Celebrated N.S. reggae performer to pay tribute to High Priestess of Soul

Nina Simone, known as the High Priestess of Soul, had a career that spanned five decades and included 40 albums.

In addition to her legendary vocals, she was also a musician and a devoted activist.

Her work continues to inspire musicians around the world.

This weekend, Symphony Nova Scotia will be joined by local reggae star Jah'Mila in a tribute to the iconic singer at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax.

Jah'Mila spoke to CBC's Information Morning in Halifax about what Simone means to her.

Her conversation with guest host Preston Mulligan has been condensed and edited for clarity and length.

How did these concerts come about?

It's been a really cool few years of building a relationship with the symphony Nova Scotia. It all started when I did an Orchestrated Neighbours program through Music Nova Scotia. And through this program, I was able to collaborate with not only orchestral musicians, but also different artists from the community who do different types of music.

I did a song with Zamani and SHiFT FROM THA 902 Todd Googoo from Cape Breton, and that was the beginning of my relationship with the Symphony Nova Scotia.

We went on to do the reggae fusion show, and that was a wild success. The conductor was Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. During that show, we did an interview and they asked me who my favourite singer was, and I said, Nina Simone. I believe that was the birthplace of the idea. 

What does Nina Simone mean to you? Why do you love her so much?

I love her so much because she's so resilient. She's a revolutionary. And she stands for something in the community. She has always been an ardent fighter for rights. She's always been a household name in my community and in music and I've always been aware of her.

I guess the first song [of hers I heard] was the very popular I'm Feeling Good. That's one of the ones that I fell in love with to begin with but now my favourite Nina Simone's song is Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. 

She's such a powerful vocalist and such an interesting person. And as you mentioned, her impact goes beyond all that. Her activism is a big part of our legacy. Is that something that you can relate to? 

One hundred per cent. Nina Simone is the artist that said "it's the artist's responsibility to reflect the times."

Of course, music serves several purposes. There's entertainment, there's self-therapy. But there's also the responsibility of people who have a platform to use it for the collective good. There's no doubt that Nina Simone has done this with her music, and her music is more relevant now than it has ever been before. I feel really blessed to be able to sing it. 

 I look forward to seeing you guys out there tonight and tomorrow at the Rebecca Cohn with Symphony, Nova Scotia. 

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.

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