Roberta Flack, singer of 'Killing Me Softly with His Song,' dies at 88

By The New Obs with AFP

Published on February 24, 2025 at 6:08 p.m. , updated on February 24, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.

Roberta Flack, one of the great American soul voices, known for "Killing Me Softly with His Song" in the 1970s, died at the age of 88, her agent announced on Monday, February 24. "She died peacefully, surrounded by her family," said the statement from her agent, Elaine Schock.

Born in North Carolina (East) to a mother who was a virtuoso organist and pianist, the African-American singer had a great influence on soul, which she mixed with jazz and folk.

Her first hit, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1973. In a rare performance, another song performed by Roberta Flack, "Killing Me Softly with His Song," did it again the following year. The hit would find success again in the 1990s when it was covered by the Fugees and their singer Lauryn Hill.

Roberta Flack was also one of the voices of the American civil rights movement. She performed in 1999 for the hero of the end of apartheid in South Africa, Nelson Mandela.

Suffering from Charcot's disease, which she was diagnosed with in 2022, she has been unable to perform in recent years.