What Happened, Miss Simone? is a biographical documentary about the life of Nina Simone. I really should say lives of Nina Simone. People talk about reinvention in the life of an artist, but I struggle to think of a career with as many as Nina Simone's. Director Liz Garbus strikes just the right balance between archival footage of Simone and new interviews exploring her impact on the music industry. The film follows the full trajectory of her life, from childhood until death, crafting an overarching narrative of an artist never fully satisfied with what they accomplished.
I only knew Nina Simone as an accomplished jazz and blues musician. Within the first few minutes, my understanding of the artist changed. So much of the film deals with Simone's disappointment with not achieving her childhood dream. She wanted to be the first black classical pianist to play Carnegie Hall.
It doesn't matter that she incorporated so much classical pedagogy into her improvisation and arrangements. It doesn't matter that she did play Carnegie Hall, or influenced generations of artists, or commanded standing ovations and adoration from millions of fans throughout her career. That lost dream informed her mindset at every stage of her life.
So did institutional racism. In her own interviews included in the film, Simone admits to not realizing for years the amount of pushback and injustice she faced as a black woman trying to make it in the world of classical music.
She had to threaten not to perform at her first piano recital because her parents were seated in the back and might not see her. She was rejected from a prestigious music conservatory not because of her ability, but because of the color of her skin. She wasn't allowed to just be an accomplished pianist when she started working piano bars in Atlantic City to make ends meet. These events, too, greatly impacted how her careers grew and changed throughout her life.
Then there's the last thread in the narrative, the linchpin that informs every other decision in the edit of the film and the direction of her life. Nina Simone lived most of her life with an undiagnosed case of Bipolar Disorder. It took a career low, playing for tiny crowds and little money in Paris, for someone to step in and get her help. It once again transformed her life, allowing her to finally live in the moment and experience the impact she had on so many lives.
What Happened, Miss Simone? is a powerful documentary touching on a shocking amount of social unrest and political issues in 2oth Century America. Nina Simone lived through it, breaking down barriers with every move she made and still never finding satisfaction. Her story is the cruel reality of the American dream.
Anytime she finally tried to pursue her passion, she was knocked down and forced back into the more acceptable role for an artist, a woman of color, a mother, a wife, and a person living with mental illness. All she ever wanted was to play classical piano and no one helped her unless they could easily profit from her. That's the tragedy of the entertainment industry, amplified by a woman who refused to stifle her voice for success.
What Happened, Miss Simone? is currently streaming on Netflix.