| Nomi Abadi | |
| Origin: | Los Angeles, California, USA |
Nomi Abadi is an American born Syrian-Egyptian Jewish pianist, vocalist, actor and activist.[1] In November 2019, she played piano on the Grammy Award nominated album Sekou Andrews & The String Theory nominated in 2020 in the category of Best Spoken Word Album.
A piano prodigy born of four generations of piano teachers, Abadi's musical career began with a concert with the Orange County Chamber Orchestra as their youngest soloist ever at age 5, playing a Mozart concerto.[2] Growing up in Orange County, California, Abadi was homeschooled by her mother and taught piano by her father, the late classical and ragtime pianist Marden Abadi. At age 8, she began professional training in classical piano at the Mannes School of Music after auditioning at Juilliard. She graduated early from the Orange County School of the Arts at age 16 and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Abadi has composed original music for concerts, more than 20 film and video games including the movie Sebastian starring Darius McCrary and Gothic Springs (2019) starring Peyton List.[3]
Her video game composing includes original music, sound design and voicing three characters in The Clairvoyant AR, and music for Star Twin Locator both produced by Weird Sisters.[4] [5] The Clairvoyant AR was featured at the San Diego Game Jam and invited via the Playcrafting organization to participate in the Bose Game Jam at the Bose AR Platform at PAX West in 2019.[6]
Abadi has composed and performed her own solo projects since 2012 and five solo EPs. Abadi received praise for her Omega release from buzzbands.la, who called the song "a lush, cascading pop track built around an acrobatic piano line".[7]
Her vocals are featured in Satanic Planet's 2021 self-titled LP release on the track Devil In Me which she co-wrote, singing poetry by Satanic Temple founder Lucien Greaves.[8] Following the success of Sekou Andrews and the String Theory,[9] [10] Abadi joined String Theory on their album The Los Angeles Suite, featuring artists Jens Kuross, SORNE, Shana Halligan Vōx and Addie Hamilton.
In 2017, Abadi invented the double keytar. The NORY Double Synth was approved for a US Patent in 2019.[11] Nomi premiered her Quartet for NORY® in E Minor at Video Game Music Con Puerto Rico in 2023.
In 2020, Abadi founded the Female Composer Safety League (FCSL), a public charity under IRC code 501(c)(3), which states that its mission is to provide networking, resources, community, support and allyship to up-and-coming women composers.[12] According to a 2023 article in The Guardian, FCSL was launched after Nomi held two gender safety panels at GameSoundCon and has attracted hundreds of members. The Guardian cites that "Nomi vowed to expose the toxic, abusive work conditions that run rampant behind the closed doors of soundtrack composing studios" as "one of Hollywood's last dirty secrets".[13] Ahead of the MusiCares gala preceding the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, Nomi spoke at a press conference in Downtown Los Angeles citing that the time for sexual predators in music is "over."[14] [15] [16]
In 2022, Abadi led a coalition against the sexual abuse of students by faculty members of the Orange County School of the Arts,[17] gaining the support of local residents, alumni and parents, and organizations including the chairwoman and dozens of members of the Orange County Democratic Party.[18] After three appearances by the coalition at the Orange County Board of Education public board meetings [19] the OCBE agreed to issue an investigation into OCSA.[20] The Orange County Register has reported on at least three lawsuits involving OCSA faculty, including Ralph Opacic, OCSA's founder.
In 2023, Rolling Stone reported that Abadi had accused composer Danny Elfman of sexually harassing her between 2015 and 2017. According to the magazine's reporting, Abadi and Elfman signed a non-disclosure agreement in 2018, with Elfman agreeing to pay Abadi $830,000 if she did not publicize her allegations against him. After Rolling Stone publicly revealed the existence of this agreement, Elfman denied the allegations, and said that he only agreed to the settlement because he feared that his "50-year career may be destroyed in one news cycle" if the claims had been published. In accordance with Abadi's wishes, part of the settlement helped establish her nonprofit foundation, the Female Composer Safety League. Elfman had defaulted on payments to the League, causing Abadi to file a breach of contract suit in Los Angeles Superior Court.[21] [22]
A second accuser filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Elfman on October 19, 2023.[23]
On July 10, 2024, Abadi sued Elfman for defamation.[24] The lawsuit, published by Variety, alleges that "Defendant Danny Elfman peddled appalling lies for publication to Rolling Stone about Nomi, who had previously, truthfully relayed facts corroborating his penchant to sexually abuse women... Why? As part of a harebrained ‘zero sum' scheme by Elfman to prop up his checkered reputation by destroying Nomi's credibility."[25] [26] [27] [28]