Renowned R&B singer Roberta Flack, celebrated for classics like The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song, has died at the age of 88.
“We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning, February 24, 2025,” her representatives confirmed in a statement.
“She died peacefully, surrounded by her family. Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.”
Flack had publicly disclosed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which had left her unable to sing.
Born in North Carolina and raised in Arlington, Virginia, she began her musical journey as a classical pianist before transitioning into teaching.
Her breakthrough came when jazz musician Les McCann discovered her performing at a club.
Reflecting on her talent, McCann once wrote that “her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known.”
Despite her talent, success didn’t come instantly. Flack’s career took off in her 30s when her rendition of Ewan MacColl’s The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was featured in a pivotal scene in Clint Eastwood’s 1971 film Play Misty for Me.
The song won Song of the Year at the Grammys. She went on to claim the award again the following year for Killing Me Softly With His Song.
Her success continued in 1974 with the chart-topping hit Feel Like Makin’ Love, after which she shifted her focus to recording and philanthropy.
Throughout her career, Flack collaborated with legendary artists such as Donny Hathaway and Miles Davis. In 2012, she paid tribute to The Beatles with her album Let It Be Roberta.
Speaking about her artistry, Flack once remarked, “What I consider myself is a soulful singer, in that I try to sing with all the feeling that I have in my body and my mind. A person with true soul is one who can take anybody’s song and transcend all the flaws, the technique, and just make you listen.”
In 2020, a year after suffering a stroke, she was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys. “It’s a tremendous and overwhelming honor,” she said at the time.
“I’ve tried my entire career to tell stories through my music. This award is a validation to me that my peers heard my thoughts and took in what I have tried to give.”
Once married to jazz musician Stephen Novosel, Flack also dedicated significant time to the Roberta Flack School of Music in New York.
Her legacy reached a new generation when The Fugees, led by Lauryn Hill, recorded their Grammy-winning version of Killing Me Softly.
The group later performed the song on stage alongside Flack, cementing her enduring influence on music.
Source-BBC
