‘I Put A Spell On You’, one of her biggest hits, has also now got an official video. “[The video] celebrates some of the culturally significant looks worn by Miss Simone during a career in which she utilized fashion as a tool of self expression, in bold looks on stage and in her everyday life,” says UMG.

There is a heavy D2C push on her official site, with a wide range of LPs and merchandise (from T-shirts and hoodies to mugs and totes).

UMG says there are plans to push Simone and her music throughout the year, culminating in the October release of all seven of the albums she recorded for Philips in the 1960s gathered up in the Four Women: The Nina Simone Complete Recordings 1964-1967 collection.

Bruce Resnikoff, president & CEO of UMe, said in a press statement announcing the project, “Nina Simone’s music and message remains as vitally important today as ever, perhaps even more so, and we look forward to celebrating her genius and influence all year long.”

While there is the Dolby Atmos push on streaming services, this is an interesting campaign in that it appears to be heavily pushing the physical side of things (notably vinyl and merchandise). This will clearly appeal to existing fans – fans who value physical formats and, of course, who can afford them.

Perhaps it will come later in the year, but the marketing angle for younger audiences (and potential new fans) seems somewhat skipped over here. With an artist as musically and culturally significant as Simone, the emphasis should be on drawing in new generations of fans as much as it is on super-serving existing ones.