It has been announced that a new collection of remixes and greatest hits by The High Priestess of Soul will be released on Verve Records on Oct. 29th. The first single from the album, “Feeling Good: Her Greatest Hits and Remixes” is a remix of Simone’s iconic song, “Feeling Good” by renowned DJ Joel Corry. Her voice is displayed with a soft echo performed atop upbeat dance music that would invigorate any dancefloor across the globe.
The album includes seven remixes from popular international DJs and bands like Rudimental and HONNE, and 19 memorable songs like “Strange Fruit,” “Mississippi Goddamn,” and “I Put a Spell On You.”
“Feeling Good: Her Greatest Hits and Remixes” offers Simone’s music through the lens of post-modern electronic music. This is not the first time that her music has been reworked at the hands of electronic DJs. Her music has been attractive to countless remixers, trying their hand and sharing their interpretation of the icon’s timeless works. This album, though, is a carefully crafted collection created under the guidance of Verve Records who has been releasing her music since 1995.
The expansiveness of the album is a great addition to a new generation of Simone listeners who wish to explore her recordings with fresh ears, to gain a new understanding of the civil rights icon who pushed the envelope in the 1960s until her death in 2003. The rejuvenation of her art is needed, as young listeners do not have the same outlets and outspoken role models who led this country into a new era as segregation slowly toppled under the feet of musicians and artists like Simone. Knowing that her music can touch the world in the 21st century should be comforting, even if purists feel that the electronic augmentation of DJ and musicians is not the best path for her original songs.
We must understand that everything moves forward, and there is a privilege that we hold in learning more and re-imagining Nina Simone’s songs for years to come.