Singer Lisa Simone is the only person in the world who can call Nina Simone 'mommy'. Lisa was the beneficiary of Nina's incredible talent and her affection, but she was also at the mercy of her mother's erratic moods. 

Lisa is the only child of the legendary singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist Nina Simone.

As a little girl, Lisa loved trying on her mum’s stage costumes and singing with her at the piano at home.

But after her parents divorced, Nina’s moods became erratic, and Lisa was often the target of her mother's violent outbursts.

Lisa escaped back to New York, then into the United States Air Force, and then onto Broadway, finally launching her own musical career.

It was only after she had her own daughter that Lisa found a way to reconnect with her mother on her own terms.

Further information

Lisa is on tour in Australia at the moment with her show, A Daughter's Tribute to Nina Simone

She is performing at the QPAC in Brisbane on Wednesday 23 July and at Adelaide's Her Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday 26 July.

Find out more about the Conversations Live National Tour on the ABC website.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris, executive producer is Nicola Harrison.

It explores family dynamics, jazz music, motherhood, therapy, songwriting, mental health, mental illness, bipolar, performance, Dublin Jazz Festival, mother daughter relationships, epic origin stories, the military, the US military, veterans, musical theatre.