Nomi Abadi | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, USA |
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| Website | nomiabadi |
Nomi Abadi is a pianist, composer, actor, lyricist, vocalist, activist and inventor known for her work onMarvel'sThunderbolts* and creating the NORY® DoubleKeytar.[1]
Abadi's musical career began with a concert with the Orange County Chamber Orchestra as their youngest soloist at age 5, playing aMozart concerto.[2] Growing up inOrange 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 theMannes School of Music after auditioning atJuilliard. She graduated early from theOrange County School of the Arts at age 16 and attended theAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Abadi has composed the music for more than thirty films, games, concerts, musical theatre and solo projects. She was a score assistant for the American post-rock bandSon Lux on their score forThunderbolts*. Her composition credits includeSebastian (2023), starringDarius McCrary, andGothic Springs (2019), starringPeyton List.[3]
Abadi's vocals are featured on Satanic Planet's 2021 self-titled LP release on the track"Devil in Me" featuring the poetry ofSatanic Temple founderLucien Greaves, which she also co-wrote.[4] She played piano on the 2019 albumSekou Andrews and the String Theory[5][6] which received aGrammy nomination that year in theBest Spoken Word category. Abadi joinedString Theory on their following album,The Los Angeles Suite (2020), featuring artistsJens Kuross,SORNE,Shana Halligan, Vōx and Addie Hamilton.
In 2017, Abadi invented the doublekeytar. The NORY Double Keytar was approved for aUS Patent in 2019.[7] Nomi performed on the NORY at the 2025Game Awards.
In 2020, Abadi founded the charity Female Composer Safety League (FCSL), which states that its mission is to provide networking, resources, community, support and allyship to up-and-coming women composers.[8] According to a 2023 article inThe Guardian, FCSL was launched after Nomi held two gender safety panels atGameSoundCon and has attracted hundreds of members. The publication stated that "Nomi vowed to expose the toxic, abusive work conditions that run rampant behind the closed doors of soundtrack composing studios".
In 2023,Rolling Stone reported that Abadi had accused composerDanny Elfman of sexually harassing her in 2017. According to the magazine, Abadi and Elfman signed anon-disclosure agreement in 2018, with Elfman agreeing to pay Abadi $830,000 if she did not publicize her allegations against him. Part of the settlement was used to establish the Female Composer Safety League. After Elfman defaulted on payments, Abadi filed a breach of contract suit in Los Angeles Superior Court.[9][10] On July 10, 2024, Abadi sued Elfman for defamation over claims he made about her in Rolling Stone. The judge denied Elfman's bid to dismiss the suit.[11][12][13][14][15]
