Legendary R&B singer Roberta Flack, renowned for hits like The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Killing Me Softly With His Song, has passed away at the age of 88.
In a statement released by her representatives, it was confirmed that Flack died peacefully on February 24, 2025, surrounded by her family. “We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning,” the statement read. “She broke boundaries and records, and was also a proud educator.”
Flack, who had been battling motor neurone disease since 2022, was forced to retire from singing due to her condition. Born in North Carolina and raised in Arlington, Virginia, Flack began her career as a classical pianist, earning a full scholarship to Howard University at just 15 years old. Despite her classical training, she was also immersed in rhythm and blues, performing pop standards alongside opera singers.
Her breakthrough came in her 30s when her rendition of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was featured in Clint Eastwood's 1971 film Play Misty for Me, earning her the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. She went on to win the same honor the following year for Killing Me Softly With His Song.
Flack’s success continued with hits like Feel Like Makin' Love in 1974, after which she took a break from performing to focus on recording and charitable endeavors. Throughout her career, she collaborated with iconic artists like Donny Hathaway and Miles Davis.
In the 1980s, Flack toured extensively, and in 1991, she returned to the charts with the duet Set the Night to Music alongside Maxi Priest. Her 2012 album Let It Be Roberta, a collection of Beatles covers, was another milestone in her career.
Flack once described herself as a soulful singer, aiming to “sing with all the feeling that I have in my body and my mind.” Reverend Jesse Jackson praised her as “socially relevant and politically unafraid.”
In 2020, after suffering a stroke, Flack was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Her most famous song, Killing Me Softly, was revived by Lauryn Hill and The Fugees in 1996, introducing her music to a new generation.
Flack’s legacy as a trailblazing artist and influential figure in the music world will endure.