Nina Simone was a force of soul nature, a musical, chart-topping genius whose tunes still reverberate within a number of musical genres today. But the life of this immensely talented fusion of gospel and pop laced with jazz and performed with a perfect contralto voice faced a day-to-day fight for basic civil rights and she struggled to reconcile her artistic flair with her devotion to a fierce movement.

Nina SimoneNina Simone is remembered as a musical genius

What Happened, Miss Simone? is an upcoming documentary that tackles the difficulties of these two worlds as Simone found herself at the centre of an imperfect world as a black, female with an extraordinary ability and a desire for change. 

As a documentary subject, Simone, the civil rights struggle and the songs that everybody knows, is a formidable topic that promises to be a must-view.

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However, after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January, some critics were quick to dismiss the way docu-director Liz Garbus tackled the tantilising story.


Simone’s life, her struggle to grow her career while threatening to alienate her fans with her beliefs, the controlling relationship with her husband and her decline into pills and confusion is all there, but perhaps only just.

However, what the documentary does have is the music. And whatever the complications or opinions surrounding What Happened, Miss Simone? or, indeed Simone’s own life, there is still that wonderful, beautiful music.

What Happened, Miss Simone? is due for Netflix release on June, 26. Click here to see the trailer.

What Happened, Miss Simone?What Happened, Miss Simone? is due out on Netflix in June