AKA: SIMONE, LISA SIMONE KELLY

Oscar nominated/Peabody Award winning/Emmy Award winning Executive Producer, two-time Grammy Award nominee, singer, composer, author, Queen Mother of the Denkyra (den-chura) Nation of Ghana West Africa, and French Knight…

Dame Lisa Simone is undeniably her own woman whose talents transcend genres echoing the tradition of her mother – Dr. Nina Simone, musical icon and pioneer. Likewise, she has been influenced by historical figures spanning the globe, as well as legends across industries including the arts, music, politics, royalty, entertainment, and spirituality. Blessed with a rich vocal range, an innate skill for lyrical interpretation, the gift of storytelling, and a deep understanding of music as a means of healing, empowerment and celebration, Lisa carries on the family tradition of ‘griot’, as her mother coined it, in her own right and on her own terms.

Lisa Simone wearing a beautiful dress
Lisa Simone wearing a knight dress on a white background
Lisa Simone wearing a white color dress
Lisa Simone smiling and posing
Lisa Simone smiling and posing
Lisa Simone wearing a dress inspired by Knights

Photo Credit: Edilson Boz

Nominations and Awards

GRAMMY, LIQUID SOUL ALBUM (HERE’S THE DEAL)
JEFFERSON AWARD, BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (RENT)
HELEN HAYES AWARD, BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (RENT)
NATIONAL THEATRE AWARD, BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (AIDA)
ACADEMY AWARD, PEABODY AWARD, EMMY AWARDS, GRAMMY AWARD, FILM PRODUCER (WHAT HAPPENED MISS SIMONE, NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY)
BBC RADIO 6 MUSIC AWARD (THE NINA SIMONE STORY ‘FEELIN’ GOOD’)

Titles

Veteran (USAF)
Queen-Mother (GHANA)
Knight (FRANCE)

Theatre

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Soul Sister, Simon, Mary)
Original Cast of RENT (Swing)
RENT First National Tour (Mimi Marquez)
Original Cast of AIDA (Understudy for title role)
AIDA, First National Tour and Broadway’s Palace Theatre (Aida)
LES MISERABLES (Fantine)

Workshops

LION KING (Nala)
AIDA (Aida)

Albums

HERE’S THE DEAL w/Liquid Soul (2000)
IN NEED OF LOVE (2019)
LISA SIMONE LIVE AT THE EDGE (2017)
MY WORLD (2016)
ALL IS WELL (2014)
SIMONE ON SIMONE (2008)

Stages

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE (Australia), THE OLYMPIA (Paris), TOWN HALL, (New York), LINCOLN CENTER (New York), CARNEGIE HALL (New York), HOLLYWOOD BOWL (California), BARBICAN THEATRE (England), WOODRUFF ARTS CENTER (Atlanta), MICHAEL FOWLER CENTER (New Zealand), CENTRO CULTURAL CONDE DUQUE (Madrid, Spain), LYCABETTUS THEATRE (Athens, Greece), FLAGEY THEATRE (Brussels), CENTRE CULTURAL TJIBAOU (Nouméa), PARADISO (Amsterdam), LE TRIANON (Paris), HAMER HALL (Melbourne) 

Festivals

MONTREUX (Switzerland),
VIENNE (France),
MARCIAC (France),
NORDLYFESTYVALEN (Norway),
TELLURIDE (Colorado),
NORTH SEA (Netherlands),
BAM RHYTHM & BLUES (New York),
HONG KONG ARTS (Hong Kong),
ST REGIS BIG STARS (Park City, Utah),
SIOUX FALLS JAZZ AND BLUES (South Dakota),
SAVANNAH JAZZ FESTIVAL (Savannah, Georgia),
VIRGINIA WINE FESTIVAL (Centreville, Virginia),
JACKSONVILLE JAZZ (Jacksonville, Florida),
INTERNATIONAL ESPOO JAZZ FESTIVAL (Finland),
BUCHAREST JAZZ FESTIVAL (Bucharest),
GUINNESS BLUES FESTIVAL (Dublin, Ireland),
BAALBECK FESTIVAL, (Lebanon),
INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL (Montreal),
CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE (New York),
KAISERSLAUTERN FESTIVAL (Germany),
JAZZ À CARTHAGE (Tunisia),
SAO PAOLO (Brazil),
BRISTOL INT’L JAZZ/BLUES FESTIVAL (England),
FESTIVAL DES CINQ CONTINENTS (Marseille, France),
ALIBLUES KONZERT AG (Zurich),
PARCO DEL SUONI DI RIOLA SARDO (Sardinia),
NIŠVILLE JAZZ FESTIVAL (Serbia),
CULLY (Switzerland),
BANSKO JAZZ FESITVAL (Bulgaria),
MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL (Australia),
ADELAIDE CABARET FESTIVAL (Australia)
 

Clubs

BLUE NOTE (New York/Tokyo/Belgium), COTTON CLUB (Tokyo), JOE’S PUB (New York), CANAL ROOM (New York), WORLD CAFÉ LIVE (Philadelphia), ANTHOLOGY (San Diego), BLUES ALLEY (Washington DC), RONNIE SCOTTS (London), NEW MORNING (Paris), BOISDALE (London), SOB’s (New York), HOUSE OF BLUES (Chicago/Los Angeles), DOUBLE DOOR (Chicago), DUC DE LOMBARD (Paris)

Guest Appearances

FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE, Tyler Perry Soundtrack
NINA SIMONE REVISITED, Nina Simone Tribute Album
DAUGHTERS OF SOUL, TOUR with Nona Hendryx, Deniece Williams, Sandra St Victor, Joyce Kennedy, Lalah Hathaway, Milini Khan
SING THE TRUTH, CONCERT with Odetta, Tracey Chapman, Floetry, Oscar Brown
SING THE TRUTH, TOUR with Dianne Reeves, Patti Austin, Angelique Kidjo, Lizz Wright
LIQUID SOUL Acid Jazz Band
BEATLES TRIBUTE CONCERT, with Cheap Trick, Billy Corgan
SOS RAINFOREST CONCERT, LIVE
NATIONAL ANTHEM, Chicago Bulls vs Detroit Pistons, Miami Heat vs Detroit Pistons

Television/Film Appearances

‘RIGHT NOW’ (Music Video),
WHAT HAPPENED MISS SIMONE DOCUMENTARY,
THE VIEW with WHOOPI GOLDBERG,
LARRY KING,
PSYCHIC KIDS,
SESAME STREET,
FRANCE 2 with MICHEL DRUCKER,
THE TODAY SHOW,
JAZZ RTL,
VICTOIRES DU JAZZ,
FRANCE 24,
THÉ AU CAFÉ,
LE RING,
RFI,
EUROPE 1 with NIKOS ALIAGAS,
TYRA BANKS,
LE GRAND ECHIQUIER,
EN DIRECT DE l’UNIVERSE (Montreal),
TODAY EXTRA (Melbourne)