulties and tax problems (Wikipedia).

How did France affect her career?

She settled in France and lived there for the rest of her life, performing in Europe and Africa. The distance from the U.S. record industry allowed her to experiment, but she also struggled with isolation and declining health (The Official Home of Nina Simone).

The pattern: France gave her freedom from American racial oppression but created a new kind of exile — artistically fertile, personally lonely.

What was Nina Simone diagnosed with?

How did bipolar disorder affect her life and work?

• According to biographical accounts, Simone was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the 1980s (National Women’s History Museum).
• Her daughter Lisa Simone Kelly later said, “She was a genius, but she was also very ill” (The Official Home of Nina Simone).
• Her condition reportedly influenced her intense performance style and erratic behavior (Wikipedia).

What treatments did she receive?

Details are sparse. She was prescribed medication but struggled with side effects and often stopped taking it, preferring natural remedies and spiritual practices (Picturing Black History). The trade-off: her untreated symptoms may have fed her creativity but also strained relationships and finances.

Why this matters: Simone’s story is a powerful example of how mental illness intersects with genius — and how the stigma of the era prevented her from getting consistent care.

What happened to Nina Simone when she was 12?

How did her early recital shape her activism?

• At her first public recital in 1945, her parents were forced to move to the back of the hall so white attendees could sit in front (Wikipedia).
• She later said she refused to play until her parents were returned to the front row — an act of defiance that became a defining memory (Picturing Black History).

What was the significance of that event?

That moment planted the seeds for her civil rights awareness. It taught her that music and protest were inseparable. The catch: while the story is widely told, some details (the exact seating arrangement) vary across accounts.

The implication: a single childhood injustice can redirect an entire life — in Simone’s case, toward art as a weapon.

Timeline

• 1933 — Born in Tryon, North Carolina (National Women’s History Museum)
• 1945 — First recital; forced to move seats due to race (Wikipedia)
• 1954 — First recording under the name Nina Simone (Wikipedia)
• 1965 — Released “Feeling Good” (Wikipedia)
• 1970s — Moved to France (The Official Home of Nina Simone)
• 1980s — Diagnosed with bipolar disorder (National Women’s History Museum)
• 2003 — Died in Carry-le-Rouet, France (The Official Home of Nina Simone)

The timeline reveals a life marked by early activism, peak creativity, and late-in-life exile — each phase feeding the next.

What we know and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Nina Simone was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon in 1933 (National Women’s History Museum).
• She moved to France in the 1970s (The Official Home of Nina Simone).
• “Feeling Good” is her most commercially successful song (Wikipedia).
• She had a daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly (The Official Home of Nina Simone).

What remains unclear

• The exact nature of her romantic relationships with women (Wikipedia).
• The precise cause of her death (cancer vs. heart failure) (The Official Home of Nina Simone).
• The reliability of her bipolar disorder diagnosis, which is based on biographical accounts (National Women’s History Museum).
• The exact details of her 1945 recital seating arrangement (Wikipedia).
• The effectiveness of the medications she was prescribed (Picturing Black History).

Voices on Nina Simone

“I choose to reflect the times and situations in which I find myself. That’s my duty.”Nina Simone, in a 1968 interview (National Women’s History Museum)

“I am not a jazz singer. I am a singer who sings jazz.”Nina Simone (Wikipedia)

“She was a genius, but she was also very ill.”Lisa Simone Kelly, her daughter (The Official Home of Nina Simone)

For anyone discovering Nina Simone today, the choice is clear: listen to “Feeling Good” for the beauty, then play “Mississippi Goddam” for the truth. Her music demands we hold both joy and rage in the same breath. For activists and historians, her legacy is a reminder that art at its most honest is never separate from the artist’s lived reality — and that a diagnosis, a departure, or a childhood insult can become the raw material for revolution.

Nina Simone’s legacy of protest and artistry is often compared to that of fellow activist and poet Maya Angelou, who similarly used her voice to challenge injustice.

Frequently asked questions

These questions address the most common inquiries about Nina Simone’s life and legacy.