Simone Stacey facts for kids

Simone Angela Stacey (born in November 1977) is an Australian singer and songwriter. She sings soul and jazz music. Simone was a founding member of the pop duo Shakaya from 2002 to 2006, along with Naomi Wenitong.

After Shakaya, Naomi formed a hip-hop group called The Last Kinection. Simone took a break from music for a while. In 2011, she sang on The Last Kinection's song "Are We There Yet?". In 2013, Simone tried out for The Voice TV show. She was also nominated for two awards at the Deadly Awards 2013 for her song "My Pledge" and for Female Artist of the Year.

About Simone Stacey

Simone Angela Stacey was born in late November 1977. She finished high school in Bowen, Queensland, in 1994. Later, she moved to Cairns, Queensland. In 1999, she studied music at a special course in Cairns. Her first job was working in a deli.

2001–2006: Starting with Shakaya

In August 2001, Simone Stacey performed for Sony Music Entertainment in Sydney. After that, she signed a music deal with Sony. She teamed up with another singer-songwriter, Naomi Wenitong. They had met while studying music together. They decided to form a pop duo called Shakaya.

Shakaya's first song, "Stop Calling Me," came out in January 2002. Simone, Naomi, and their manager Reno Nicastro wrote it together. The song's words were inspired by things that happened in their lives and their friends' lives. This song was a big hit for them. It reached number 5 on the ARIA Singles Chart, which lists the most popular songs in Australia.

The group's first album, also called Shakaya, was released on October 5, 2002. It also did very well, reaching number 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Their second album, Are You Ready, came out on March 5, 2006, but it did not become as popular.

Shakaya stopped making music together in 2006. Naomi Wenitong then started a hip-hop group called The Last Kinection with her brother and another friend. From 2006 to 2011, Simone Stacey took a break from music. During this time, she worked in different jobs, including helping people with disabilities. But she kept writing songs in her free time.

2011 to today: Back to Music

By October 2011, Simone Stacey was back in the music world. She was featured on a song called "Are We There Yet?" by The Last Kinection. In April 2013, she auditioned for Season 2 of The Voice. She chose the famous singer Seal to be her coach. For her first audition, she sang a cover of Nat King Cole's "For Sentimental Reasons". Simone was eliminated in a "Battle Round" against another singer.

In May 2013, Simone released her own song, "My Pledge." She released it on her own music label, Diamond Dove. The words in "My Pledge" talk about her family's history and the importance of honoring and respecting older generations. At the Deadly Awards 2013, Simone was nominated for "Single Release of the Year" for "My Pledge." She was also nominated for "Female Artist of the Year."

In April 2015, Simone Stacey and Naomi Wenitong worked together again. They released a charity song with cover versions of "Black Roses" (originally by Inner Circle) and "Long as I Can See the Light" (Creedence Clearwater Revival). The money raised from these songs helped people in Cairns who needed support. Since January 2015, Simone has also been working to help keep children safe in Cairns.

Simone also wrote the music for an Australian short film called On Stage. This film was shown for the first time at the Sydney Film Festival on June 10, 2015.

Discography

Singles