Nearly 30 years after the Fugees’ hit cover of “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” Ms. Lauryn Hill took to Instagram to express her gratitude for the late Roberta Flack, who passed away at the age of 88 on February 24.
Hill, who helped turn the 1973 classic into a global sensation with the Fugees’ 1996 rendition, praised Flack’s musical genius and the lasting impact of her work. The Fugees’ version won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, further cementing Flack’s influence on a new generation of artists.
“Whitney Houston once said to me that Roberta Flack’s voice was one of the purest voices she’d ever heard,” Hill wrote. “I grew up scouring the records my parents collected. Ms. Flack was one of their favorites and quite instantly became one of mine as soon as I was exposed to her.”
A Lasting Influence on Soul and R&B
Hill described Flack as “cool and intelligent, gentle and yet militant,” and highlighted songs like “Compared to What” and “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” for their depth and sophistication.
“Ms. Flack was an artist, a singer-songwriter, a pianist and composer who moved me and showed me through her own creative choices and standards what else was possible in the idiom of Soul.”
Beyond simply performing “Killing Me Softly,” Hill noted that Flack’s original interpretation helped catapult the Fugees’ version into the mainstream, making the song a household phenomenon.
A Tribute to a Timeless Legend
“We wanted to honor the beauty and brilliance of this song and her performance of it to our generation,” Hill added. “I will forever be grateful for the sensitivity and delicate power of her Love and Artistry. Rest In Grace, Beloved One.”
Roberta Flack’s contributions to music remain undeniable, and through the voices of artists like Lauryn Hill, her legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.
