Lauryn Hill left fans in awe when the reclusive star made a surprise appearance at Roberta Flack’s memorial service, delivering a powerful and emotional tribute that no one saw coming.
The Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem reverberated with grief, gratitude, and gospel on Monday (March 11) as music legends and fans gathered to celebrate the life of Roberta Flack, the iconic singer-songwriter who passed away in February at age 86.
While the memorial service boasted planned performances by Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, and Dionne Warwick, it was an unannounced appearance by the notoriously private Lauryn Hill that turned the emotional event into an unforgettable homage to Flack’s enduring legacy.
Midway through the service, Hill, who had not been listed as a participant, emerged alongside Wyclef Jean, her Fugees bandmate, to deliver a soul-stirring rendition of Flack’s 1969 classic, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Clad in a flowing black ensemble, Hill’s rich, raspy vocals breathed new life into the ballad, reducing attendees to tears as she channeled Flack’s signature blend of tenderness and power.
But the tribute didn’t stop there. In a moment that bridged generations, Hill then joined Stevie Wonder and Jean for a reimagined version of “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” the 1973 Flack hit that Hill and the Fugees famously rebooted into a 1996 hip-hop anthem. As Wonder’s harmonica wailed and Jean strummed acoustic guitar, Hill’s voice soared, intertwining the past and present in a celebration of Flack’s cross-genre influence.
Flack’s impact on Hill has consistently been evident. Following her passing in late February, Lauryn Hill shared a detailed message on Instagram, honoring the legacy of the R&B icon.
“Whitney Houston once said to me that Roberta Flack’s voice was one of the purest voices she’d ever heard. I grew up scouring the records my Parents collected. Mrs. Flack was one of their favorites and quite instantly became one of mine as soon as I was exposed to her,” she wrote.
Lauryn Hill continued, “She looked cool and intelligent, gentle and yet militant. The songs she recorded from ‘Compared To What’ to ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ to her version of ‘Ballad Of The Sad Young Men’ fascinated me with their beauty and sophistication.”
