Lisa Simone

Lore & Background

Lisa Simone Kelly was born on September 12, 1962, in Mount Vernon, New York, the only daughter of Nina Simone and Andrew Stroud. Growing up, she often lived with relatives and friends due to her mother's touring schedule, her parents' tempestuous marriage, and her mother's mental health problems. In the 1970s, she lived with her mother in Switzerland, attending the International School of Geneva. Later, Simone alleged that her mother was emotionally and physically abusive, driving her to contemplate suicide until she went to New York to live with her father.

As a young adult, Simone served in the United States Air Force for more than 10 years as an engineering assistant, stationed at Davis Monthan in Tucson, Arizona, Osan Air Base in South Korea, and Rhein-Main Air Base in Frankfurt, Germany, and is a veteran of the Gulf War. After an honorable discharge, she sang background for various European artists and was part of the Spanish artist Raphael's touring chorus. Her theatrical stage debut was in a national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, and she later performed as a swing and female understudy in the original Broadway production of Rent, later playing the lead role of Mimi Marquez in Rent's first national tour.

Simone took a theatre hiatus starting in 1998, during which she toured and recorded two albums with the acid jazz band Liquid Soul; the band earned a Grammy nomination for their 2000 album Here's the Deal. She returned to Broadway in the title role of Aida from January 29, 2002, to June 15, 2003, and was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performances on Aida's First National Tour. She later played Fantine in Les Misérables at The Muny in August 2007.

Reader's Guide

Lisa Simone Kelly's significance lies in her dual legacy as a Broadway performer and as the daughter and documentarian of Nina Simone. Her career on stage—spanning iconic roles in Rent, The Lion King, Aida, and Les Misérables—demonstrates her versatility and endurance in musical theater. As executive producer of the Netflix documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015), she helped bring her mother's complex personal and political story to a global audience, contributing to the ongoing reassessment of Nina Simone's life and art. Simone's own musical output, including albums such as Simone on Simone and All Is Well, reflects her continued engagement with performance. Her military service in the U.S. Air Force, including during the Gulf War, adds a distinctive chapter to her biography. By navigating a challenging childhood and later publicly addressing allegations of abuse, Simone has also contributed to conversations about family, mental health, and resilience. Her induction as an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. in 2026 underscores her recognition within African American communities. Overall, Simone's career bridges the worlds of Broadway, music recording, and documentary filmmaking, while her personal story offers insight into the life of a child of a legendary artist.

Did You Know?

• The acid jazz band Liquid Soul earned a Grammy nomination for their 2000 album Here's the Deal, on which Simone performed.
• She is fluent in French, having been partly raised in Switzerland.