All About Laughs
Nina Simone’s name has been in the media a bit these past few days. During Juneteenth a television special was held celebrating black life and culture in America. As part of the beautiful tribute, R&B singer Chloe Bailey of Chloe x Halle performed a rendition of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good”. The sexual charged performance prompted many to take to social media to share their opinions on the inappropriate display. In response, members of Simone’s family came forward to defend the young performer. Fans began to question why Nina Simone has so little social media presence, her granddaughter pointed out that Vice President Kamala Harris has taken away the families estate and “given it to white people.”
Me, mommy, and grandma 🙂 #NinaSimone pic.twitter.com/7u3AovqaAX
— RéAnna Simone Kelly (@reasiimone) June 19, 2021
The performance took place on Friday June 18th. Chloe Bailey performed “Feeling Good,” a cover of Nina Simone’s 1965 classic, onstage at the ABC special event titled Juneteenth: Together We Triumph – A ’Soul of a Nation. The song is her first solo release without younger sister Halle Bailey, and it’s part of the compilation album Music for the Movement Volume 3. In a form fitting outfit, Chloe strutted around the stage performing moves more often associated with strip clubs. Many feel this was in poor taste, however Nina’s daughter came forth to defend her.
We couldn’t agree more with @reasiimone about @ChloeBailey doing the damn thing for her performance of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good.” https://t.co/qb5GhwCrkE
— POPSUGAR (@POPSUGAR) June 21, 2021
RéAnna Simone Kelly took to twitter to let people know that she loved it and feels her grandmother would have too. “Everyone’s coming at @ChloeBailey for her performance of my grandmother Nina Simone’s song ‘Feeling Good.’ But what y’all don’t understand is that grandma was a free spirited woman herself!! She would’ve loved that performance as much as I do! Relax. Chloe killed it.”
We in Miami with it 😜🔫 pic.twitter.com/6yeCNWeb8X
— RéAnna Simone Kelly (@reasiimone) June 19, 2021
This response trigged some conversations with fans who had some questions about the lack of representation in modern music for Miss Simone. RéAnna says we can thank Kamala Harris for this. “Nina’s granddaughter here. My family doesn’t run her estate anymore. It was taken away from us & given to white people. Our family name was DRAGGED in the media. We get NO royalties, nothing. Wanna hold someone accountable? Ask Kamala Harris why she came for my family,” RéAnna said.
Nina’s granddaughter here. My family doesn’t run her estate anymore. It was taken away from us & given to white people. Our family name was DRAGGED in the media. We get NO royalties, nothing. Wanna hold someone accountable?Ask Kamala Harris why she came for my family #NinaSimone https://t.co/mMXOz7iLxn
— RéAnna Simone Kelly (@reasiimone) June 19, 2021
According to Yahoo news “Simone Kelly was referring to a 2016 settlement regarding the Nina Simone Charitable Trust, which references Harris multiple times due to her “primary responsibility for supervising charitable trusts in California” in her role as attorney general.”
“As I said before, Ask her why she separated my family,” she told her followers. “Ask her why my grandmothers estate is in SHAMBLES now. Ask her why we as her family no longer own the rights to anything. Ask her why she bullied my mother in court and my mom almost killed herself from the depression.”
— RéAnna Simone Kelly (@reasiimone) June 21, 2021