Lauryn Hill Delivers Tearful Tribute to Roberta Flack at Memorial Service
Harlem’s Abyssinian Baptist Church was filled with music, memories, and heartfelt tributes on Monday (March 10) as family, friends, and fellow legends gathered to honor the late Roberta Flack.
The emotional memorial service featured moving performances from Lauryn Hill and Stevie Wonder, two artists whose careers have been deeply influenced by the iconic singer-songwriter.
Hill, who famously reimagined Flack’s “Killing Me Softly With His Song” with the Fugees, appeared quite emotional as she addressed the congregation. “Her existence was a form of resistance. I adore Ms. Roberta Flack. Roberta Flack is a legend,” she told the crowd.
She then honored the veteran’s legacy through song, delivering a heartfelt rendition of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” before being joined by Wyclef Jean and Stevie Wonder for a surprise performance of “Killing Me Softly.”
Wonder continued the musical celebration of Flack’s life, performing “If It’s Magic” and “I Can See the Sun” solo. He also reflected on Flack’s profound influence, offering powerful words: “The great thing about not having the ability to see with your eyes is the great opportunity of being able to even better see with your heart. And so I knew how beautiful Roberta was, not seeing her visually but being able to see and feel her heart.”
The service drew notable attendees, including civil rights leader Al Sharpton and actress Phylicia Rashad, while Alicia Keys, Clive Davis, and Dionne Warwick sent video tributes. Former Vice President Kamala Harris also honored Flack’s legacy in a statement read aloud at the service.
Flack, a four-time Grammy winner, died last month at the age of 88. In the wake of her death, Hill shared a heartfelt tribute, recalling how Whitney Houston once described Flack’s voice as “one of the purest” she had ever heard. She also acknowledged the role Flack played in her own career, explaining that the Fugees’ cover of the iconic track was their way of “honoring the beauty and brilliance of her song and performance.”
