Also known as Simone as well as Lisa Stroud, she is the child of jazz singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone. She is also notable for her performance in the early 2000s Broadway production of Aida and for her work as a recording artist. Before becoming an entertainer, she worked in the engineering department of the United States Air Force. At the start of her career as a performer, she participated in the national tours of Jesus Christ Superstar and Rent.