Which singer is known as the 'High Priestess of Soul'?

The singer known as the “High Priestess of Soul” is Nina Simone.

Simone earned the title through a distinctive career that joined jazz, blues, gospel, folk, classical music, pop, and R&B. Her powerful contralto voice, dramatic piano playing, and commanding stage presence made her difficult to place in one genre. She was also an important civil-rights artist whose songs addressed racial injustice and Black identity.

The nickname is closely connected with her 1967 album High Priestess of Soul, although the title was reportedly promoted by management and Simone herself disliked being reduced to a label. That album included a mixture of pop material and African American gospel and folk influences. Her birth name was Eunice Kathleen Waymon, and she trained seriously as a classical pianist before becoming a celebrated recording artist.

A common mix-up is confusing Simone with Aretha Franklin, who was widely called the “Queen of Soul.” Gladys Knight and Etta James are also major soul singers, but “High Priestess of Soul” is the established sobriquet associated with Nina Simone.